Are Swedish Fish Bad For You?
Short answer
Swedish Fish are mostly sugar and artificial colors. Both are bad for you.
Recommended Alternative
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Swedish Fish aren't good for you. The first three ingredients are sugar, inverted sugar, and corn syrup. All are sweetening products with various ratios of glucose to fructose. All provide you with empty calories - they don't come with the other minerals and nutrients you need to get through the day. They rot your teeth and can do damage to your gums.
There's not much in Swedish Fish to slow down the rate at which your body will absorb the glucose and fructose, so it'll hit your blood quickly. You'll experience a sugar high followed by a crash. Then, your body will take the excess sugar and store it as fat. Eat Swedish Fish on a regular basis, and you'll increase your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
Aside from the empty calories in the sugar, Swedish Fish are nutritionally void. They provide none of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to be healthy and happy. They provide no significant amount of dietary fiber to slow down the absorption of the sugar that they contain. There are none of the vitamins that you might find in a similarly sugary piece of fruit. There's no iron to help your blood cells transport oxygen. Almost any non-candy alternative will give your body more to work with.
Swedish Fish also contain artificial coloring - Red #40 in their standard candies, along with yellows and blues in their multicolored offerings. Advocacy groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest claim that artificial coloring causes hyperactivity in children, increases your chance of contracting certain cancers, and can speed the growth of tumors. These findings are supported by scientific studies in rodents.
The FDA and other regulatory agencies are not yet in broad agreement about these dangers. The potentially dangerous effects of artificial coloring agents have not been definitively established via studies in human populations. Rodents have different metabolisms than we do - more cancers and accelerated tumor growth in rats doesn't mean that the same thing will happen in people. So, for now, the artificial coloring agents used in Swedish Fish are still considered safe in the United States.
There’s another red flag in the ingredients list that should be noted. Swedish Fish are made with "natural and artificial flavors." This could mean a whole range of things - there's not much direction from the FDA on what constitutes a "natural flavor," and "artificial flavors" are a similarly broad category. While these flavoring agents are a small part of Swedish Fish - given their rank on the list of ingredients - one should be prudent and cautious wherever "natural and artificial flavors" are listed.
Possible short-term side effects
- blood sugar spike
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hyperactivity
Possible long-term side effects
- cavities
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gum disease
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weight gain
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diabetes
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heart disease
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cancer
Ingredients to be aware of
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
SmartSweets Sweet Fish
- Low sugar content
- Just 100 calories
- No artificial sweeteners
- Vegan and plant-based
- Gluten-free snack
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