Originally published Oct. 24, 2014
Written by Melinda Charlet
Dear Dietician,
With Halloween coming up next week, I am worried about my kids eating too much candy. I’ve heard that sugar is really bad for you, and I hate to see my kids eat so much of it. Do you have any helpful tips or suggestions?
Sincerely,
Sugar overloaded
Dear Sugar overloaded,
You are right that too much sugar is bad for you. It contributes to the alarming rates of obesity and diabetes in our country. Studies have also shown that it is as addictive as cocaine. You only have to drive past one of the local soda shacks and see the line of cars that wraps around the block to know that is true. When you eat sugar, your body releases insulin to bring your glucose level down. Then your glucose level drops, and the leftover insulin leaves you craving another sugar fix. This cycle, if left unchecked, leads to obesity and diabetes.
Eating a bunch of sugar in one night is probably not the best idea (I will get to some healthier alternatives in a minute), but reducing the amount of sugar in our diet on a regular basis is probably more important in the overall scheme of things.
Back in the 1970s, fat was blamed for making us fat. Low-fat diets and low-fat foods were all the rage. The problem with low-fat foods is that to make them taste good, sugar was added. It was added to almost everything without us even realizing it; even things that don’t need or didn’t contain sugar before, like tomato sauce, yogurt, and peanut butter. The recommended limit for sugar is 6-9 teaspoons per day, and studies have shown that most adults consume 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, on average. This might surprise you, but when you find out that a 44-ounce soda contains about 36 teaspoons of sugar, it makes more sense.
Even if you aren’t a soda drinker, or kid yourself into thinking that drinking diet soda is better for you (recent studies have shown that it might be worse), you might be consuming more sugar than you think. Start paying attention to nutrition labels. Lower sugar options are out there if you look for them. Or better yet, try to eat foods that don’t even have nutrition labels on them, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
Now, I’ll get off my soapbox and back to Halloween. One night of sugar indulgence is not the end of the world, but who says you have to give out candy and perpetuate the problem? You could give out a healthier alternative such as bottles of water, or maybe a box of raisins or an apple. Or, you might even go with a non-food option such as Halloween-themed toys, glow sticks, stickers, or pencils. Be that house on the block that does something unique; the other parents will probably appreciate it.
As far as your kids go, make sure they eat a healthy dinner before they go trick-or-treating. Make sure their candy-collecting container is a reasonable size. Who came up with the idea that pillowcases were acceptable, anyway? You could let them have a few pieces, and then trade in the rest for a trip to the toy store. Several dentists and orthodontists’ offices provide a service where kids can trade in their candy for money. Keep the trick-or treating route short, and then have some healthier activities to do, such as drawing pumpkin faces on tangerines or roasting pumpkin seeds. A simple search on Pinterest or your favorite web browser should give you endless ideas of fun Halloween-themed activities to do with fruits and vegetables.
Even if your kids end up eating more sugar than you would like, remember it is only one day. Try to get in the habit of making healthier, less sugar-filled choices throughout the rest of the year. This will be more important for you and your kids in the long run.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy Halloween!
