Healthy Halloween Treats to Scratch That Sugar Itch

Healthy Halloween Treats to Scratch That Sugar Itch

We're constantly surrounded by sugary treats and temptations. And not just around Halloween! These days hidden sugar is lurking everywhere in the products we buy. In my post last week I shared the facts about sugar in our diet, how much is ok to eat and whether popular sugar substitutes are actually healthy. Just in time for Halloween here are a few of my favorite “healthier” treats. So if you need a sweet treat fix try this microwave chocolate mug cake (only 100 calories!) or this pumpkin mug cake. And these homemade peanut butter cups are fantastic (because remember, healthy fat can be good for you!). And finally, spruce up your fruit with these spooky ghost fruit kabobs.

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The Complicated Case Against Simple Sugar

The Complicated Case Against Simple Sugar

Before you throw the book at all sugars, let’s review a few facts. If you were around in the 80s and 90s you likely recall the low-fat diet craze (who didn’t kill an entire box of SnackWell’s pulling an all nighter in college?). Nutritional experts, government agencies and industry pointed the finger at fat as the culprit for our obesity epidemic and a slew of other health issues like diabetes and heart disease. Fast forward to today and we now know that fat is not the demon we once made it out to be and in fact fat is a necessary part of our diet that helps control hunger, absorb vital nutrients and help fight against disease. Having acquitted fat, sugar (most notably “processed” or “added” sugar) now sits in the witness stand and is taking the wrap for our health problems. So let’s review some hard facts about this fundamental molecule and our complicated, and sometimes emotional, relationship with it. 

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