What You’ll Find In Donald Trump’s Candy Bowl (And What It Could Mean For His Diet)

You see candy dishes everywhere, offering a little boost of sugar to get through a humdrum day. A bowl of lollipops adds a touch of lightheartedness when you check out at a health clinic. Maybe your grandmother kept a stash of Starlight Mints on her cocktail table. And the candy in those dishes? It changes with the seasons — candy hearts in February, Starburst chews in the summer, and Halloween-wrapped chocolates in October.

Turns out, President Donald Trump has a thing for candy dishes too. During an Air Force One flight in 2017, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy noticed that Trump only ate the red and pink Starburst fruit chews (per the Washington Post). According to his aides, cherry and strawberry were his go-to flavors. (Read what’s in Donald Trump’s daily diet.)

In recent years, Trump has expanded his candy selection. Alongside Starburst, his bowl now includes Hershey’s Miniatures, Laffy Taffy, and Tootsie Rolls, according to Vanity Fair. While a little sugar boost can help get you through a meeting or the afternoon slump, keeping a candy dish within reach can easily sabotage a healthy diet.

Candy can come to the rescue when you’re hungry, stressed out, or bored. A handful of M&M’s can satisfy a sweet craving in seconds, while making a healthy snack takes a little more time and effort. But if you keep giving in to sugar cravings, you could be training your brain to want even more. Sugar triggers feel-good chemicals in your brain, and over time, your body may need more and more to get the same effect.

That quick sugar fix might hold you over, but it could also mean you’re skipping out on nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. And most people already don’t get enough of those. A 2010 study in Public Health Reports found that people in Southern Louisiana fell 20% short of their recommended fruit and vegetable intake while overdoing it on sweets and snacks by 120%. In Los Angeles, the numbers were a little better. Residents missed their fruit and veggie goals by 10% but still went overboard on snacks and sweets by 60%.

Trump’s dentist may not be happy with the sticky candies such as the Laffy Taffy, Starbursts, and Tootsie Rolls, but that sugar can lead to obesity, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Eating too much candy in place of healthier foods can also do a lot of damage to the rest of the body, according to a 2022 review in Frontiers in Immunology. The sugar in candy and processed foods can lead to inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Grabbing a piece of candy might feel like second nature, but it doesn’t have to be. You might think skipping breakfast saves calories, but you could easily make up for it by snacking on a handful or two of those innocent-looking candies. One piece of Starburst won’t wreck your diet, but six of them add up to 120 calories, 16 grams of sugar, and little to no nutrients. Plus, since they lack protein and fiber, they won’t keep you full, setting you up for an addictive sugar cycle. And if you’re eating sugary treats later in the day, those extra calories are more likely to be stored as fat.

To curb sugar cravings, make sure you’re eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods earlier in the day so you won’t be reaching for a quick candy fix later. Lack of sleep and stress can also drive sugar cravings, so getting enough rest and finding ways to manage stress can help break the cycle. Sometimes, what feels like a craving is actually dehydration, so try drinking a glass of water before reaching for sweets.

Instead of keeping a candy dish stocked with temptation, eat healthier foods if you’re craving sugar (e.g., an apple with your favorite nut butter). The fiber, protein, and healthy fats will keep you satisfied, and the natural sweetness of the apple can help tame your sweet tooth.