Perrysburg Pulse Magazine Perrysburg Pulse October | Page 29
PULLING THE
HALLOWEEN
MASK OFF OF SUGAR
W
ith Halloween so
close to knocking on
our front doors (pun
intended), we often
reminisce about trick-
or-treating as children. Of course, dressing
up was fun, but do you know what was
even better? Pouring that giant sack of
candy onto the kitchen table as we grinned
from ear to ear. That was and still is every
kid’s dream on Halloween night.
But, as we become adults, why does a
pile of sugar-laden sweets on the kitchen
table turn into a nightmare? It’s because
each Halloween brings a deluge of
fearmongering study results that reveal
more about sugar’s association with weight
gain, diabetes, heart issues, and other
health conditions [see links at the end of
this article]. Each year, candy feels more
like a trick than a treat.
We indulge. Feel guilty. Repeat. Then,
blame the inevitable weight gain on
Halloween. What many of us don’t realize
is that sugar is naturally present or added
to almost every food that we consume, not
just candy or so-called junk foods. Sugar is
present in bread, pasta, fruits, vegetables,
and most of the items in our grocery stores
labeled “natural,” “clean,” and “organic.”
Basically, everything we eat contains
sugar. Does this mean that we’re just
completely doomed? Fear not, my friends!
Sugar is commonly blamed for “empty
calories,” meaning sugary foods provide
the body with very little satiety and
nutritional value. However, it is quantity,
not quality, that poses the real threat to
health. Let’s take a look at a Halloween
favorite: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. One
package has 21.2 grams of sugar in it.
Compare that to a medium-sized apple,
which has roughly 20 grams of sugar.
Though both the package of Reese’s
Peanut Butter Cups and the medium-sized
apple contain comparable amounts of
sugar, we consider the former “bad” and
the latter “good.” This is because Reese’s
Peanut Butter Cups are ridiculously
delicious and easy to overeat. We could
all eat multiple packages of them. At 220
calories each, this adds up very quickly.
An apple, on the other hand, offers filling
fiber and various nutrients that keep you
from returning to the fruit bowl—or the
candy bowl, for that matter—for several
hours.
Brittany Dingler
Fit Life Parenting is a health
and wellness company with
the mission to teach moms
and dads the truth about
health and how easy it
actually is to create a healthy
lifestyle that you’ll enjoy
for the rest of your life!
[email protected]
In conclusion, the dosage makes the
poison. Overconsumption of anything—
including water, the body’s most essential
need—can be toxic. The takeaway from
this article should be that sugar is not
the enemy. It can be included within
a healthy lifestyle. Do not be fearful
(pun intended again) when your child
reaches for their favorite candy bar after
Halloween night. As long as they’re not
overconsuming sugar-filled foods, and
most of their daily food intake carries
ample amounts of protein and fiber, there’s
nothing to worry about. The real culprit
is an excess of calories consumed. Control
that for yourself and your children, and
your family is on the path to a healthy
relationship with food. This Halloween,
remind yourself and your children that
sweets are nothing to be afraid of when
eaten responsibly.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26376619
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1629462
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3969361
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11477496
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11093293