Eat This, Not That: A Diabetics’ Guide to Halloween Candy

This Halloween, treat yourself,  instead of tricking your waistline and blood sugar levels. Don’t let trick-or-treating with the kids become a ghoulish afterthought come November 1.

Thanks to Diabetic Living, here is a guide to the most popular Halloween candy that won’t spike your blood sugar into nightmarish values. So the question is–‘is that candy a…..TRICK? OR A TREAT?‘

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Kit Kat Bar (Fun Size) vs. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

Winner–Kit Kat Bar

Generally speaking, ‘Fun Size’ candy bars are always the better option when it comes to enjoying candy. Kit Kats are wafer-based chocolate bar and as we all know from the jingle, they are breakable into pieces.

 

• TRICK Reese’s Peanut Butter cup: 1 piece (0.74 ounce)=105 calories, 6.5 g fat, 12 g carbs, 10.5 g sugar
• TREAT Kit Kat: 1 snack-size bar (0.53 ounce)=70 calories, 4 g fat, 9 g carbs, 7 g sugar

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Milk Chocolate M&Ms vs. Almond M&Ms

Winner–Almond M&Ms

Regular milk chocolate are sugar-and carb- dense. With almonds added into the chocolately goodness, 3 grams of carbs & sugar are saved with each bite. You can’t go wrong with almonds either. Added heart-healthy fats into the great taste of chocolate, it’s almost like you’d be doing your body a dishonor if you didn’t indulge!

• TRICK Milk Chocolate M&Ms: 1 snack-size bag (21 g)=104 calories, 4.3 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 g carb, 13 g sugar
• TREAT Almond M&Ms: 1 snack-size bag (21 g)=110 calories, 6 g far, 2 g saturated far, 12 g carb, 10 g sugar
  

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Dove Dark Chocolate Miniatures vs. Hershey’s Dark Chocolate with Almonds

Winner–Hershey’s Dark Chocolate with Almonds

Heart-healthy antioxidants can be found in dark chocolate, making the delicious treat that much more tantalizing. Though it may not seem like brands make a difference if the treat is labeled ‘dark chocolate’, however, Dove chocolate miniatures have about 7 grams more sugar than Hershey’s.

• TRICK Dove Dark Chocolate Miniatures: 5 pieces (1.4 ounces)=210 calories, 24 g carb, 19 g sugar
• TREAT Hershey’s Dark Chocolate with Almonds: 3 nuggets (1.4 ounces)=150 calories, 15 g carbs, 12 g sugar
  

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Sugar-Free Jelly Belly Gummy Bears vs. Skittles

Winner–Sugar Free Jelly Belly Gummy Bears

Fruity candies contain lots of hidden carbohydrates which is hard to imagine considering their size. Even though they are chewier than candy bars, they still account for sugars and carbs, unless you go the sugar-free route.

• TRICK Skittles Original Fruit: 1 snack-size bag (20 g)=80 calories, 18 g carb, 15 g sugar
• TREAT Sugar-Free Jelly Belly Gummy Bears: 12 pieces (1/4 cup) (20 g)=50 calories, 15 g carb, 0 g sugar
  

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Caramel Apple Pops vs. Sugar Daddy Pops

Winner–Caramel Apple Pops

Suckers are a huge hit come Halloween because they are the candy that keeps on giving past the initial unwrapping. The longer you take to eat a sucker, the longer the satisfaction lasts. Don’t be fooled though, carbs and sugars are definitely still to be found in these treats and choose wisely because you could be ‘treating’ yourself to extra calories (or even tooth decay!)

• TRICK Sugar Daddy Pops: 1 pop (1.4 ounces)=170 calories, 2 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat. 36 g carb, 24 g sugar
• TREAT Caramel Apple Pops: 1 pop (0.6 ounces)=60 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 15 g carb, 10 g sugar
  

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Starburst Fruit Chews vs. Strawberry Twizzler Twist

Winner–Strawberry Twizzler Twist

There’s no doubt about it, Twizzlers and Starbursts are sweet, fruity, soft, fun to eat and convenient. Be careful though, too much could make your waistline soft too…

• TRICK Starburst Original Fruit Chews: 3 fruit chews (0.52 ounce)=60 calories, 1 g fat, 12 g carb, 9 g sugar
• TREAT Strawberry Twizzler Twist: 1 regular-sized twist (0.4 ounce)= 40 calories, 9 g fat, 9 g carb, 5 g sugar
  

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Nestle Buncha Crunch vs. Hershey’s 100-Calorie Crisp Wafer Bar

Winner–Hershey’s 100-Calorie Crisp Wafer Bar

Though it may seem like wafer based chocolate is cheating the system, think again. Just a handful of chocolate, specifically Nestle Buncha Crunch chocolate can give you an extra 25 grams of carbs and 180 calories that you probably didn’t need in the first place. Hershey’s Wafer Bar is 80 less calories and 13 less grams of carbs.

• TRICK Nestle Buncha Crunch: 1/3 cup pieces (1.3 ounces)=180 calories, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 25 g carb, 20 g sugar
• TREAT Hershey’s 100-Calorie Crisp Wafer Bar: 1 bar (0.7 ounce)=100 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 12 g carb, 9 g sugar

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Jolly Rancher Hard Candies vs. Wild Berry Skittles

Winner–Jolly Rancher Hard Candies

Being so small, these fruity candies may not seem like they have repercussions. Long-lasting hard candies can actually greatly affect your blood sugars. Wild Berry Skittles contain 15 grams of sugar, while Jolly Ranchers contain 7 grams per 3 pieces of candy. Without question, go the Jolly Rancher route.

• TRICK Skittles Wild Berry Candies: 1 snack size bag (0.7 ounces)=80 calories, 18 g carb, 15 g sugar
• TREAT Jolly Rancher Hard Candies: 3 pieces (0.5 ounces)=70 calories, 17 g carb, 11 g sugar

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Sugar-Free Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Winner–Sugar-Free Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Needless to say, nothing can really beat the original Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, but for the sake of your blood sugar, sugar-free is the way to be. If one asked, bet would be that Reese’s are a crowd favorite and the overall consensus of ‘best candy’ award (but then again, we’re bias and love them so obviously it’s the world’s favorite too!) To still get the taste you know and love of chocolate and peanut butter, go with the miniatures but still beware of the extra calories that come along with it too.

• TRICK Butterfinger Bars: 4 minis (1.4 ounces)=180 calories, 29 g carb, 18 g sugar
• TREAT Sugar-Free Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: 4 pieces (1.2 ounces)=145 calories, 22 g carb, 0 g sugar
  

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Laffy Taffy vs. Fruit by the Foot

Winner–Fruit by the Foot

Both childhood favorites, Fruit by the Foot and Laffy Taffy has a whimsical sense of nostalgia with each bite. Next time you crave a trip down memory lane, choose the Fruit by the Foot. Not only is it chewy, sweet and fun to eat, it has twice less the calories and 18 g less sugar–the diabetics best choice is pretty obvious here.

• TRICK Laffy Taffy: 5 mini pieces (1.5 ounces)=160 calories, 2 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 36 g carb, 27 g sugar
• TREAT Fruit by the Foot: 1 roll (0.7 ounce)=80 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 17 g carb, 9 g sugar

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