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Community Corner

Dietitian Offers Tips for Healthier Halloween Treats

Libertyville expert advises staying away from the added sugars in popular Halloween candy.

Passing out Halloween treats does not have to mean sugar overload for our children, according to Joshh Rager, registered dietitian at . Many healthier options such as popcorn, fruit, and trail mix can be bought or made for trick-or-treat bags.

“You can get up to 4 grams of fiber out of a half cup of trail mix, depending on the brand,” Rager said. “And popcorn typically has 1.5 grams of fiber per cup, and basically has no sugar whatsoever.”

Rager says while buying Halloween candy watch for added sugars, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavorings, food dyes, and portion sizes. As a dietitian, he tells people to stay under 40 grams of total added sugars, those not naturally occurring in food, per day, including meals and snacks.

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“That’s equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar,” Rager said. “The average person in America eats 88 grams of sugar per day, which is equivalent to 22 teaspoons.”

After trick-or-treating, exceeding suggested daily sugar guidelines is easy when popular Halloween candies like Skittles Fun Size contain 11.3 grams of sugar per bag, a Three Musketeers Fun Size bar contains 10 grams per bar, and a fun size package of milk chocolate M&Ms contains 9.3 grams.

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Candies With Lower Added Sugar

Some popular small-sized candies with lower amounts of added sugar include a Wonka Mini Laffy Taffy with 4.2 grams of sugar, Hershey’s Assorted Miniatures with 4.4 grams, and a Hershey’s Nuggets Dark Chocolate with Almond with 4 grams.

When kids eat a lot of candy at once, their blood sugar levels spike and then crash. According to Rager candy is not very filling and it is easy for children to overeat because they do not feel full.

Rager said he urges people to watch sugar intake to help their mood and concentration, but also to help stay healthy. Bacteria thrive on sugar, and too much sugar actually will weaken the immune system, according to Rager.

Getting Healthier Treats

As a way to pass out and receive healthy trick-or-treating items, Rager suggested going to people’s houses that you know.

“It would be best if kids or groups of parents from fitness facilities, churches, or schools got together and had kids go to their houses to get candy. It makes it a little bit easier,” he said.

Peanut butter is on his list of healthy treats, but many kids have nut allergies, so he does not suggest giving this treat unless both parties know each other. Fresh fruit, because it is not packaged, is safer if taken from a neighbor, friend, or teacher’s house.

“The fruit leathers, nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, dark chocolates, and popcorn, are all natural choices, with not a lot of additives,” he explained. “The more natural, the more wholesome for a child’s body.”

Rager admitted that many children do not like dark chocolate, but other plain chocolates do not contain added sugars, and contain some fat, which will help kids stay satisfied and avoid overeating.

Portion Control

“The biggest factor is the portion,” Rager said. “I’m definitely one who’s practical, and I agree that kids should be able to eat a couple of pieces of candy, but moderation is the key.”

He suggested that parents take control of the candy after arriving home and only allow one or two pieces per day, and put an expiration date on it. After two weeks, throw the rest away.

“I don’t want to waste food, but it’s basically more like garbage for your body,” he said. “Either you can throw it away, or you can put it in your body and do more harm.”

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