Smarter Halloween Treats, Part 1

Happy almost-Halloween!

Before you dive into the Halloween candy, consider these spooky findings:

1. Sugar is addictive. Every time you eat candy, you strengthen the addiction, making cravings stronger and making it harder to quit.

2. Sugar depresses mood, after the brief high. It’s like borrowing happiness from the future, which you’ll have to pay back with interest. Higher consumption of sugar is associated with higher risk of depression.

3. Sugar promotes poor gut health, because unfriendly bacteria thrive on it. Poor gut health is associated with a huge range of physical and mental health problems. Research increasingly suggests that gut health is at the core of all health.

(I could go on and on about sugar contributing to Alzheimer’s, cancer, etc., but I think you get the point!)

Thank goodness we don’t need candy to make Halloween festive! Here are some favorite sugar free Halloween treats:

• Pumpkin custard with cinnamon and shredded coconut
• Toasted almond butter on fresh apple slices
• Toasted pecans, with or without spices
• Roasted fresh pumpkin seeds
• Autumn squash with toasted chopped walnuts and warm grass-fed butter drizzled on top
• A pumpkin and Greek yogurt sundae, sweetened with fresh fruit, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, and vanilla extract

You get the idea…any fall food that isn’t a sugar binge. Why not eat these unprocessed treats and use your candy like mosaic pieces to make art? It’s an opportunity to enjoy Halloween without the spooky health consequences of a sugar binge.

Happy Halloween!