Halloween Sugar Swaps
Halloween. This crafty holiday is one in which adults and children dress to impress while hoping to show off their creative sides through their apparel.
What is the first food that comes to mind when you consider this season? And the second? Candy? Pumpkins?
Halloween is generally paired with sweets and all things scary. In addition to the fright of make-believe characters is the shock and awe attached to the amount of sugar that is consumed on this mischievous day.
Think about this: When sugar was available to our ancestors it was in the form of fruit and only during harvest time, which was a short lived, few months out of the year. In our current age, sugar is added to basically all processed foods. What nature made as a delectable delight, we have made quite easy to obtain.
Sugar has been linked to challenges with weight, appetite, blood sugar control, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance. New research shows that sugar is addicting and when fructose (sugar from fruit) and glucose (sugar from starch) are combined, fat cells in our bodies are alerted to prepare for storage. The more we eat, the more we are signaling our bodies to turn sugar into fat. (1) It’s true that fruits contain high amounts of sugar, but the fiber in the flesh of the fruit helps the sugars to break down and digest at a slower rate in the body so blood sugar doesn’t tend to spike so quickly. Some fruits like green apples, blackberries, grapefruit, and kiwis are lower in fruit than others, so try to opt for those.
Taking one night to indulge in a few sweet treats may not have that large of an effect in the long run – but every moment is an opportunity to set healthy habits for the future.
And while Halloween is not at the top of the holiday list for some, Halloween can be a time of amusement, entertainment and even healthful habits all bundled into one! Maybe it’s generally a time when you become more relaxed in what foods you consume, but think about the reality of what is being put into our bodies through refined sugar and sweets; it can indeed be wicked.
Swap out candy goodies at school or adult parties for:
"Ghoulish Greens" (green grapes, green apples, celery, cucumber, broccoli, avocado)
"Spooky Sweets" (red apples or bananas)
"October Oranges" (carrots, pumpkins or clementines)
Try getting creative with new-to-you fruits (like avocado!), colorful vegetables (think: peppers, broccoli, or carrots), and grass-fed cheeses (cut into creative shapes on an appetizer plate). And if you need a few ideas, scroll down and head to our Pinterest boards. Have a happy and healthy Halloween.
What’s Next?
For healthier, holiday recipe ideas visit the Aspen Wellness Pinterest boards.
References:
Perlmutter, D. (2015). Grain brain: the surprising truth about wheat, carbs, and sugar--your brains silent killers. Place of publication not identified: Little Brown