Halloween. A time that the aisles of grocery stores are lined with variety packs of various chocolates, gummies, and caramels. Every place in the area develops some recipe involving pumpkin and apple. It's an exciting time for many children and adults, I mean who doesn't love an excuse to consume much more calories than you should?!
This day could be especially hard for someone that is currently consuming a healthy diet or lifestyle. No matter where you go, you're bombarded by fun-size packs of candy. If you have a child, they bring home literal pillow cases filled with these candies that you know they'll never finish. The stress begins, you want to eat the candy SO bad, but your brain tells you otherwise. Especially if you're just starting your diet, you feel as though you shouldn't give into the temptation. I'm eating healthy! Fruits and veggies! Yeah!
Who says some candy can't be healthy?
Let's stop looking at candy as just candy, and start breaking the nutrition facts down a little bit more. Many people don't even think to look at the nutrition facts on candy since many people think they're "empty calories".
Well, guess what? Depending on the candy, they aren't!
There are so many different types of candies out there. If you're uncomfortable eating candy due to your diet, think of them this way:
Eat candy with various nuts.
Nuts are an amazing source of protein. Eating candies with almonds, cashews, and peanuts/peanut butter make the calories of this candy much more interesting. Rather than just being full of carbohydrates, candies with nuts have protein as well, and usually, have much more healthy fats. Candies with nuts such as almonds also have some fiber in them.
Don't be afraid of eating the gigantic candy apple.
Apples have high amounts of dietary fiber and antioxidants. And usually, depending on what they've been covered in, the outer coating does not have much of an effect on the calorie count. The general calorie total for a caramel apple is around 180 calories!
Pumpkin. Pumpkin everything.
Fall and Halloween usually coincide with the obsession of every recipe containing pumpkin of some sort. Pumpkin spice, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cake, even pumpkin is added into some meals with meats. Pumpkin has high amounts of vitamin A and is very fiber rich. They also contain something called phytosterols. Phytosterols are shown to reduce cholesterol (well the bad kind anyway). Keep your heart healthy!
Don't be afraid of the licorice no one seems to eat.
Licorice is such an underrated candy. More licorice brands are fat-free, and have many different flavors! Just because you don't enjoy one flavor, doesn't mean you won't enjoy one of the others.
Some candy actually tastes good with dark chocolate.
I know when i was younger i avoided the dark chocolate versions of candies at all costs. I thought it was bitter, and not as good as the original. As i grew older, however, i started to try the dark chocolate versions, and i actually enjoyed some more than the original! Dark chocolate is actually full of antioxidants, and it is high in fiber as well!
With a little knowledge, these candies and popular fall foods seem a lot less scary. Go out, have fun, and enjoy all the stereotypical fall and Halloween foods, without the stress!
