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mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Writer, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor’s in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

Image by Lyuba Burakova / Stocksy

October 28, 2022

If there’s any time of year to indulge in some of your favorite childhood candies, it’s Halloween. Unfortunately, however, if you’ve been hitting the sweets, you might notice your digestion is taking a hit. Here’s why your gut lining is actually affected by Halloween treats, plus how to mindfully enjoy sweets sans stomach pain, from experts.

If you’ve never heard of titanium dioxide, it can be found in everything from salad dressings to coffee creamers1, and yes, in Halloween candy like chocolate and Skittles. As gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., MSCI, tells mbg, titanium dioxide is really the ingredient to watch out for in candy—as it has been linked2 to damage to the microbiome and the gut barrier and is even associated with inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.

“As of August 7, 2022, titanium dioxide is no longer allowed as a food additive in the European Union,” Bulsiewicz says, adding, “And you’ll find it in far more than Skittles—keep an eye out and review your kids’ Halloween candy stocks.” (By law, it needs to be listed on food labels.)

Another gut disrupter in your favorite Halloween candy? Sugar, of course. And that includes refined sugars (i.e., high-fructose corn syrup) as well as some alternative sweeteners.

As board-certified internist Vincent M. Pedre, M.D., explains, sugar can be the worst gut offender because it creates an imbalance in the microbiome. Studies have also shown a high sugar intake can be inflammatory and may feed “bad” bacteria3 in the gut.

Of course, the best way to avoid any stomach upset this Halloween is to curb the candy intake. But there are a few other things you can do to support the integrity of your gut lining as you enjoy your favorite treats.

For one thing, taking a quality probiotic can help with everything from bloating to digestion. As functional medicine practitioner William Cole, IFMCP, DNM, D.C., previously wrote for mbg, along with eating probiotic-rich, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi, a good probiotic supplement will also give your gut “a much-needed boost of essential bacteria.”

You can also lean into more gut-supporting foods and lifestyle factors in addition to your probiotic regimen. Bulsiewicz, for example, previously recommended peanuts, broccoli sprouts, sourdough, and seaweed as four foods that can help fuel the good bacteria in your gut. And in terms of lifestyle factors, think things like limiting stress and getting sufficient movement4 for keeping your gut happy.