The Viral Kool-Aid Pineapple Trend Packs More Sugar Than You Think
We recently covered the Kool-Aid Pineapple jars that have started popping up all over social media.
According to food content creator @shhhhimeating1, vendors make the colorful drinks by combining pineapple-infused coconut water, Kool-Aid powder, lemon juice, and extra sugar before pouring the mixture back over pineapple spears to soak.
Since pineapple and pineapple juice already contain plenty of natural sugar, it didn’t take long for people to question just how much sugar these drinks actually pack. Some social media users have claimed a single Kool-Aid Pineapple jar contains between 200 and 250 grams of sugar, while others have compared one serving to eating dozens of doughnuts in a single sitting.
So how close is that estimate? Let’s do the math.
One Original Glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme contains 10 grams of sugar, meaning a full dozen contains 120 grams.
One packet of Kool-Aid contains 14 grams of sugar, and many vendors start with pre-packaged pineapple spears packed in syrup, juice, or coconut water. A container of Member’s Mark Pineapple Spears from Sam’s Club, for example, contains 20 grams of sugar.
That brings the total to roughly 154 grams of sugar before accounting for any additional sugar vendors stir into the mixture.
In other words, the viral estimates may overshoot the actual number depending on the recipe, but these drinks still contain a significant amount of sugar. No two jars are exactly alike, so the final total depends on the brand of pineapple, the amount of Kool-Aid, and however much extra sugar each vendor adds.
The trend itself feels harmless enough. Plenty of people grew up on quarter waters, freeze pops, and other sugar-heavy treats. Still, it’s worth keeping the nutritional reality in mind.
According to the American Heart Association, men should limit their added sugar intake to 36 grams per day, while women should aim for no more than 25 grams.
