Eat This, Not That: Halloween Candy

Halloween should be fun and a little indulgence is never harmful. But overeating—especially Halloween candy that is typically fat-filled and loaded with refined sugar—can easily cause you to add 1,000 calories or more to your normal intake without even noticing.

Luckily, there are a few smarter ways to treat yourself in order to look good and feel good in that classic cat costume. Most of these popular alternatives are also vegan friendly, so those with dietary restrictions can indulge, too!

 

Don’t eat: Snickers

Snickers are loaded with peanuts, nougat, caramel, and chocolate, which are all packed with saturated milk-fat and refined sugar. A regular-size bar has about 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 27 grams of sugar. The sticky caramel is also terrible for your teeth and no one wants a yellowing smile, let’s be real.

…Try instead: Dark Chocolate (vegan friendly)

Dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao normally contains no fatty milk products and uses raw cacao or cocoa butter instead. This bittersweet alternative results in a much lower amount of saturated fat and sugar. Dark chocolate is also full of antioxidants, so it’s a good way to get that chocolate fix without taking a toll on your body.

 

Don’t Eat: Skittles

One regular-size bag of Skittles contains about 47 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar. That is a lot of sugar. Not to mention the chemicals used to create “the rainbow” are so terrible for our bodies that people have been trying to get the FDA to ban them for years.

…Try instead: Smarties (vegan friendly)

Smarties contain no fat and not much artificial coloring. One roll packs about 7 grams of sugar, which really isn’t too bad in comparison. This treat also stretches your calories, with only about 25 calories per roll.

Or this one: Jolly Ranchers (vegan friendly)

Hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers are always better choices because they tend to be relatively low in fat and take a bit longer to eat than a candy bar. Three pieces are only about 70 calories and you are way less likely to eat an entire bag of these than you are to eat a bag of Skittles.

 

Don’t Eat: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

This classic American treat is about 210 calories per two-cup pack and contains as much saturated fat as a McDonald’s cheeseburger (13 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat)! The filling is definitely not pure peanut butter either—it’s loaded with preservatives, chemicals, and added sugar.

…Try instead: York Peppermint Patties

One large patty is about 140 calories with 2.5 grams of fat. This traditional Halloween treat will satisfy your chocolate cravings without affecting your body as much as an entire cheese burger (I know, I still can’t get over it either).

Or this one: Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (vegan friendly)

Not your traditional Halloween treat but if peanut butter cups are your go-to, this is the treat for you.  The shell is 100% dark chocolate and the peanut filling is made with real peanuts and no added preservatives!

 

by Dylan Roman-Holba