New Spicy Skittles and Starburst May Have Hidden Health Benefits

Skittles and Starburst “Sweet Heat”

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If you consider yourself a chilihead and crave all things spicy-sweet, we’ve got some exciting news for you: Wrigley just announced that spicy Starburst and spicy Skittles are a thing. While the products do contain a bunch of sugar (it is candy after all), there are some incredible health benefits of foods high up on the Scoville scale.

At the 2017 Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago, tons of companies announced what sugary treats will be hitting shelves in the next few years, but nobody seems to care about anything except the “Sweet Heat” Skittles and Starburst. Expected to officially launch in December, the new candy comes in a black package covered in flames 🔥.

The spicy Skittles flavor lineup features Fiery Watermelon, Blazin’ Mango, Flamin’ Orange, Sizzlin’ Strawberry and Lemon Spark, according to a press release. Meanwhile, the Sweet Heat Starburst pack will include Fiery Watermelon, Strawberry Mango, Flamin’ Orange and Pipin’ Pineapple. Both sweets, depending on the size, will set you back anywhere from 99 cents to $3.19.

While traditional Skittles and Starburst aren’t the worst health choice you can make when it comes to candy (a standard bag of Skittles contains 230 calories and 2.5 grams fat, while eight pieces of Starburst will cost you 160 calories and 3.5 grams fat), their spicier counterparts may provide some unexpected health benefits.

In addition to all the vitamins and nutrients that hot chili peppers boast, they get their heat from capsaicin — a pretty incredible colorless plant compound that has been known to do everything from ward off cancer to suppress appetite and aid weight loss.

But the magic of capsaicin doesn’t stop there. By binding to the pain receptors in the nose and mouth, capsaicin transmits a burning feeling to the brain, which reacts by releasing endorphins and producing a high. This totally explains why some people are “addicted” to spicy food.

If you can’t wait until December to indulge in sweet-and-spicy candy, find a Mexican grocery store and grab some mango-chili lollipops. Or you can just douse regular Skittles and Starburst with hot sauce. (Ew? Yum?)

And if you’re looking for more spicy-sweet snacks, you can try chili pepper-infused Mike’s Hot Honey or these spicy sweet potato fries.

What Do YOU Think?

Are you excited to try Skittles and Starburst Sweet Heat? Are you a fan of sweet-and-spicy foods? Are you surprised that heat has health benefits?