Top 5 Halloween Candies To Avoid At All Costs

Halloween is just around the corner, and everyone from kids to adults will be dying to sink their teeth into that tasty Halloween candy. But, as expected, Halloween candy is anything but good for you. Some of it is much worse than the rest, so take a look at this list of the top five types of Halloween candy to avoid at all costs this Halloween. The list is based on several sources, looking at fat and sugar content, as well as the potential damage the Halloween candy could have on you or your children’s teeth. Snack wisely!

Candy bars. According to BostInno, candy bars are one of the heaviest and most unhealthy kinds of Halloween candy you can put in your body. They’re jam-packed full of sugar and calories. Even four miniature Snickers bars (which is the usual state of candy bars during Halloween) have 170 calories, 8 grams of fat and 18 grams of sugar. Snickers might fill you up, but it’ll definitely let you down. Meaning you’ll get a rush of sugar and crash shortly after.

Peanut Butter Cups. Time and time again, peanut butter cups have proven to have some of the highest fat content per gram of all kinds of Halloween candy. The leader in peanut cups, Reese’s, may not have as much as Dove chocolate or other brands–but it’s by far the most popular peanut butter cup as Halloween candy. Rachel Berman, RD, the director of nutrition for CalorieCount.com, made this warning about the popular peanut cup Halloween candy:

“The worst kinds of Halloween candies are the ones that are released especially for this time of year. For instance, standard Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are 88 calories a piece, but one Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin has 180 calories.”

Sour Candies. So we’ve looked at some of the highest offending types of Halloween candy in terms of sugar and fat, but what about for the threat of cavities. Sour candies like Sour Patch Kids have almost as much acid as batteries, according to Gizmodo. Gorging yourself on candy like warheads can wreak havoc on your teeth. And BostInno reminds that Halloween candy like Sour Patch Kids can have as much as 26 grams of sugar in only 16 pieces.

Caramel and taffy. Keeping with the teeth trend, another terrible Halloween candy for your dentist is caramel and taffy treats. These gooey, sticky delights stick to the cracks of kids’ teeth and don’t wash away with saliva. This kind of candy can create a festering feeding ground for germs, plaque and tooth-rotting bacteria, according to MedicalXpress. Avoid this kind of Halloween candy unless you like having your teeth drilled.

Bubble Gum. Gum may not stick to your teeth, but this kind of Halloween candy stays in your mouth for a long time and is chock-full of sugar.

“Bubble gum or candy-coated gumballs are what kids like to chew and they bathe the teeth in continuous sugar,” said Dr. Martin Hogan, DDS, division director of dentistry, Loyola University Health System.

Gum also runs the threat of pulling out fillings, which results in more costly dental procedures.

So which Halloween candy is your favorite, and did it make the list?