You may not be a kid anymore, but eyeing those Halloween treats in the grocery store or the ones inside your child’s plastic pumpkin can give you a serious sweet tooth. How are you going to avoid the temptation of all your childhood favorites this Halloween?
Good news: You don’t have to avoid them all! Try these alternatives and enjoy the festivities!
1. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa is packed with nutrients like magnesium, zinc, copper, calcium, and potassium. It is also an antioxidant. Dark chocolate usually contains less sugar per serving than milk chocolate. Before you eat the entire bar, just 3 squares of Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate is 200 calories.
2. Licorice Candy
A serving of licorice candy can contain up to 1 to 2 grams of protein and up to 6 percent of the daily value of calcium. Licorice is low in fat and cholesterol. Just like with any other sweet treat, you must be aware of the sugar content. A 10 bite-sized piece serving of licorice can contain about 10 grams of sugar. However, that same serving size is only 52 calories.
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3. Peanut Butter Cups
Peanut butter cups have been a long-time Halloween treat tradition. Two peanut butter cups have almost 5 grams of protein! Again, you must be mindful of sugar.
Store-bought peanut butter cups contain as much as 22 grams of sugar per serving. If you can bear to eat just one, you can cut the sugar in half. If you have skills in the kitchen, you can make your own peanut butter cups. At home, you have control over how much sugar you use. You can also select peanut butter and chocolate options with less sugar while cashing in on the protein benefits.
4. Fruit Leather
Homemade fruit leathers can give you the nostalgia of a Fruit Roll-Up, but they’re made with 100% fruit. At home, you can select any fruit, add lemon juice, your choice of sweetener or no sweetener at all and just like that, you have fruit leather! A serving of store-bought fruit leathers like Stretch Island Fruit Leather, contains 100 percent fruit, no added sugars, and is 50 calories. Either of these options won’t derail your dieting efforts.
5. Traditional Candy
Traditional Halloween candy may be tough to avoid altogether. Most of these candies are packed with sugar, but some are much lower in calories when compared to the group. So, which ones will do the least damage to your diet?
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A three-piece serving of Jolly Ranchers hard candies has 70 calories, 11 grams of sugar, and no fat. You can eat seven Pixy Stix for 60 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 15 grams of sugar. A Charms Blow Pop has 60 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 11 grams of sugar.
Don’t let Halloween scare you out of your diet. You can still enjoy tasty, sweet treats without undoing all your health progress. Remember, moderation is important in any health journey you take. With creativity and knowledge, this year’s Halloween treats will be the best yet!
Dr. Candace McMillon-Dantley is the health-empowering creator of The Doc Knows and she’s on a mission to motivate you to a life of health. She has a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. When she’s not health writing, she is health motivating and educating during her interactive presentations on healthy nutrition, self-care and conditions of the body. Her experiences as a business owner, chiropractor, wife and mom of two resonate and relate with her audiences. Connect with Dr. Candace on Instagram @drcandace.
