Study: Eating a deep-fried candy bar could increase your stroke risk in minutes


The deep-fried candy bars at the state fair may be hard to resist, but a new study suggests that their health risk may be greater than you realize.
Researchers in Scotland found that eating deep-fried Mars bars — a popular snack in the country — could slow blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke. The study only looked at 24 participants, and the researchers said the impact on blood flow was "modest," but that still doesn't bode well for deep-fried candy lovers.
Glasgow University researchers found that men with narrow arteries are most at risk. In male participants, blood flow to the brain was "modestly" decreased in as little as 90 minutes, which could affect the risk of stroke.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The study, published in the Scottish Medical Journal, concluded that "deep-fried Mars bar ingestion may acutely contribute to cerebral hypoperfusion in men," though similar effects were not seen in women. However, the study's sample size was small, and more research is needed to confirm the effects of sugary, fatty snacks on the brain.
"We've shown that eating a sugar and fat-laden snack can actually affect blood flow to the brain within minutes," William Dunn, who performed scans on volunteers, told The Daily Record. "This reduction in the reactivity of blood vessels in the brain has previously been linked to an increased stroke risk — but the changes we observed were modest."
Even so, it's probably best to lay off the fried candy.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
With Dick Durbin’s retirement, where do Democrats go from here?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The number two Senate Democrat's pending departure is a pivotal moment for a party looking for leadership in the second Trump administration
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
6 peaceful homes in farm country
Feature Featuring a two-story solarium in California and a three-season screened porch in Wisconsin
By The Week US
-
5 'slow TV' shows for overstimulated kids
The Week Recommends In an era of fast-paced content and short attention spans, the slow TV movement can be a boon to parents
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Ozempic can curb alcohol cravings, study finds
Speed read Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also be helpful in limiting alcohol consumption
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New form of H5N1 bird flu found in US dairy cows
Speed Read This new form of bird flu is different from the version that spread through herds in the last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US