Top 10 Halloween candies: from the healthiest to the unhealthiest

With Halloween approaching quickly, many can be found stuffing their mouths with candy, finishing off the night licking their sugarcoated lips. There are certain overindulgent options to avoid, but there there are also just as indulgent sweets to stock up on for October 31—Happy Halloween. The following list ranks some of the most popular Halloween candies from best to worst with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst.

1. Sugar-free Gum

Want a blast of flavor with every bite without sacrificing countless calories and sugar? Choose gum, especially sugar-free, to satisfy your taste buds with a guilt free treat this Halloween season. Different brands of gum such as Wrigley’s sell variety of flavors that taste sinful but are quite the opposite. Wrigley’s Original Hubba Bubba contains 25 calories and 5 grams of sugar per piece. Sugar-free gum has less than 5 calories and no sugar at all with flavors including:  bubble gum, cinnamon roll, peach cobbler, mint chocolate chip, and sweet watermelon.

2. Smarties

With only 25 calories one colorful and flavorful roll, go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth with 2 rolls for only 50 calories of sugary delight. Each roll consists of 6 different flavors and also contains 6 grams of sugar in total. The sugar count may not seem like a lot, but you may start taking in much more than planned when each little piece is 1 gram of sugar. As one may know added sugar is not very healthy for the human body, but for this one day if you make sure to be smart and not eat more than a few rolls, go ahead and enjoy this yummy treat.

3. Blow Pops

With only 60 calories and 13 grams of sugar, the classic taste of Blow Pops lingers making it one of the best options on Halloween. Not only does it have the less calories and sugar, you can savor the delicious lollipop longer because it requires you to suck on it and not just swallow. If you are looking for a treat that will last longer while not packing on the calories, fat, and sugar, Blow Pops are your best bet.

4. Hershey’s Kisses

Most love Hershey’s Kisses, and no longer is there only the classic chocolate flavor but also pumpkin spice. No doubt this flavor spikes in interest during the fall, but a single serving of 9 pieces contains 22 grams of sugar and 210 calories, which is not bad for almost 10 pieces of this sweet treat. The better bet is to nibble on the dark chocolate ones that provide antioxidants and are heart healthy. Let this kisses melt slowly and delicately in your mouth to enable the rich flavor to remain.

5. York Peppermint Patty

Peppermint lovers rejoice because one York Peppermint Patty has only 140 calories and only 2.5 grams of total fat. Digesting 25 grams of sugar with just one minty patty, the downside of this delicious and indulgent treat definitely comes with its downside.  Knowing that all candy contains high amounts of sugar, however, a York Peppermint Patty seems to be one of the best bets when it comes to a Halloween treat.

6. Skittles

With only 60 calories and 11 grams of sugar unlike the normal bags with 230 calories and 42 grams of sugar, fun size Skittles are not an awful choice. However, steer clear of the normal size bags and eating too many fun size bags because the sugar and calories will quickly add up leaving no room for the other mouth-watering Halloween candies available.

7. Candy Corn

There is much debate over whether this halloween classic is a health disaster or a healthier option. Nineteen pieces only contain 140 calories, but here is the catch–– they contain almost 30 grams of sugar. Reading the label, one may notice that candy corn contains no fat. Keep reading down to the ingredients list: sugar, corn syrup, confectioner’s glaze, dextrose, gelatin, and honey. All of these are code names for sugar, and candy corn consists of little more than that. Be careful of overeating these tiny pieces of candy because it is easy to eat double the recommended amount. Putting this into your body may not pack on the calories and fat, but will for sure spike your blood sugar.

8. Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins

Rounding out with about 200 calories in package of 2 and containing almost 20 grams of sugar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins are festive yet quickly pack on calories and sugar. Containing 14 grams of fat and 30% of one’s saturated fat, the only benefit these will have for you are the miniscule protein of 4 grams and the amazing peanut butter and chocolate combo. One way to make this indulgence a little heart healthy is to choose the dark chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins.

9. Baby Ruth

Do not be fooled by the advertising of 4 grams of protein in this candy bar. Containing 280 calories and 33 grams of sugar and 14 grams of fat and about 40% of one’s daily intake of saturated fat, 4 grams of protein in this one candy bar suddenly does not seem to override the horrid health effects.

 10. 3 Musketeers

Only 1 gram of protein to the 36 grams of sugar, one 3 Musketeers bar does not do anyone any good. 240 calories in one bar would not be so daunting if the bar contained something more than just sugar and more sugar. If you plan on staying out late on Halloween, a 3 Musketeers bar may not be your best bet for you will most likely have a sugar crash early in the night.