As Halloween approaches and spirits rise, so could our sugar intake. Whether going from house to house trick-or-treating, or simply heading to the grocery store to buy copious amounts of candy for Halloween, many of us will be eating more sugar than is recommended for our daily intake. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 24 grams of sugar for children between the ages of two and eighteen and for women, and no more than 36 grams for men, per day.
Popular Halloween treats can have anywhere from 8 to 30 grams of sugar. When thinking of candy, these numbers make sense, but what one may not realize is that other, more healthy-seeming foods, may be guilty of playing tricks on you—even more than your favorite treats. In hopes of keeping spirits high and candy guilt low, we examined other foods that have higher sugar content than your favorite Halloween candy.
Trick or Treat?
Breakfast Cereal vs. Snickers
Do you know what is in your morning bowl of cereal? Honey Nut Cheerios has healthy ingredients, including oats, but like many other cereals, it contains a decent amount of sugar, coming in at 12 grams per cup. A Snickers fun-size chocolate candy bar has only 9 grams of sugar.
Açai Bowls vs. Nestle Smarties
An açai bowl is typically packed with fruit and various toppings, but as you snack on one, keep in mind the amount of sugar it contains. One serving from Sambazon original blend frozen açai packets contains 12 grams of sugar. In comparison, one box of Nestle Smarties treat size smarties contains 7 grams of sugar.
Kombucha vs. Tootsie Pops
Kombucha has recently gained popularity with its unique flavor and purported digestive health benefits, but just because something may be good for your gut does not mean it is sugar-free. A bottle of Health-Ade ginger lemon kombucha has 13 grams of sugar. In comparison, a Tootsie Pop only has 11 grams of sugar. Maybe it is time to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Fruit Bowls vs. Butterfinger
Fruit bowls are a staple in many an elementary school lunchboxes, but they are also very sugary. One cup from Dole mandrin orange bowls in 100 percent fruit juice has 14 grams of sugar per cup. When looking at another popular trick-or-treat candy, three Butterfinger minis have 12 grams of sugar.
Greek Yogurt vs. Twix
Another breakfast favorite is Greek yogurt. Although filled with probiotics, a serving does also contain a significant amount of sugar; three quarters of a cup of Chobani strawberry Greek yogurt has 17 grams of sugar. By comparison, two Twix caramel fun-size candy bars have 16 grams of sugar. Are you on team right Twix or left Twix?
Raisins vs. Kit Kat
Raisins, also known as nature's candy, earned their nickname for a reason. One box of Sun-Maid raisins has 20 grams of sugar. When looking at another candy that may be popular among kids, there are KitKats; two KitKat milk chocolate snack size candy bars contain 15 grams of sugar.
Tonic Water vs. Monster Peeps
After a night of trick-or-treating, adults may reach for a cocktail like a gin and tonic, but also be aware that something that doesn’t taste necessarily sugary can have large amounts of sugar; one 355 mL can of Canada dry tonic water contains 32 grams of sugar. Three marshmallow monster Peeps on the other hand, have 30 grams of sugar in them. Is it time to switch the classy cocktail for a childhood favorite?
