Rapper Jelly Roll claims he 'didn't see colour' for 20 years due to unhealthy diet

Jelly Roll has claimed that she wasn't able to see colour for 20 years due to his unhealthy diet.

The rapper and singer has undergone an astonishing transformation in the past couple of years.

Previously weighing around 550 lbs (around 250 kg or 39 stone), the rapper - real name Jason DeFord - decided it was time to make serious changes in his life and dedicated years to losing weight through exercise, healthy eating and lifestyle changes.

After overhauling his life in late 2022, DeFord has since lost close to 200 lbs – and he is seeing unexpected benefits from the change.

Which apparently includes being able to properly see in colour for the first time in two decades.

Speaking on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, DeFord opened up on his health journey and said that 'rampant inflammation' from eating a high sugar diet had impacted his eyesight.

"I was colorblind," he explained to an astonished Rogan. The 41-year-old then went on to reveal that he'd been able to notice 'shades of colours' but wasn't aware to notice exact differences between different tones.

"I never realised there was nuances and prettiness and some were brighter."

It wasn't until nine months after he cut sugar out of his diet that DeFord began to notice his vision changing, recalling a incident where he noticed a 'pretty purple tulip' in his back garden.

"She was like 'you've walked by that plant for two years, what are you talking about'. I was like 'there's no way we've had a plant that pretty and I didn't notice it for two years'. It was bright."

He continued: "Slowly over the next few months I'm looking around and seeing clear colour. I couldn't quit talking about it."

Jelly Roll Says He Is Able to See Color Again After Eating Healthier

“I didn't see color for like 20 years … It had to have been the sugar. It must have been just rampant inflammation.” pic.twitter.com/1hm0gSEnqR

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) December 10, 2025

The 'Save Me' singer revealed that he started buying colouring books in the months after fully regaining his vision.

"I didn't see colour for like 20 years. It had to have been the sugar," he added.

DeFord's claims that diet impacted his vision may seem incredulous when you first hear it; however our diets are known to have a direct impact on our eyesight, with numerous studies showing that only consuming food of poor nutritional value can lead vision loss or impairment.

According to optometrists.org, a diet high in sugar can lead to conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy, while nutritional optic neuropathy can develop in cases where a person is deficient in B vitamins, as well as iron, calcium, magnesium, and copper, due to poor diet.