Halloween can be a scary time for those trying to maintain a healthy diet. Beyond calorie count, even bite-sized portions of sweet treats are filled with enough sugar, fat and additives to send your system into overdrive.
While it’s true that no Halloween candy is actually good for you, some choices are better than others. So whether you’re handing out treats to the neighborhood ghouls and goblins or heading door-to-door in a frightening costume, here are tips for making the best Halloween candy choices:
Trans Fat Terror
Any candy with trans fat, considered the worst type of fat, should be taken off your Halloween shopping list. Trans fats make foods taste good and last a long time, but unlike other dietary fats, they also raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and lower your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Eating trans fats can raise your risk of developing heart disease and stroke and is associated with a higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The manufactured form of trans fat, known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, is found in a variety of food products, including candy.
Trick or treat favorites such as Snickers, Reese’s Pieces and even Skittles contain trans fat. If you must have your fix of these candies, opt for fun-sized or miniatures instead of the full-size candy bar or packet.
Better Halloween treat choices are a Reese’s Cup, Mounds or Kit Kat.
Hidden trans fat in food can add up quickly. Food labels in the U.S. can read 0 grams trans fat so long as the food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. The problem is, these small amounts can lead to a big issue. Make sure when you check the candy label for trans fat, you’re also looking for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. If found on the ingredient list, the food does contains some trans fat, even if 0 grams per serving is listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel.
High Fructose Corn Syrup Horror
High fructose corn syrup is commonly used in place of sugar in highly processed foods like Halloween candy. Unlike sugar, which comes from a plant, HFCS is formed from a chemical process that turns corn into a sweetener. While there is controversy about whether the body handles HFCS differently than table sugar, we know that as the use of this type of sweetener has increased, so have levels of obesity, diabetes and other related health problems.
When choosing Halloween candy, look for treats with as little sugar as possible and no high fructose corn syrup.
Candies like Baby Ruth, Hershey’s Watchamacallit and even Lifesavers contain HFCS.
Better Halloween treat choices with no HFCS and less than 10 grams of sugar include Hershey’s Nuggets, Kit Kat snack-size bar or fun-sized Peanut M&M’s.
Halloween Candy Hall of Fame
There is no “healthy” Halloween candy; however, when shopping or filling your trick-or- treat bag, here are some options to consider.
10 Lower Sugar Treats With No Trans Fat or High Fructose Corn Syrup:
| Candy | Serving Size | Grams of Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Hershey’s Miniatures | 1 miniature | 4.4 |
| Reese’s Mini Cup | 1 mini cup | 4.6 |
| Twizzlers | 1 piece | 4.75 |
| Hershey’s Nuggets | 1 nugget | 5.75 |
| Smarties | 1 roll | 6 |
| Nestlé Crunch Fun Size Bar | 1 fun size bar | 7 |
| Kit Kat Snack Size Bar | 1 snack size bar | 7 |
| Mounds Fun Size Bar | 1 fun size bar | 7 |
| Haribo Gummi-Bears | 1 snack size bag | 7.3 |
| Twix Fun Size Bar | 1 fun size bar | 8 |
Don’t get tricked into thinking that a few more pieces of candy won’t matter. Grams of sugar can quickly add up with multiple servings. If you remember that moderation is key, allowing yourself a few treats this Halloween won’t sabotage your healthy habits.
Do you know the best Halloween candy choices? Take our quiz.
Lauren Popeck is a registered and licensed dietitian at Orlando Health . She pioneered a new field as an outpatient dietitian for the hospital and currently specializes in internal medicine. With more than 14 years of diverse nutrition experience, Lauren is passionate about helping others understand and incorporate nutrition into their lives.
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Choose This, Not That: Don’t Be Tricked Into Eating the Wrong Halloween Treat originally appeared on usnews.com
