Why many older adults skip hard candy – how aging can change chewing and swallowing

As you get older, the muscles your body uses to chew can weaken, which may make enjoying holiday treats like Easter candy more difficult.

By: Sundeep Venkatesan, Binghamton University, State University of New York, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 23, 2026

Words: 1,066

Last Updated: 4 months, 1 week ago

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By Sundeep Venkatesan, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Last Easter while my children were sorting through their baskets of chocolate eggs and jelly beans, my son looked up from the table and asked a simple question:

“Why don’t Grandma and Grandpa eat candy like we do?”

It was the kind of question children ask without really thinking. To him, it seemed obvious: Candy is delicious, so why wouldn’t everyone want it?

From a child’s …

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