20 Healthiest And Unhealthiest Halloween Candies Slideshow
Fun Dip
Some of us may have fond memories of dipping that pearly white sugar stick into a pouch of florescent-colored flavored sugar, but this candy is a nutritional disaster. A 14-gram serving has 13 grams of sugar and provides no nutritional benefits.
Candy Corn
Candy corn may be an iconic Halloween staple, but this sweet treat is more of a food industry trick. Brach's, the major manufacturer of candy corn, says its product is sweetened with honey, and though this ingredient is included, it's one of the last ones listed — after gelatin, sesame oil, and artificial flavor. Nineteen pieces of the munchable candies contain 28 grams of sugar and 140 calories. Check out 36 other things you can do with candy corn besides eating it.
Take5
Some people believe Take5 is one of the most underrated candy bars, but many doctors would simply label it unhealthy. A snack-sized Take5 bar has more than 100 calories, 9 grams of sugar, and 2.5 grams of saturated fat. The ingredients for this five-part confectionary concoction include sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil, soybean oil, and corn syrup. A simple chocolate-covered pretzel is a much better option.
Rainbow Nerds
Making these brightly colored beads of sugar requires some food industry magic that would make even Willy Wonka's head spin. A tablespoon of Rainbow Nerds contains 60 calories and 14 grams of sugar, which is more than a tablespoon of standard table sugar. Besides all that sweetness, Rainbow Nerds require a number of food colorings such as blue 1, red 40 lake, and yellow 6, which are sometimes derived from petroleum distillates.
Milk Duds
A snack-sized container of Milk Duds is only 36 grams but contains 160 calories and 18 percent of your recommended daily intake of saturated fat. The first three ingredients listed are corn syrup, sugar, and vegetable oil; which raises the question: What am I actually eating? To make matters worse, the Milk Dud's chewy caramel is notorious for getting stuck in between teeth.
Butterfinger Bites
These little nuggets of chocolate-coated pulverized peanuts have a texture similar to that of fiberglass. Butterfinger candies may have some of the most iconic commercials, but these candies are especially susceptible to getting stuck in your teeth. The first three ingredients are corn syrup, sugar, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil.
Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolate
One serving (40 grams) of Hershey's Sugar-Free Chocolate has 160 calories and 40 percent of your recommended daily intake of saturated fat. The chocolate's sugar is replaced by 20 grams of sugar alcohol, which provides fewer calories but has also been found to have a minor laxative effect because it is not as well absorbed by the body. On top of that, sugar-free sweets can be just as bad for your teeth as those with sugar.
Tootsie Roll Pops
It takes a lot of licks to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop, which leaves the teeth and mouth marinating in a bath of sugar and food coloring. That said, the right lollipop can keep a child's mouth occupied for longer than a gummy or a candy bar would, which can slow his/her rapid, post-Halloween candy consumption.
Skittles
Skittles come in convenient snack-sized pouches, but these colorful candies are made almost entirely out of corn syrup, artificial colors, and hydrogenated palm oil. They offer nothing in the way of nutrition, but they are still America's second most popular chewy candy.
Mike and Ike
Mike and Ike candies lack nutritional value. They consist of sugar, corn syrup, modified food starch, and fruit juice concentrate. Forty grams of Mike and Ike candies contain 140 calories and 25 grams of sugar. See how Americans rank them on this list of favorite candies.
3 Musketeers
A snack-sized 3 Musketeers bar weighs only half an ounce but still has 10 grams of sugar. Though milk chocolate is the first ingredient listed, a lot of the bar comprises corn syrup and hydrogenated palm kernel oil.
Kit Kat
The snack-sized Kit Kat bars have only 70 calories and 9 grams of sugar, and they contain no corn syrup. The individually wrapped bars offer a satisfying crunch that can help kids (and adults) feel as if they're biting into something substantial.
Snickers
One fun-sized Snickers bar is only 80 calories, but the best part about these bars (besides the fact they were named after a horse) is that they comprise almost no saturated fat and even include a gram and a half of protein. A bite of nougat, caramel, chocolate, and peanuts is a complete treat.
Almond Joy
When it comes to chocolate candy, it helps to have added protein such as almonds to keep you full and prevent you from unwrapping three more. The snack-sized candies total about 80 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 8 grams of sugar. Try making a healthier version of Almond Joy yourself with real coconut, coconut sugar, bittersweet chocolate, and roasted almonds.
Peanut M&M’s
Even though you may have no problem eating a "fun-sized" bag of these candies, choosing the snack-sized bag will put you at only 90 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 9 grams of sugar. A little protein and healthy fats from the peanuts also can't hurt.
York Peppermint Patties
The snack-sized patty that pairs a coating of dark chocolate with a soft minty interior contains only 11 grams of sugar, 60 calories, and less than a gram of saturated fat, which is considerably less than many other snack-sized chocolate candies. The refreshing, minty aftertaste gives you that freshly brushed mouthfeel that might make you reluctant to eat anything else.
Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate
Though many other candies provide nothing in the way of nutritional benefits, dark chocolate contains natural antioxidants and may also improve blood flow and blood pressure. The higher the cacao content, the more health benefits the chocolate provides.
Smarties
This classic treat is made almost entirely of dextrose (a sugar derived from corn starch) and contains only 25 calories and 6 grams of sugar per roll. It still has added food coloring, but it's actually completely vegan.
Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Somewhat similar to the beloved Reese's, Justin's Peanut Butter Cups have a nutritionist-approved ingredient list. The ingredients include organic dark chocolate, organic peanuts, organic cane sugar, organic peanut flour, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla flavor, sea salt, and organic soy lecithin. At 230 calories, you get 4 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat, and 17 grams sugar.
UnReal Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Peanut Butter
UnReal markets its candy as non-GMO, gluten-free, corn-free, and soy-free. This candy falls near the top of our list because it contains no artificial dyes, and instead uses colors from fruits and vegetables such as red cabbage juice, beet juice, and turmeric extract. For fewer than 100 calories, you can have 25 pieces, with a total of 5 grams of fat and 9.5 grams of sugar.