SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The popular food trend of soaking pineapples in Kool-Aid has health experts concerned because of its high sugar content.
Many reports circulating online say that just one of these jars contains as much sugar as about 30 glazed doughnuts.
Registered dietitian Emily Gozy says that although this may be an exaggeration, consumers should still watch how much of these pineapples they eat.
“You’re not going to give yourself diabetes from having one or two pieces of it. The problem is when we’re having that whole 32-ounce container of it or more, or having it consistently,” said Gozy.
While experts advise that consuming so much sugar in one sitting is unwise, that isn’t stopping some people from doing just that. Bash Zokari, manager of North Salina Convenience & Deli, now sells the sweet treats after trying them for the first time. He also knows just how irresistible they are.
“To be honest, I’m not gonna lie. They’re addicting. You can eat one jar sitting down easy,” said Zokari.
With all the sugar in one of these jars, Jane Burrell, a nutrition professor at Syracuse University, warns about the possible long-term effects of eating them.
“It’s a metabolic stressor on your body, so it can, over time, increase your blood sugar. And that can be associated with what we call metabolic syndrome or prediabetes and kind of eventually lead to diabetes,” said Burrell.
Willie Reynolds, whose Instagram account is @_silly_willie, is credited as the creator of this sweet delicacy. However, the trend did not take off until Brayden Harrelson, who goes by @brayden.harrelson on Instagram, went viral while trying the pineapples for the first time. After he took a bite, he reacted by saying, “datbihgah,” and his post quickly went viral. He used the phrase to express how much he liked the pineapple.