Have a Healthy Halloween Without Giving Up Candy!
As the weather cools, many people start to lean away from lighter foods like salads and fresh fruit, and towards comfort foods. Think hearty stews, potato dishes, and pies. Arguably, Halloween is the first holiday of the chillier months to welcome sugary treats. Halloween candy goes on sale in August these days, so many of us might even get an early start on eating more sugar.
The biggest concern here is not about eating candy—every dietitian eats candy without hiding in a corner. The concern is eating excess sugar for an extended period of time. We might go months without eating any processed sugar, and then BAM! Fall hsits, and in comes all the sugar and fat. Enduring these habits for months at a time, even if it is for part of the year, can lead to Type Two diabetes, which can have a negative impact on your pancreas, kidneys, and other organs.
Over-indulging in sugar can cause big spikes in insulin release, which we make naturally to control blood sugar levels, and that system can become weak, which leads to diabetes. The best part about a balanced diet is eating what you want in reasonable amounts throughout the year, but we overuse the word moderation.
The person who eats three fried fish sandwiches a week may consider that moderation if they used to eat five. Instead, we should aim to eat foods that don’t benefit our health once weekly or less, focusing on more nutritionally rich foods on a daily basis.
All in all, candy is one of the best ways to pack in extra calories, sugar, and fat. On the other hand, no one likes the house that hands out pretzels or raisins on Halloween. Toys and money are always calorie-free treats, but that can get costly. Growing up, I purposefully dodged certain houses knowing what they would give and visited other houses several times that evening for the same reason. I remember this one woman got her house egged for giving out fresh apples.
To prevent your house from being the one that is dodged or egged, I compiled a list of the least bad, but delicious Halloween candy to put your nutrition-oriented mind at rest and keep the kids coming back year after year. Remember, four grams of sugar is equivalent to an entire teaspoon!
Related Article: The Spooky Side of Drag: The Boulet Brothers
Peanut M&Ms Fun-Size (1): 90 calories, 5g fat, 9g sugar, 1.5g protein
Nestle Crunch Fun-Size (1): 60 calories, 3g fat, 7g sugar, 0.7g protein
Dark Hershey Miniature (1): 40 calories, 3g fat, 4g sugar, 0.6g protein
3-Musketeers Miniature (1): 63 calories, 2g fat, 10g sugar, 0.3g protein
Jelly Belly Fun-Size (.28 ounces): 28 calories, 0g fat, 5g sugar, 0g protein
Hershey Kisses* (3): 80 calories, 4g fat, 9g sugar, 1g protein
*Kisses are never given out singularly, so the calories add up fast. Keep this tip in mind when passing out the candy! Giving out one piece will keep your cost of candy low, especially in highly trafficked neighborhoods.
You may find other candy that is just as low in calories, fat, and sugar. Remember, this is just the short list. Keeping our personal nutrition in the forefront of our minds all the time is tough, so do not be hard on yourself. Go ahead and enjoy some Halloween candy without the guilt.
Knowing what you are eating, though, can help keep those portions limited and your health at the top of the list. Remember to keep an eye on the calories, fat, and sugar in your choices so whatever your decision is, it is an educated one. Happy Trick-or-Treating!
