Everybody knows they shouldn’t eat candy. And yet, our sweet tooth inevitably gets the better of us.
“We are all going to enjoy a treat from time to time,” says Sarah-Jane Bedwell, a registered dietitian who blogs about food and nutrition issues for Self magazine.
Easter is one of those seasons when it’s especially tough not to indulge. Walk into any store that sells groceries, and you will be tempted with creamy Cadbury eggs, solid milk-chocolate bunnies and little yellow marshmallow Peeps.
It is worth restating: The best choice is to skip candy altogether. But if you are going to eat candy anyway, why not choose the “least bad” confections in Mr. Wonka’s factory?
“The best types are ones that offer some sort of nutritional value,” says Bedwell, who also hosts the “Sarah-Jane Bedwell” videos and is author of “Schedule Me Skinny: Plan to Lose Weight and Keep it Off in Just 30 Minutes a Week.”
Following are our picks for three candies – and two alternatives – that are sensible choices when making the occasional snack indulgence.
Dark chocolate
Many of us have a weakness for the brown sweet stuff, but some types of chocolate are better for you than others. Dark chocolate is your best bet.
“Dark chocolate tends to be the best type because it is rich in heart-healthy antioxidants and also sometimes lower in sugar than other types,” Bedwell says. She recommends looking for chocolate that has cocoa content of at least 60 percent.
Cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids that have been shown to help the heart in many ways, including lowering blood pressure and increasing blood flow through the heart’s arteries.*
York Peppermint Patty
If you love chocolate but do not enjoy the bittersweet taste of dark chocolate, a York Peppermint Patty might be a good compromise. One patty has 2.5 grams of fat and 140 calories. Patties are relatively small, and contain no trans fats.
By contrast, a Snickers bar contains 12 grams of fat, 250 calories and 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
While Bedwell does not specifically recommend eating candies such as this, she understands that everybody has their hard-to-resist favorites. So, she counsels moderation.
“A good rule of thumb for portion size is to stick to an amount that is between 150 and 200 calories,” she says.
Jolly Rancher
The advantage of these treats is that they give you a burst of sweetness without exploding your waistline. Three pieces of this candy have a total of 70 calories, and zero fat or sodium.
But while candies like Jolly Ranchers are low in fat, they are high in sugar content. Bedwell is not a fan of such especially sugary candies.
“The worst types are the ones that are pretty much just 100 percent sugar, so things like jelly beans,” she says.
Nuts
Along with dark chocolate, nuts are Bedwell’s snack of choice. While they don’t give you the sweet and sugary kick of the other treats on this list, they have higher nutritional value because they contain fiber and protein.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the unsaturated fats in nuts have been shown to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol – the so-called ‘bad” cholesterol.
Other research indicates that eating nuts may help support healthy blood flow and may support the health of the lining of the arteries.*
Popcorn
Popcorn is another healthy snack alternative to candy. It is a natural whole grain, which means it contains all the elements of the grain – the germ, the bran and the endosperm – and packs a nutritional punch in the form of protein, vitamin E, and B vitamins and minerals.
“Popcorn is a superfood,” Bedwell says, adding that it is full of fiber that regulates blood sugar and keeps you feeling fuller longer.*
Popcorn kernels also are packed with antioxidants called polyphenols. Bedwell says recent research suggests that popcorn has higher levels of polyphenols than some fruits and vegetables.*
Of course, it is easy to turn healthy popcorn into a problem by coating it with butter and salt. Bedwell suggests topping your popcorn with a small amount of almonds, dark chocolate chips or fresh Parmesan cheese to add flavor.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.