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We all have our favorites when it comes to Halloween candy and stocking up for trick-or-treaters tempts some of us to eat more of it than we’d like to admit. Unfortunately, the sweets don’t really offer much nutritional value, if any at all. But some candy is better than others, according to registered dietitian Rose Britt.
While no candy is considered a “health” food, Britt says the “healthiest” Halloween candy is Peanut M&Ms. That’s thanks to the peanuts, which give it a little more substance than just corn syrup.
“It’s not a whole balance, but it will give us a little more sense of fullness compared to our more traditional, straight-sugar type candies,” Britt explains.
The nutrition expert says other complex candy that’s slightly better for us includes Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers.
- A serving of Peanut M&Ms has a little less than one gram of fiber, two grams of protein and nine grams of sugar.
- Reese’s cups have a similar nutritional value, with a little more added sugar.
- Snickers don’t contain any fiber, have one gram of protein and nine grams of added sugar.
- Peanut M&Ms are also made of mostly milk chocolate, while Almond Joys, which are also made of nuts and chocolate, are mostly made of corn syrup.
- Aside from candy with nuts, the healthiest sugary sweets are Smarties. One serving of Smarties has just 25 calories and six grams of sugar, compared to Sour Patch Kids, which contain 110 calories and 24 grams of sugar in one serving.
Despite the sugar, Britt says indulging in sweets on Halloween can help create a healthier relationship with food for both kids and grown-ups. She explains, “I would not count the grams of sugar, I don’t recommend counting grams of sugar day-to-day anyways but don’t stress about that on Halloween night.” Instead, let the kids go crazy with candy that night and then limit them to one or two pieces a day after that.
Source: USA Today