ayds diet candy

Ayds was an appetite-suppressant diet candy introduced around 1940 in the United States. It was available in several flavors including chocolate, butterscotch, chocolate mint, caramel, and later peanut butter. The candy contained ingredients such as benzocaine initially (to numb taste buds) and later phenylpropanolamine to reduce appetite and caloric intake. It was marketed as a convenient, tasty way to help people lose weight by curbing hunger without drugs. Ayds was popular especially in the 1970s with endorsements from Hollywood celebrities. However, during the 1980s, the emergence of the AIDS epidemic caused a significant decline in sales due to the phonetic similarity between the product's name (Ayds) and the disease name (AIDS). Marketing efforts including renaming to "Diet Ayds" and "Aydslim" were ultimately unsuccessful, and the product was discontinued by the late 1980s. The candy was taken with a hot drink before meals to suppress appetite, and it was claimed to help people eat less and lose weight naturally. Despite its initial success, the association with the disease name deeply impacted its legacy and marketing viability.