It’s that time of year when Halloween candy is everywhere, and we’re all tempted by those fun-sized treats and nostalgic memories. But have you ever stopped to wonder what’s actually in your favorite Halloween candy?
Spoiler alert: some of those ingredients are downright spooky—and not in a fun way.
While we all know candy isn’t the healthiest, what’s lesser known are the toxic ingredients that are hiding in our favorite Halloween sweets. We may glance at the nutrition label, but we, myself included, continue eating and think “it’s just an occasional treat” or “how bad can it really be”? Well, I hate to be a buzzkill, but it’s BAD.
Luckily, it’s not ALL bad news, there are a lot of better candy options on the market right now. I’ll share some of my favorite healthier swaps so we can all satisfy our sweet tooths while avoiding nasty chemicals that harm our health.
First, let’s dive into what’s really lurking in that candy bowl and why these ingredients could be a trick rather than a treat for your health. 🎃
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)/Bio-Engineered
We’ve all heard of GMOs being bad, but why is that? Consuming GMOs has been linked to serious heath issues such as: cancer, asthma, allergies, reproductive issues (infertility & hormonal imbalances), autism, and leaky gut to name a few. Here’s why GMO foods might be harmful to our health:
- Allergic Reactions: Genetic modification can introduce new proteins into foods that were never there before. These new proteins could trigger allergic reactions in people who are sensitive or allergic to specific ingredients. Since GMO crops often contain genes from other species, it’s hard to predict how someone’s body will react, potentially increasing the risk of allergies.
- Increased Pesticides: Many GMO crops are designed to be resistant to herbicides like glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup). This means farmers can use more of these chemicals to kill weeds without harming the crop. The problem? Glyphosate has been linked to serious health issues, including cancer, hormone disruption, and liver and kidney damage. When we eat GMO foods, we could be ingesting higher levels of pesticides, which isn’t great for our health.
- Killing Honeybees: By increasing pesticide usage, this is directly affecting bees, butterflies, fish and other wildlife.
- Nutrient Loss: Some studies have shown that GMO crops might have lower nutrient levels compared to their non-GMO counterparts. For example, genetically modified soybeans have been found to contain fewer phytoestrogens, compounds linked to cancer prevention. If GMO foods are less nutritious, we might not be getting the full benefit of the fruits, vegetables, or grains we eat.
- Lack of Research: One of the biggest concerns with GMOs is that we simply don’t know enough about their long-term effects on human health. Many GMO foods haven’t been studied for their potential to cause diseases like cancer or chronic illnesses over time.
Fortunately, it is relatively easy for us to identify and avoid GMO-based foods when shopping. All we have to do is check our labels and look for the USDA Organic labels.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Trans Fats)
By now, we’ve all heard about trans fats and how these are the worst kind of fat. This fat increases heart and blood vessel diseases by increasing your bad cholesterol (LDL) and decreasing the good cholesterol (HDL). These oils are used to give your candy that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. But trans fats are seriously bad news. They’ve been banned in several countries due to their link to heart disease, inflammation, and even stroke. So why are they still hanging out in your candy?
Artificial Colors
Those bright, neon hues that make your candy so appealing? They often come from synthetic dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1. These dyes are derived from petroleum (yep, the stuff that fuels your car) and while it’s no surprise the bright, bold “fruit” candies are loaded with artificial colorings, I’ll admit I did not even consider they could be in our chocolates as well.
It sounds counterintuitive that chocolate, which comes from naturally brown cocoa, would need any dyes to stay, well, brown. It turns out these artificial dyes are added to make the chemical components of the product look more real and enticing to eat…CRAZY! In other words, these chemicals cover up the other chemical-based ingredients to make them look more real. It’s not just chocolate, artificial food dyes are commonly hidden in other seemingly colorless foods including baked goods, ice cream, salad dressing, soda, pickles, and sausages. In fact, the use of food dyes has increased by 500x in the last 30 years.
Food dyes have been linked to a number of health issues including asthma, allergic reactions, inflammation, immune system disruption, hyperactivity, tumors, and even cancer. Here in the United States, the FDA still allows most of these ingredients to be consumed whereas they are banned across most of Europe. Fortunately, armed with knowledge like this, consumer sentiment is growing and we are starting to see legislation moving in the right direction for our health. In the meantime, here are the most common ones to look out for while shopping:
- Blue 1 (found to inhibit nerve cell development)
- Blue 2 (linked to brain and bladder cancer)
- Green 3 (linked to bladder cancer)
- Red 3 (linked to thyroid tumors)
- Red 40 (most widely used dye associated with allergic reactions and tumors)
- Yellow 3 (linked to allergic reactions)
- Yellow 5 (linked to behavioral changes such as irritability and depression)
- Yellow 6 (associated with adrenal gland and kidney cancers)
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a chemically-made sugar made from corn syrup. It is directly linked to rising rates in obesity, metabolic dysregulation, and other complications with weight gain such as diabetes and heart disease. This cheap sweetener is found in almost all conventional candy, and it’s one of the biggest contributors to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. HFCS spikes your blood sugar levels fast and gives you that sugar rush… followed by a crash that leaves you wanting more. It’s a vicious cycle that’s anything but sweet.
You can find HFCS not only in our favorite candies but also lurking in sodas, fruit juices, cookies, muffins, crackers, salad dressings, granola/granola bars, nut butters and even breads!! It is literally in everything, we have to go out of our way to avoid…shame on these big food companies!
