Trader Joe's New Zero-Sugar Gummy Worms Cause Digestive Distress

A new Trader Joe’s snack comes with a gross side effect and customers are finding out the hard way.

The grocery chain, known for its creative snack selection, recently released a new candy.

The Sweet & Sour Gummy Worms Candies have been marketed as a zero-sugar version of a childhood classic. But that’s not what’s catching the attention of customers and employees.

“I’m utterly baffled by how much fiber is in these things,” a Trader Joe’s worker wrote in a Reddit post earlier this month.

The gummies contain 14 grams of fiber and are just 35 calories per serving. With about five servings, that’s roughly 70 grams of fiber in the whole bag.

For comparison, a serving of prunes, known for helping digestion, is only three grams of fiber and less than 100 calories, according to an article from the California Prune Board.

“They taste like sparkling water and made everyone at work today HELLA gassy,” another commented on the Reddit post about the gummies.

Trader Joe’s did not comment on the reaction to the gummies when reached by The Independent.

Another Trader Joe’s employee wrote: “Mate at my store ate a whole bag and had to go home to use the bathroom. Per his own words it was pretty bad.”

One Reddit user claimed the gummies’ side effects lasted for several days.

“I ate the whole bag high not realizing how much fiber was in these. I have been pooping for three days now!” they wrote.

Another quipped: “It tastes like an edible but instead of getting high you get diarrhea.”

Others on Reddit took a more serious tone, suggesting that the package should clearly warn customers that the product is high in fiber.

“To me it seems a bit irresponsible to not label these as high fiber or something if the label is correct,” one person wrote. “There’s over 2 days worth of fiber in the whole bag and it’s such a small bag that it would be super easy to just eat the whole thing in one sitting.”

Most people should consume 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends. The academy estimates this to be about 25 to 28 grams of daily fiber for women and 28 to 34 grams for men.

“I was also surprised that there was nothing on the lable [sic] talking about the high fiber content.

“When I asked about the gummies the other day a mate warned me not to eat the whole bag. She said that it's already given a few crew members then [sic] runs,” one Reddit user said.

Another Trader Joe’s worker commented, “I’ve been warning customers about this if they buy one...

“A few people thanked me for pointing that out and put it back/no longer wanted it.”

For people who want to get their daily fiber in the old-fashioned way, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has listed several natural sources of fiber, including raspberries, black beans, pears with the skin on and avocados.