Treat Yourself To These Halloween Candy Tricks
While Trick or Treating will likely look this year due to the impacts of Covid-19, Halloween candy is already filling the aisles of grocery and big-box stores. And if there ever was a year to indulge in sweet treats, 2020 is it! What are the best candy picks for runners? Could there even be some benefits to incorporating these treats into your diet? In this article, originally created for the Atlanta Track Club, published both online and in the October 2020 edition of their member magazine, Wingfoot (page 28) I explored some surprising nutrition perks of Halloween candy for runners.
Chocolate Favorites such Hershey Kisses, Dove Hearts, Milky Way and Kit Kats
Chocolate confections, derived from the cocoa plant, are Halloween favorites we can feel good about. Antioxidant-rich cocoa neutralizes free radicals, protecting cells in our body from oxidative damage, preventing inflammation and promoting recovery. The polyphenols found in cocoa offer a range of health benefits, including improving blood flow, enhancing cognition, and lowering risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer, while small amounts of essential minerals such as magnesium, zinc and iron play key roles in muscle and heart contraction, immunity and energy. When it comes to supporting health, the darker the chocolate the better. Higher percentages of cocoa mean more potent antioxidant content, and less added sugar and saturated fat, so opt for dark versions of your favorite chocolate treats to reap the benefits.
Nut-Filled Treats such as Snickers, Mr. Goodbar and Peanut M & Ms
Packed with heart-healthy fat, plant protein, dietary fiber and key micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, and vitamin E, nuts are nutritional power-houses that can help runners optimize health and performance. Candy that contains nuts makes an energy rich, satisfying snack that can be enjoyed between meals to manage hunger or fuel a workout later in the day. Enjoy a fun-sized piece of your favorite nut-based candy a couple hours before a run, such as mid-afternoon if you’re planning to run in the evening or mid-morning if you’re planning to run at lunchtime, ideally paired with a piece of fruit for a boost of carbs and nutrition. Nut-filled candy is also a great snack to pack if you’re embarking on a long trail run, bike ride or daylong hike where you’ll need sustained energy.
Sour Candy such as Starburst, Skittles, Gummy Worms and Sour Patch Kids
High in sugar with zero redeeming nutritional qualities, most our favorite sour candies are best minimized in everyday life. In fact, excess intake of added sugars can promote inflammation in the body and is associated with increased risk for a number of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. That said, fueling guidelines for exercise often conflict with nutrition recommendations for general health – and this is true when it comes to sugar.
The simplest form of carbohydrate, sugar is actually the preferred fuel for working muscles during running and other forms of exercise, especially at higher intensities and longer durations. Consuming sugar with little to no fiber or fat before and during running provides needed energy while minimizing GI distress. This is exactly what you get from sports gels, chews, beans and blocks (plus some electrolytes and caffeine depending on the brand.) Therefore, sour candy can be an effective (and tasty!) alternative to sports products for pre and mid-run fuel.
So go ahead and enjoy your favorite sour candy before and/or during your next long run or speed session, knowing it will be quickly burned as fuel, improving endurance and allowing you to crush those intervals.
Sweet Treats such as Candy Corn, Toffee, Twizzlers, Caramels, Jelly Beans
Similar to the sour candies discussed above, sweet treats really only contain sugar and don’t offer any other nutrition benefits. While that means most of us should limit intake in everyday life to promote health and reduce disease risk, we can use them to our advantage when it comes to running. Swap out your typical sports product for your favorite sweet candy before and/or during high-intensity and longer duration workouts to keep energy levels high, delay fatigue and improve endurance.
The Bottom Line
Whether you prefer chocolate, nut-filled, sour or sweet, fun-size versions of any treat can easily fit into your daily eating pattern without compromising health, fitness or weight management goals. In fact, Halloween candy is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth in a conveniently portion-controlled form. As runners and humans, food is fuel but it’s also a source of pleasure - and when chosen wisely, can even be both!
