Halloween is almost here, and we’re a little scared. Not because of the costumes or the decorations—it’s the bags and bags of candy taking up full aisles in the grocery store, tempting us with their chocolatey goodness. A little indulgence isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but some choices are definitely better than others when it comes to the candy aisle. We asked five top-notch sports nutritionists to share a few of their favorite choices—and the candies that they wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. Here's what they recommend.
Packed with sugar and little else (and far too easy to eat by the bagful), these treats in particular can be dangerous to your diet, explains Paola Rodríguez, a Clinical and Sports Dietitian in Stirling, Scotland. Candy with high-fructose corn syrup at the top of the ingredient list will spike your blood sugar and offer little by way of satiety—which is why you find yourself inhaling a package without a second thought, and might even find yourself hungry immediately afterwards as your body tries to balance out its insulin response to the sugar.
Indulge: Dark Chocolate
If he had to pick a candy, Eastern Oregon University nutritionist Kyle Pfaffenbach would suggest dark chocolate. “It has some benefits, and some reports even suggest that it can help athletic performance under certain conditions," he explains. Canadian sports nutritionist Anne Guzman agrees, and suggests choosing one that’s over 70 percent Cocoa for the biggest antioxidant bang for your buck—and fewer fillers like sugar and fat. This organic variety pack even has some fun flavors (smoked Chai, anybody?) While picking good chocolate isn't a license to go crazy, a few pieces might take the edge off of your chocolate cravings when the kids come home with bags stuffed with candy.
"Sticky Sour Patch kids, Tootsie Rolls and caramels are the worst as far as dental health, as this type of candy can stick in your teeth for hours,” says Nanci Guest, who’s worked as the lead dietician for the Winter Olympics. If it can rip a filling out, it’s not doing your gut any favors, and since those candies are almost entirely simple carbs, you're going to experience a bonk effect once your brief sugar high fades.
Just check the ingredients list; chocolates with fancy fillings are packed with saturated fats and processed sugars. Plus, the light, airy mousses are much less filling than more substantial options, so you’ll likely find yourself eating more. (Check out this handy guide to reading Nutrition Labels if you're not sure where to start!)
Indulge: Chocolate covered fruit and nuts
“Nuts beat the garbage fillings,” says Guzman. Rather than the ultra-processed options above, Guzman prefers trail mixes with a variety of nuts, dried fruit and chocolate, or chocolate covered almonds or raisins. The healthy fats and proteins in the nuts will help you feel more satisfied, and the natural sugars in fruits like raisins are easier on your body. (If you’re buying Halloween candy at the store, Guzman recommends milk chocolate Hershey Kisses with almonds.)
All of the nutritionists agree on one thing: sampling some of your favorite Halloween treats is fine—but be aware of portion sizes, and of indulging in Halloween candy for the entire lead-up to Thanksgiving. "Honestly, multiple days of over-consuming any candy is the worst offender because it will end up replacing healthy choices,” says Terranova. And even the ‘healthy’ choices can be overdone. "Many of the non-chocolate candies are loaded with chemicals, and, of course, sugar!” she adds.
Indulge: Mini-Favorites
"Halloween happens once a year and it's something so exciting for kids as well as many adults,” says Guest. “Take advantage of bite-size pieces of candy that can help you avoid indulging in larger portions. Keep everything in balance: Treats shouldn't bring on stress!" If you tend to overdo it even with the minis, check the nutrition label for a serving size, then decide on your limit before you start snacking.
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