Though the holiday isn’t until the end of October, the anticipation of dressing up and collecting candy starts well before Halloween. And we’re not talking just about kids here. About 4% of all candy is consumed on Halloween. Since it’s an integral part of the celebration, we want to give you some guidelines on how to handle the sweet stuff. We also have some healthy eating tips to offset the excess sugar intake.
Candy ranked from worst to best when it comes to your chompers:
The Worst.
Chewy/Sticky Sweets: Such as gummy candies and taffy, and sorry, even dried fruit fits into this category. These offenders can get stuck in between teeth, and in some instances, can pull out fillings and other dental work. If you’re going to enjoy a piece, pace yourself. Have one and follow it with a healthy crunchy snack like almonds or celery. It will help get the sticky stuff off the surface of your teeth.
Not As Bad, But Still…
Hard Candy: Think lollipops, fireballs, gobstoppers. These are bad because of how long they are in your mouth. Hard candy is intended to linger and then dissolve. That’s lots of sugar hanging out for a long time on your teeth encouraging cavities, not to mention that biting into a hard candy can end up in chipped teeth.
Not Great.
Sour Stuff: The more it makes you pucker, the more acidic it is. Sour gummies and pixie stixs taste good, but the acidity wreaks havoc on the enamel of your teeth. If you’re going to indulge, rinse with water after you’ve finished it, or drink milk to neutralize the acid.
Getting Better.
Chocolate! Let’s hear it for the good news. Chocolate is one of the best Halloween candies to collect. As long as it doesn’t have a creamy or sticky center, and is preferably dark. But at least it’s on the healthier side!
Best of all!
Sugarfree gum. It typically has 5-15 calories per piece and keeps your mouth active and your mind distracted from the other items in the candy dish.
There is no “perfect” candy, but certainly there are some that are better than others. Moderation is key. Your best defense is to have a solid daily oral hygiene routine that includes brushing and flossing.
Happy Halloween! ????
