SmileMakers

WHAT CANDY SHOULD I HAND OUT 

ON HALLOWEEN?

You wouldn't need to ask if we were just talking about a couple of Kisses.  But Halloween means mounds of Mounds and butt-loads of Butterfingers. That's bad, because occasional access to large amounts of sugar has been shown to trigger addicton-like bingeing in lab animals, says Hans-Rudolf Berthaound, Ph.D., a professor of  neuroscience at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. And that may also be true of little humans in animal costumes.  Then, on top of the sugar load, the saturated fat in candy can cause changes in the brain that can condition a child to come back for more. But don't worry, there's no need to turn off the porch light.  We turned to Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., the author of Food Cures, for her advice on healthier treats.  Finally, if you're a dad, set a limit on how much candy your kids (and you) can keep - Bauer suggests 10 pieces each.                                Taken from MensHealth Oct. 2012 pg. 22

Suggested Treats:

Granola Bars  
(look in the 100 calorie range)

Kettle Corn  
(opt for a light version)

Fruit Snacks  
(skip the artificial and hand out fruit leather)

Sugarless Gum  
(can help remove the debris from other candies)

Cocoa Almonds 
(ask about nut allergies first)

Gum Centered Lollipops 
(it's a controlled amount of sugar that can't be gobbled up at once and the gum center will extend the length of time for the next treat even further)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!