Candy Is Totally Fine For Your Health, Candy Company Says

Oh good, we no longer have to feel guilty for our sweet tooth that rears its head everytime a chocolate bar gets opened. A study published in Nutrition Journal claims that candy consumption in adults is "not associated with objective measures of adiposity or select cardiovascular risk factors."

Of course, this study was "supported" (ahem, funded) by the National Confectioners Association, which is to say that big candy companies are saying eating candy is totally fine. Some findings? "Frequency of candy consumption was not associated with the risk of obesity, overweight/obesity, elevated waist circumference, elevated skinfold thickness, blood pressure, low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, or insulin resistance." Sure.

Of course, past studies and researchers at the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that snacking on high-calorie foods is a major cause of childhood obesity, and the National Confestioners Association does note that "given the cross-sectional study design... it cannot be concluded that candy consumption does not cause obesity or untoward levels of cardiovascular risk markers." Still, given all the health studies of the benefits of chocolate, we can only hope that a little candy won't hurt in the long run.

"There is a place for little pleasures, such as candy, in life," Laura Shumow, of the National Confectioners Association said in a press release. "A little treat in moderation can have a positive impact on mood and satisfaction, and as emerging research suggests, minimal impact on diet and health risk." We'll take it.