How to Trick-or-Treat Your Gut

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October 31, 2025 • 8 mins

Halloween might be a treat for your taste buds, but what about the trillions of microbes in your gut? Gastroenterologist Chris Damman joins host Rachel Feltman to explore how different candies affect your gut microbiome—and why moderation and whole foods matter even after a sugar binge. Recommended Reading “Halloween Candy Binges Can Overload Your Gut Microbiome—A Gut Doctor Explains How to Minimize Spooking Your Helpful Bacteria,” by Christopher Damman, in the Conversation. Published online October 23, 2024 E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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