Is marzipan a good food prep for long-term storage?

Calvin - September 4, 2022

This Reddit comment says that “Store-bought marzipan with high sugar content still in the original air-tight packaging is totally fine for up to three years. Unless you live in a hot place room temperature is good, no need for a fridge. The sugar preserves everything (just like jam) and the airtight foil prevents it from drying out.”

Meanwhile, apparently 42g of marzipan has 180 calories (8g fat, 32g carbs, 2g protein). This makes it roughly comparable to peanut butter in terms of calorie density. It obviously has less protein and vitamins, but it seems like a decent source of calcium and fiber compared to peanut butter.

What do you all think?

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Marzipan is delicious! But no, I wouldn’t recommend trying to use candy as a staple food. You’ll get a burst of energy while eating it, then crash back to zero (or even negative) within 30 minutes as your body tries to compensate for that sugar rush with a burst of insulin. Eating a lot of candy will make you sick within a day.

Yes, you want foods that have a lot of calories per ounce, especially if you have a weight limit due to needing to carry your food. But you also need those calories to convert to blood sugar gradually over several hours rather than all at once. In nutrition, foods that raise blood sugar slowly are said to have a “low glycemic index” and are generally healthier foods.

https://www.medicinenet.com/low-glycemic_foods_list_guide/article.htm

 

I can’t remember what marzipan tastes like but isn’t it like a shortbread cookie? I have some of those emergency lifeboat rations that taste like that. 

The lifeboat rations will probably be slightly more nutritious than marzipan that is 1/2 sugar. So I would probably recommend doing something like that. But hey, it doesn’t hurt to have one or two small marzipan cookies in your emergency bag.

 

It tastes of almonds.

 

A sensible way of spreading the effects on your blood sugar is to eat small amounts at regular intervals 

 

Marzipan is fine as a short term source of simple carbs but anyone suffering from diabetes should avoid it because it would cause the blood sugar levels to spike (and then drop in normal metabolisms) as Eric so rightly says…however each block of marzipan has in excess of 7000 Calories. A physically fit person can achieve a great deal with 7000 Calories of cheap, densely packed body fuel if you are needing to stay active. If you simply view it as fast fuel rather than as a long term food source it can be helpful, similar to chocolate or Kendal mint cake which are also very high in sugar.

It’s a good idea to have calories to fall back on in cases where you are cold weather hiking, they can also be a moral booster. Low blood sugar can alter your brain chemistry meaning that decision making can become difficult. Caffeine can be another short term fix, not necessarily good for you long term but enough to get you through a long night.

 

While diabetics have weaker defenses against blood sugar spiking, the problem actually affects everyone. In fact, the most common way for healthy people to become diabetic is to repeatedly damage their bodies with high glycemic foods (such as candy) and the resulting blood sugar spikes. Sure, you can survive on candy as a last resort. But if you get to choose a survival food in advance, there are much better options.