Halloween is a wonderful time of year. The costumes, the decorations, and the candy are all fun parts of this holiday. However, it's easy to overindulge in sweets during Halloween celebrations. It can be tempting to eat candy all day long or gorge yourself on cookies and cakes at parties that night but doing so could cause you to feel sluggish or even experience an allergic reaction. So instead of feeling ill from eating too much sugar on this fun day, follow these tips for healthy Halloween treats:
Limit the amount of candy you eat.
- The general rule of thumb is to limit the amount of candy you eat to no more than five pieces per day. If your trick-or-treat haul includes more than this, try divvying up and saving some for later or sharing with friends and family.
- If eating just five pieces seems daunting, don't worry! It's easier than it sounds: take one part at a time out of your bag and set it down on the table before going back for another piece (or two). Once all five have been removed from their packaging, put them away for later. Don't let yourself get distracted by other things! This way, even if someone offers some extra treats during the evening's festivities and tempts us into taking more than we should have originally planned, we won't be able to give in because our hands are already full with what we've eaten.
If your stomach start feeling uncomfortable after eating too many sweets--or if we're starting to feel sick--we might want to stop eating immediately.
Try to incorporate other treats into your Halloween celebrations.
Incorporating other treats into your Halloween celebrations is a great way to have fun and keep your health in mind.
Try eating healthy snacks like apples and carrots or having a healthy meal before going out trick-or-treating. This will help prevent you from getting too full of junk food on the streets, which can lead to feeling sick after eating too many sweets.
Avoid eating unhealthy foods at parties where lots of them will be available! Eating healthy foods will help you feel better about yourself and give you energy for trick-or-treating later in the evening (or early morning).
Choose treats with small portions, such as mini chocolate bars.
Another great way to ensure your Halloween treats are healthy is to choose smaller portions. It's easy for us to eat much candy in big packages, but if you cut down on the amount of candy in each box or bag, you'll have just as much fun with less sugar and fat!
Choose less sugar and fat treats. You can still enjoy all your favorites by picking out ones with less sugar and fat content--or even better yet, pick some that don't have added ingredients! It may seem like a no-brainer, but some surprising things are lurking inside our favorite candies these days (like high fructose corn syrup).
Avoid sugar-filled treats that contain artificial colors and flavors.
- Avoid sugar-filled treats that contain artificial colors and flavors.
- If you want to trick or treat, avoid the dyes in candy.
- If you're cooking food for Halloween, avoid using synthetic dyes in your recipes.
Artificial dyes are not good for kids or adults; they can cause hyperactivity and other health problems!
Make your snacks to go along with costumes and parties.
- Make your snacks to go along with costumes and parties.
- Use healthy ingredients.
- For example, if you're going as a witch, make healthy popcorn instead of buying it at the store. You could even make your buttery caramel sauce drizzle on top! Or if you're having a Halloween party, make homemade chips instead of buying them in bags or boxes at the grocery store--they'll taste better anyway! If all else fails, try making some fresh veggies into "chips" by slicing them thinly (or shaving them) and baking them until crispy; these are healthier than potato chips but just as satisfyingly crunchy!
Choose a few dark chocolate options over milk chocolate or white chocolate treats.
- Dark chocolate contains more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate.
- Dark chocolate has more fiber than milk or white chocolate.
- Dark chocolate is lower in sugar than milk or white chocolate.
- Dark chocolate is more fat than milk or white chocolate, which means it's better for your heart!
Think about portion size when choosing candy at parties or trick-or-treating.
- Choose a few favorites, not the whole bowl.
- Eat a small amount at a time.
- Don't eat candy between meals, especially if you're not hungry or feeling ill.
Eat fruit as an alternative to sweets, especially if you're taking medications that may interact with sugar.
If you're taking medications that may interact with sugar, it's important to know that fruit is a healthy alternative. Fruit is a good source of vitamins and minerals, which can help keep your body running smoothly. It's also low in calories, high in fiber (which can help you feel full longer), and helps maintain a healthy weight.
If you want to give your Halloween treats an extra boost of healthiness this year, try adding some fresh fruit toppings instead of chocolate chips or candy sprinkles!
While it's okay to indulge on Halloween, you should be mindful of how much sugar you consume throughout the day.
While it's okay to indulge on Halloween, you should be mindful of how much sugar you consume throughout the day. Your diet's sugar depends on age, gender, and body size. Research shows that some people may need to reduce their sugar intake because they eat too much of it or because they have conditions such as diabetes or obesity that make them more sensitive to the effects of sugar on their bodies.
Sugar can be addictive; it stimulates the brain's reward system similar to alcohol or drugs do--and this can lead us down a path toward eating more food with added sugars (like candy), which will ultimately cause weight gain if we don't watch our portions carefully!
Conclusion
Halloween is a fun, festive holiday that allows us to get creative and have some fun with our kids. But it's also important to remember that candy can be full of sugar, which can cause health problems if eaten in excess. The tips above will help you make smart choices when it comes time for trick-or-treating or choosing treats at parties this year!