Synthetic Growth Hormones & Antibiotics
Most chocolates contain regular milk from conventional dairy farms. Unfortunately, most conventional milk is contaminated with synthetic growth hormones (rBGH) that were originally injected into the cows and ultimately transferred into the milk used for the chocolate. This conventional milk is associated with breast, colon, and prostate cancers. To avoid this issue, look for chocolates made with organic milk. When you have an option, try and choose organic chocolate when possible.
Preservatives
Have you ever thought about how some candies can sit on the shelf for decades? The answer is chemical preservatives. Commonly used ones are sodium benzoate, sulfites (sulfur dioxide), polysorbate 60, 65 or 80, nitrites, PGPR, TBHQ, and BHT/BHA (Cheez-its, Pop-Tarts & Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups). The names alone sound scary, right? TBHQ for example stands for tertiary butylhydroquinone…wtf?? Unfortunately, TBHQ has been associated with weakening immune responses and, in high doses, has been shown to cause cancer in animal studies.
These preservatives are linked to many terrible health problems such as tumors, liver enlargement, neurotoxic effects, convulsions, and paralysis in laboratory animals and are commonly found in processed foods, including candy, to keep them “fresh.” But studies have directly linked these chemicals to cancer and endocrine disruption. In short, they’re not something you want hanging out in your Halloween stash or your food.
Artificial & “Natural” Flavors
Artificial flavors are chemically made in a lab by food scientists to make food have a desired smell and taste and to make these foods more addicting. For example, a box of traditional blueberry muffin mix may contain artificial blueberry flavor and dyes to simulate the taste and look of real blueberries. Even “natural flavors” are technically derived from a natural source such as a plant or animal, but they are anything but natural. Natural Flavors can consist of complex chemical compounds made up of preservatives, emulsifiers, solvents, and flavor modifiers.
Why Are These Ingredients Bad for Your Health?
These toxic ingredients aren’t just scary because of their complicated names, they can wreak havoc on your body! From increasing your risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease to causing inflammation, hyperactivity, and more, these chemicals don’t belong in your (or your kids’) Halloween haul.
Eating candy is supposed to be fun and indulgent, but we can still enjoy it without sacrificing our health by choosing better alternatives. It’s time to treat yourself to candy that’s free of harmful ingredients and loaded with real ingredients and flavors.
What Can You Do?
Luckily, you don’t have to give up your Halloween candy obsession. There are plenty of non-toxic, healthier candy options out there! Brands like Unreal, YumEarth, and Hu Kitchen are making candies with simple, clean ingredients that taste just as good as the sugary stuff we grew up with, minus the chemicals.
- Look for organic, non-GMO options that use natural sweeteners like coconut sugar or fruit juice.
- Check labels for artificial colors and preservatives, and avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup.
- Choose brands that care about your health and the planet, offering candy that’s not only safe to eat but better for you and the environment.
Healthy Candy Swaps
Skittles —-> YumEarth Organic Giggles
Sour Skittles —-> YumEarth Sour Giggles
Starbursts —-> YumEarth Organic Chewys or Solely Organic Whole Fruit Gummies
Trolli Gummy Worms —-> Smart Sweets Gummy Worms
Twizzlers —-> Smart Sweets Red Twists
Sour Patch Kids —-> Smart Sweets Sour Blast Buddies
Haribo Gummy Bears —-> Surf Sweets Gummy Bears
Tootsie Pops —-> YumEarth Organic Pops
Laffy Taffy —-> Numa Banana Taffy
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups —-> Skinny Dipped Peanut Butter Cups or Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Cups
Milky Way —-> Little Secrets Creamy Nougat Bars
M&M’s —-> Unreal Milk Chocolate Gems or YumEarth Choco Yums
Peanut M&M’s —-> Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems
Snickers —-> Unreal Peanut Caramel Nougat Bar
Twix —-> Little Secrets Cookie Bar
KitKat —-> Little Secrets Crispy Wafers
Hershey’s —-> Endangered Species Chocolate Bars
Almond Joy —-> Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar
Crunch —-> Hu Kitchen Almond Quinoa Chocolate Bar
Lindt Truffles —-> Alter Eco Assorted Truffles
Consumer Power
I hope this information doesn’t scare or overwhelm you, but rather give you the power to be an informed consumer. Every time we make a purchase, even as small as a candy bar, we are making a conscious decision and voting with our dollars.
Manufacturers are ultimately profit-seeking businesses and will eventually cave to the demands of the consumers. There is encouraging evidence that consumer pressure does influence change! I hope this information helps you decide what is best for you and your family. Let’s choose wisely and take a stand together against big food companies and demand the change we all deserve.
Let’s Make Halloween Less Toxic
This Halloween, let’s focus on candy that’s more treat and less trick. We deserve to enjoy our sweets without worrying about what toxic ingredients are lurking inside! So before you reach for that handful of fun-sized treats, consider making a healthier choice for yourself and your loved ones. After all, Halloween is all about having fun…no scary chemicals required! 🍬
If you resonate with this post, please share it with your friends and family and help spread the word.
Happy Halloween!
+ Check out the full list of my favorite Healthier Halloween Candy Swaps
Gina
Please note that some of the links on the site are affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission. Trust and know that I only recommend products that I own, want, and stand behind.