Where to Find Tasty Candy Without Unhealthy Additives.

 

Halloween is approaching, which for many of us means searching far and wide for the perfect costume, stocking up on spooky decorations, and… strategizing ways to reject those inviting “take one” candy jack-o-lanterns displayed on every doorstep and storefront.

 

Indulging in one (or two) sweet treats is inevitable for most of us on the holiday. As a dietitian and founder of Tovita Nutrition, I’ve seen Halloween get the best (and worst) of people. What’s scariest to me about the candy isn’t the sugar content – we already know that candy is a treat and it’s not where you aim to get quality nutrition – but rather the synthetic ingredients that many candies are made with. Lakes, dyes, high-fructose corn syrup… you name it. The good news is that in 2018, the ultimate era of health awareness, there are so many healthier alternatives to the candy we grew up eating. That’s right, I said healthier, not to be confused with healthy.

 

This piece isn’t meant to deter you from indulging, and it’s not meant to help you navigate trick-or-treating without overdoing it (sorry!). It’s meant to shed light on the fact that there actually are better-for-you versions of the candy we know and love, that ditch artificial ingredients and coloring.

1. Chocolate coated candies from UNREAL vs. M&M’s

When I think of chocolate candies, my mind goes straight to my childhood favorite: M&M’s. I used collect the blue ones and eat them in one giant mouthful until my tongue turned blue. Looking back on that and knowing today what makes those candies blue, I CRINGE! So, I’m introducing the new and improved chocolate candy, and there’s nothing artificial about them! They are made with organic, non-GMO, and sustainable ingredients. While M&M’s contain artificial coloring from lakes and dyes, UNREAL candies are colored with ingredients like beet juice, turmeric extract, and cabbage juice. While you should never turn to candy for your daily dose of fiber, it doesn’t hurt that a serving of the chocolate coated candies have a nice 3 grams of fiber 🙂

 

2. Gummy bears and worms from YumEarth vs. Haribo

If you’re not a chocoholic, you’re not off the hook! The gummy candies we grew up eating are certainly not made with organic ingredients, and they too are loaded with artificial ingredients. These YumEarth gummy bears are colored with juices from pomegranates, carrots, apples, and blackcurrants instead of synthetic food coloring. Not to mention, your standard serving of Haribo gummy bears has 22 grams of sugar, while a serving of YumEarth pomegranate bears has 17 grams.

 

3. Yoyo Bear Nibbles vs. “Fruit Roll-Ups”

Yoyo fruit rolls are the new and improved fruit roll ups, boasting clean, vegan ingredients like real fruit and fruit extracts for coloring. Not to mention they have NO added sugar! That’s right, the sugar it contains is straight from the fruit it’s made with. Bonus: they’re individually wrapped, which is great for exercising portion control.

 

4. Tree Hugger Lollipops – vs. Charms Blow Pops

Remember blow pops? I used to eat them by the dozen on Halloween. If you’ve caught on by now, you can probably guess the blow pops we grew up with are basically sugar on a stick, plus artificial flavors, and synthetic dyes. If you’re going to indulge in a gum-filled lollipop, you might as well make it as clean as possible! These guys are all natural gluten/wheat/dairy/nut-free, vegan lollipops with no artificial colors!

 

5. Alter Eco – organic chocolate coconut clusters vs. Almond Joys

If you’re more of the coconut-chocolate type, I haven’t forgotten about you! It’s time you modify  your Almond Joy candy craving and upgrade to something cleaner. These chocolate-coconut clusters are made with organic 70% dark chocolate, organic coconut clusters, pumpkin seeds, and a few other ingredients we feel good about. Not to mention a serving of this chocolatey deliciousness has 3 grams of fiber! *bonus*