Three Unexpected Times You Should Eat Sour Patch Kids
Sour Patch Kids have always been my favorite movie candy (sorry for those who prefer raisins or whatever kids eat these days). But they can do more than just taste delicious while your friends are munching on popcorn. Here are three amazing reasons to keep a cache close at hand.
They can help stop a panic attack.
When you feel a panic attack coming on, it’s easy to fall into a vicious circle : you notice what’s happening, you’re afraid it’s going to get worse, it gets worse, and you repeat. One often effective way to break the vicious cycle is to start noticing things that exist in the real world. For example: five things can be seen, four can be touched, three can be heard, two can be smelled, one can be tasted .
Sour candies can help you ground yourself by providing an intense sensory experience that you can’t ignore. This life hack pops up on TikTok from time to time, and therapists say it can definitely be useful at the moment. A stockpile of candy is no substitute for therapy or better coping strategies, so make sure you take care of your mental health in other ways as well.
They can help relieve muscle spasms
If you get cramps during your workout, especially in the heat, the standard advice is to drink water and make sure you’re getting plenty of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride.
This is good advice for preventing seizures. But once your calf or quadriceps muscles start cramping, how can you relieve that cramp? Research shows that something strong in taste can make your nervous system stop cramping. This effect was first noticed when testing brine juice. Runners and cyclists have long used pickle as a remedy for cramps, and at first scientists speculated that this was due to its electrolyte content. But the brine works in seconds , faster than fluids or electrolytes can enter the bloodstream.
One hypothesis is that pickled juice and other pungent foods activate TRPV1 receptors, and this affects our nervous system in such a way that it stops spasming our muscles. To be completely clear, research on this is mixed, but athletes swear by their favorite TRPV1 triggers , including foods that are spicy, sour, or otherwise strong-tasting. Mustard, hot peppers, vinegar, and ginger have been suggested as possible remedies for cramps. I haven’t seen Sour Patch Kids specifically tested, but if you’re looking for something more portable than a pickle, I’d give the sour candies a try.
They provide fast carbohydrates in the gym
Candy is a great source of carbs during your workout . (See how that sounds more serious and sporty than “snacking on junk food”?) I always take Sour Patch Kids in my gym bag when I go to competitions. I can eat them even when I’m too nervous for real food, and swapping candy with other athletes is a great way to make friends.