Wednesday
October 13th, 2010
Bariatric Diet

Fun Sized Candy…Not Very Fun!

Halloween is still more than two weeks away, yet super market shelves have been fully stocked with “fun sized” candy treats for the past few months. Perhaps a bag has already made it into your home. Those bright colors and shiny wrappers are certainly tempting and their miniature size seems harmless, but don’t be fooled. Those tiny candies pack a big caloric punch.

Test your Halloween candy knowledge with this quiz from Ehrlich Bariatrics in Connecticut.

Which traditional Halloween treat has fewer calories?

20 small jellybeans or 1 fun sized packet of peanut M&Ms
1 full sized snickers bar or 1 piece of pumpkin pie (1/8 of a 9 inch pie)
3 mini tootsie roll candies or 1 mini bite-sized Butterfinger bar
1 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or 2 Hershey’s Kisses
2 rolls of Smarties or one Skittles fun sized pack

You can find the answers at the bottom of this post.

Did you know Americans spend nearly 2 billion dollars each year on Halloween candy? That amount is almost as much as they spend on their costumes for the holiday. Most of the candy is distributed to children, but adults tend to get their fair share as well. The National Confectioneries Association reported that almost fifty percent of adults in America admit to sneaking sweets from their own supply or from their children’s candy sacks. However, what many fail to realize is just how fast those sugary calories can add up. In fact, as little as 100 extra calories a day can add 10 pounds to your body over the course of a year. Here’s how: if you consume 100 extra daily calories, at the end of a year you will have eaten 36,500 more calories than you needed. Your body uses around 3,500 extra calories to gain 1 pound of fat, so when you divide the total amount of excess calories you’ve eaten by how many it takes to produce each pound, you end up gaining a little over 10 pounds. But calories are only the beginning when it comes to your favorite Halloween snacks. Candy also contains large doses of things your body doesn’t need like sodium, empty carbohydrates and sugar, but has none of the nutrients that your body thrives on like fiber or protein.

This is of particular concern to weight loss surgery patients. Gastric band patients, like Realize band or LAP-BAND patients, need to stay full for a longer period of time by eating foods that are high in protein. Sugar filled foods satisfy for only a short while before sending your hunger levels through the roof. Gastric bypass patients have similar concerns, but also face another negative side effect called “dumping syndrome.” Too much sugar can cause the intestines to empty rapidly, leading to nausea, sweating and stomach cramps.

So, what’s a bariatric surgery patient to do? Here are some tips for maintaining your post weight-loss-surgery eating habits without sacrificing the fun:

Try handing out alternative treats. Pencils, stickers, or party favors can be just as amusing as candy.
Or, make healthier choices, opting to hand out raisins, pumpkin seeds, or crackers instead.
If you do go with Halloween candy, don’t buy it until the day before the holiday. Having candy in the house can be tempting.
Enjoy treats in moderation. Pick out 5 of your favorite candies from your own supply or your child’s. Eat only one each day, making sure you don’t overindulge.
Do the same for your children and then throw the rest away. If you don’t want to be wasteful, give the candy to someone else or take it to work for your coworkers to snack on.

Remember, everyone has moments of weakness. It would be a bit much to ask that you never indulge in seasonal treats. However, it’s important to make certain your Halloween candy is enjoyed only during the holiday. If you are going to treat yourself, do so in moderation and for only a short while, then get back on track. Plan in advance so you’re fully for prepared for the season’s temptations. If you think you’re going to have trouble this Halloween, come to one of our support group meetings to get tips from other weight loss surgery patients. Or visit our Facebook page and ask our fans what they plan to do as the Holiday season approaches. We’re here to help you every step of the way!

Answers:

M&Ms. Twenty small jellybeans have 140 calories while one fun sized packet of peanut M&Ms has only 90 calories.
Pumpkin Pie. One full sized snicker bar has 275 calories while a piece of pumpkin pie without whipped cream has 180 calories.
Butterfinger. Three mini tootsie roll candies have 75 calories but a mini bite-sized Butterfinger bar has only 55 calories.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. This is a close one! A tiny peanut butter cup has 33 calories. Two kisses have 55 calories.
Smarties. Two rolls of Smarties have 50 calories but a Skittles fun sized pack has 80.

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