Don't get Tricked! Some Halloween Treats Are Downright Scary!

Sources: http://facts.randomhistory.com/halloween-facts.htmlhttp://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/halloween-candy-20101029716http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/550388-21-most-dangerous-candies/#slide=11http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Health/Obesity

Each year more than 40 to 50 million kids hit the streets and sidewalks around their neighborhood to go trick-or-treating. Most of those kids have one thing on their mind: CANDY,CANDY & MORE CANDY. And they'll find plenty of it alright. but some Halloween candy are just downright scary!
Candy Corn: Candy Corn has more than a gram of sugar in every piece, and Red 3, which is used to color candy corn, has been given a "high concern" rating by the Environmental Working Group because it's a carcinogen.Dots: Because of their gummy texture, Dots are very hard to get off your teeth. The longer sugar makes contact with tooth enamel, the higher the chance of decay. In addition, red and orange Dots get their coloring from Red 40, which has components that are suspected to cause cancer.Twizzlers: Those rainbow hues are awesome, but the hues in Twizzlers Twists come courtesy of Red 40 and Yellow 6, both of which have a degree of cancer risk.Laffy Taffy: Sour candies are very damaging to tooth enamel, and because taffy like Laffy Taffy sticks to your teeth, it's double trouble. (A pH of 2.5 is very hard on your mouth.) In addition, the Environmental Working Group has concerns about the Red 40 and Yellow 6.Skittles: The sour side of the rainbow is particularly bad for your tooth enamel because of its acidic pH of 2.2. Sour Skittles are dyed with Red 40 and Yellow 6, which are considered hazardous to your health.

But don’t be scare,Halloween isn't all about eating dangerous candy , kids go walking that night too. If an average boy walks about five miles during two hours of trick-or-treating, he would burn 446 calories.

That's the good news. And the bad new?? That equals about five to six fun size candy bars - so only a little indulging will undo all of that exercise.

But hey!!, it's not all that bad. After all, one could argue that Americans should eat MORE chocolate if you compare U.S. chocolate intake with the Swiss. The average American eats 10-12 lbs. of chocolate per year. In Switzerland, meanwhile, the average person eats 21 lbs. per year. However, while the U.S. eats less chocolate, U.S. obesity rates are around 35.7% while the obesity rates in Switzerland is substantially lower at 8.1%. Yes, we know that doesn't mean go out, eat chocolate and you’ll lose weight. There are plenty of other factors affecting these rates, but it does present an example that giving into a sweet side doesn't necessarily mean you have to throw your health out the door.

And good news, chocolate has been linked to numerous health benefits - studies have tied dark chocolate to lower rates of heart disease, less stress, and faster weight loss (the filling nature of rich, dark chocolate can cut cravings.)

So on this Halloween, enjoy the holiday and encourage to snack smart!

And let's just say the''haunt'' for unhealthy is over.

Connection with Health Class: Recently we wrote a paragraph about obesity, and a brief discussion about  obesity rate and what food is good for you.

Question: Are you going trick or treating? if you are, are you still going to eat candies  that is hazardous to your health?(I know the images above are VERY tempting, buy stay focus!! And maybe tell a story about what you do to your Halloween candy! ☺)