The Skinny on Halloween Candy

I had a dentist appointment today, and my teeth are bright and shiny. "Perfect teeth" is the feedback I got - go me! :) But it did get me wondering about all the candy I've been indulging on the past few weeks. I have to say I was a little worried about cavities... not to mention my waistline. Luckily, my weight hasn't really changed, and my teeth are looking good. I guess a few extra pieces a week wasn't enough to cause any huge issues, but we all know it's not healthy.

So my random question of the day is:

How bad is Halloween candy really for you?

Let's start with our wallets. First and foremost candy is not cheap. It was estimated in 2013 that Americans spent over 2 billion dollars on Halloween candy (Forbes.com). According to the Census, there were around 133 million households last year. Do the math, and that means the average household spent about $15 on Halloween candy last year. I have a cauldron full of Snickers bars that I spent $13.50 on, and I bought them on sale with a coupon! Now that might not seem like that much money for some people, but that candy increased my grocery bill by 20%. I'm just glad it was a one-time purchase.

Now since candy is super high in sugar, let's talk about how candy affects our teeth. I have good news, people! According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, "candy is no more likely to cause cavities than most other foods". However, they do go on to say that frequent snacking, no matter what you choose, increases your chances of getting a cavity (AAPD.org). So if you keep going back to your kids' candy stash, you might end up needing a filling down the road. I eat all day, and my teeth are "perfect". Sorry, I am very proud of my dental health lol, but it's all because of my home dental care. I just love brushing my teeth!

I did read some interesting articles, though, that stated that some candies are worse on your teeth than others. The sticky ones and the acidic ones appear to be the worst along with ones that stay in your mouth longer because you have to suck on them. So if have a history of cavities, some candies to avoid would be lollipops, hard candies, anything with caramel, and jawbreakers (harvard.edu).

In all honesty, though, as a dietitian, my first worries about candy are the Calories, sugar, and fat. Most candy is not low in Calories, and they're empty meaning they provide energy but no nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Here is a rundown of the nutrition information on the 5 most popular Halloween candies in the US: Reese's, M&M's, Snickers, Hershey's, and Kit Kats (usatoday.com). The article didn't say which kind of M&M's, so I looked up the regular and the peanut.

Fun Size Candy	Calories in 1 piece	Saturated Fat	Sugar	Sodium	Source
Reese’s	105	11 %DV	10 g	75 mg	Hersheys.com
M&M’s	73	8 %DV	10 g	10 mg	M&Ms.com
Peanut M&M’s	90	9 %DV	9 g	10 mg	M&Ms.com
Snickers	80	7 %DV	8 g	42 mg	Snickers.com
Hershey’s	63	12 %DV	7 g	10 mg	cvs.com
Kit Kat	70	6 %DV	7 g	10 mg	Hersheys.com

What I found the most surprising is that the most popular Halloween candy, Reese's cups, is also the least healthiest from the list. It has the highest amount of Calories, the 2nd highest amount of saturated (bad) fat, the highest amount of sugar, and the highest amount of sodium.....and that's just one Reese's cup there. 

I really thought that the plain Hershey's bar would stand out as healthier since it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it really wasn't all that different, and it had the highest amount of saturated fat. I would say out of all of those the Kit Kat would probably have my vote as the safest choice, but then again, I am biased. Kit Kats are my favorite Halloween candy (That's why I bought Snickers to hand out, so I wouldn't be as tempted to keep some for myself lol).
 
I also found it interesting that most of the companies considered a serving to equal 2-3 pieces. Now that makes me both happy and unhappy. I'm happy because most serving sizes are super small, but I don't like that they are encouraging me to eat 3 pieces. I have a hard enough time with self control. I don't need the nutrition label to tell me I can eat more.

Now, one piece of candy is not going to make you gain weight. However, those Calories really do add up.  If I were to eat 1 Reese's cup per day for a whole month, I could possibly gain 1 pound if I didn't reduce my intake somewhere else or increase my physical activity. That's where these habits really start to reek havoc on our health. Once a week turns into a few which turns into every day, and before we know it, it is part of our routine.

But all in all, I wouldn't stress too much about the Halloween candy. A few pieces here and there is totally fine. Actually, if you don't have any candy on Halloween, I'm going to be very disappointed in you. The holidays are supposed to be enjoyed. As long as we don't go overboard, these traditions can be celebrated without emptying our pockets, clogging our arteries, or increasing our waistlines.