What’s Really In Your Kids’ Candy?

Sugar-laden sweets are a Halloween staple, but there’s much more to these treats than sugar. There are other ingredients in candy that may surprise you.

So what makes a fruit-flavored chew candy so brightly colored or keeps a chocolate-coated caramel candy bar smooth and creamy on the shelf until it’s purchased? The ingredient label holds the answer. Scan the fine print and you’ll find oddly named additives or perplexing-sounding oils that might make you ponder. (Keep in mind that fun-sized candy bars may even have different ingredients than their full-sized counterparts.)

 “Many Halloween candies are full of synthetic dyes, partially hydrogenated oils, and other additives,” says Georgia Giannopoulos, a registered dietitian, national board certified health and wellness coach, and manager of NYPBeHealthy, NewYork-Presbyterian’s health and wellbeing program. “Always read the ingredients. Consider more nourishing options like pretzels, popcorn, and raisins, or fun non-food treats like stickers, crayons, mini slinkies, and more.”

Health Matters spoke to Georgia to learn more about what’s in candy and how much sugar kids can eat.

What ingredients are in candy?

Carmine, carnauba wax, and TBHQ are just a few examples of what’s in so many of your kids’ favorite candies. Here is a list of common ingredients found in an assortment of popular packaged sweets and what you should know about them:

• Corn Syrup/High Fructose Corn Syrup
  Examples: chocolate candy bars; hard candies; chewy candies like candy corn
  Description: Both are added sweeteners made from corn. Corn syrup is 100 percent glucose. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is processed to be nearly identical to table sugar and is often used in products that have to be extra sweet. Other than its sweetness, HFCS provides a soft, moist texture in chewy snack bars and other baked goods. It also helps prolong freshness.
• Artificial Flavor
  Examples: caramels and hard candies
  Description: Companies use natural and artificial (synthetic) flavorings (sometimes both) to make their food taste better. That’s because certain flavors are difficult and expensive to replicate in processed foods. To achieve a familiar, mouthwatering taste of natural food, manufacturers combine chemicals to imitate a real taste. Natural flavors are from plants or animals while artificial flavors are synthesized in a lab. Typically, the individual chemical ingredients of the flavors aren’t listed.
• Monoglycerides/Diglycerides
  Examples: chocolate bars, taffy
  Description: Monoglycerides and diglycerides are emulsifiers, which means they help oil and water to blend. These ingredients in candy are added to make them consistent in texture, creamier, and less sticky and to allow them to dissolve easily. These synthetic fats are often derived from vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower) or animal products (beef or pork).
• TBHQ
  Examples: peanut butter cups
  Description: This synthetic antioxidant stands for tertiary butylhydroquinone. It helps extend the shelf life of candies by delaying oxidation and rancidity, helping food to maintain its nutritional value longer. The FDA regulates how much TBHQ can be added to foods because high doses of it can be dangerous.
• Partially Hydrogenated oils
  Examples: molasses and peanut butter candies
  Description: Partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are those that have been turned from a liquid to a semisolid. Used to increase shelf life and give foods a desirable texture, this man-made trans fat has been proved to raise the bad kind of cholesterol levels in our body and lower the good kind, resulting in higher heart disease risk.
• Red 40 or Yellow 5
  Examples: chewy, fruity candies
  Description: These dye colors are derived from petroleum and are used to give candies their bright colors. They contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen that, at low levels as permitted in dyes, is considered safe.
• Carnauba Wax
  Examples: chocolate-coated candies, cinnamon candies
  Description: This natural, food-grade wax is derived from the leaves of the Carnauba palm and is used to coat or glaze candies for that attractive, shiny sheen. It’s also used in car wax.
• Gelatin
  Examples: gummies, marshmallow candies
  Description: A thickening agent that is obtained from the protein collagen, which is made from boiling animal bones and skin like beef and pork in water. It’s also found in other foods such as yogurt, Jell-O, and ice cream, as well as some shampoos, face masks, and makeup.
• Carmine
  Examples: many red and pink candies
  Description: This ancient red pigment/dye is a color additive. Derived from dried cochineal bugs, it’s used to create brightly hued candies. The FDA ruled that because the additive causes an allergic reaction in some consumers, it must be called out on food labels. Carmine is also found in some makeup items like lipstick and eye shadow.
• Lecithin
  Examples: coconut-chocolate candies, chocolate with hard candy shells
  Description: This emulsifier is mostly obtained from soybeans, sunflower seeds, or eggs. It’s often used in chocolate to prevent ingredients from separating, reduces stickiness, and creates a smoother texture. Be mindful of this ingredient for children who have protein allergies.

In general, how much sugar should a kid have in a day?

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association recommend not giving children under 2 years old foods or beverages with added sugars, and that children from 2 through 18 years old limit how much added sugars they eat and drink. If you’re providing juice, opt for 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of 100% fruit juice as part of one meal that day and not at bedtime. Speak with your child’s pediatrician or registered dietitian for more guidance.

It’s also important to understand not just the ingredients in candy, but in all foods marketed towards children. Trans fat, in particular, is “double trouble” for hearth health. Trans fat is found in frozen pizza, microwave popcorn, commercial baked goods like cookies, and other foods available year-round. While safely enjoying some Halloween candies once per year is not concerning, regularly eating trans fat is.

What are the health effects of sugar on children specifically?

Enjoying some sweet treats is fine when done safely. But eating or drinking too much sugar regularly can increase your children’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cavities while they’re young, plus chronic diseases including hypertension (high blood pressure) later in life. Plus, too much sugar at once may cause a spike in blood sugar followed by a rapid drop, linked with irritability and more.

Can you share some tips for caregivers to make Halloween both joyful and healthy?

When you enter November, consider getting rid of leftover treats so they don’t become a habit in your house. It can be helpful to have your child’s favorite nourishing snack on hand or to do something fun like make a colorful smoothie together – an alternative to offer if they ask for candy.

Lean into fun ways to spend quality time together. Play your favorite tunes and dance! Classics include Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Bobby Pickett’s “Monster Mash”. Go on a stroll outside together to search for pumpkins, scarecrows, and more decorations. Turn your clementines into jack-o’-lanterns using markers or stickers. Pick a pumpkin together at your local store or patch, carve it and roast the seeds. Take photos or videos during these happy times so your loved ones can reflect on these memories in the future.