Children, dressed up in their favorite costumes, will go trick-or-treating and return home bouncing off the walls. That is not a surprise when we look at the nutrition labels in their little (or, more likely, overflowing) bags of goodies that can be enough to make a mom— not to mention their dentist, for that matter—want to cry.
The link between sugar and kids behaving badly or just wild, has been talked about for years. Just ask most moms and we can give you evidence (this may be one reason many schools have banned sugary treats. Scientific studies haven’t been concrete however, Researchers in Australia did find that adolescents eating a “Western” diet, including fast, processed, and high-sugar foods, had more ADHD than those who ate a “healthy” diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fish.[i]
That’s enough evidence to show that kids are better off without too much sugar. Halloween is a special day but here are some nutrition facts to keep in mind on a few popular trick-or-treat items:
Kit Kat (mini)
Calories: 210
Fat: 11g
Sugars: 21g
Watermelon Jolly Rancher: (three)
Calories: 70
Total fat: 0g
Sugars: 11 g.
Snickers (mini)
Calories: 45
Total fat: 0.8g
Sugars: 4.5g
Milky Way’s chocolate bar (mini)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 8g
Sugars: 25g
Peanut M&M’s (regular packet)
Calories: 250
Fat: 13g
Sugars: 25g
Chocolate, I admit a favorite of mine, can carry some high numbers and cutting sugar can be easier with hard candies. Some ways to cut down sugar overload is to set aside a smaller amount of candy for the kids and then donate the rest to the soldiers who are serving overseas. We have done that and it is a great opportunity for kids to experience giving back.
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[i]Howard AL, Robinson M, Smith GJ, Ambrosini GL, Piek JP, Oddy WH. ADHD is associated with a “Western” dietary pattern in adolescents. J Atten Disord. 2011 Jul;15(5):403-11. Epub 2010 Jul 14.
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