What’s Lurking in YOUR Halloween Candy


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Set down those car keys and back away from the door! Before you run off to the store and load up on candy for Halloween, let’s rethink our shopping list. We are going to talk about candy. The bodies drug that causes an addiction very few can overcome.  It’s not only the sugar that causes destruction and addiction, it’s much more than that. The additives… Prepare to be shocked over what you’ve probably eaten your whole childhood up into adulthood. Spit out whatever you have in your mouth right now. Seriously… Do it. I just spit out my beet juice all over the person next to me, while I was reading about the additives in candy. Now there is a big mess… Excuse me while I go clean this up.

Two years ago (wow!) I wrote about the additives in candy and now I think it’s time to address it again.

When I started thinking about writing this post, talking about the down side of candy. I thought, what about trick-or-treating? I contemplated that question over and over again. Thinking about how much little kids look forward to dressing up and going door to door. There were a few ideas that crossed my mind:

  1. Letting them collect the candy and then get rid of it. But I didn’t like that idea because for one, you end up being wasteful and could result in a little upset child.
  2. Donate it. That idea came and went. The reason we aren’t consuming the candy is because it’s bad for us, so why give it to someone else and jeopardize their health? That’s not right.
These next two are the two options I actually like and will probably consider doing when I have kids:
  1. Before your kids leave the house, fill their halloween bag with organic candy or some special little handmade gifts. When they go door to door, they give the “healthier” candy or handmade gifts, instead of receiving the toxic candy. At the end of the night when their bag is empty you all go home and bake healthy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. That idea, teaches them to give to others.
  2. Make a tradition every year to throw a halloween party at your home instead of trick-or-treating. Everyone can dress up (in their homemade modest fun costumes) and be involved in a cooking/baking activity. Making meatballs (eyeballs), Mummy fingers (carrots with half olives as the nail) Carving pumpkins, playing games (halloween pictionary, halloween charades) and overall having fun and laughing. This also teaches kids about bonding, being involved in family activities, being a team player and helping others.
Now that we have that part figured out, lets discuss the candy.  On my post I did a few years ago, I mentioned some of the ingredients found in the most common candy people consume.
Here is that list again along with a few more harmful ingredients:

  1. Lanolin- its an oily secretion from Sheep wool. Basically “sheep sweat”. It is used in some skin care products but it’s also masquerading as “gum base” in food products.
  2. Carmine- a red food dye made from crushed, dried and boiled beetles. It’s used in red candies, juices, and ice cream.
  3. Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)- it is a petroleum derived form of Butane used as a food preservative. It is used in lighter fluid and also Americas favorite candy bar; butterfingers.
  4. Castoreum- An extract from beaver perineal glands and possibly beaver urine. It’s usually hiding on ingredient lists as “natural flavoring”. Since anything derived from plants or animals is deemed “natural”.
  5. Shellac- A sticky substance made from secretions of a bug. It is used to make that shiny coating on candies like Jelly Beans. It’s often labeled as “confectioners glaze” on ingredient lists.
  6. High-Fructose Corn Syrup: For one it’s genetically modified (see #7) and found in A LOT of our foods. It contributes to obesity, fatty deposits in the liver, weakened immune systems, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, suppressed metabolism, tooth decay and increased risk of heart attack.
  7. GMO’s (genetically modified organisms). By now you are most likely aware of GMO’s. They are in 90% of processed foods and 70% of conventionally grown foods. A few things about GMO’s; increased toxicity in foods, decreased nutritional value, weaker immune systems, liver problems. And last but not least. The GM (genetically modified) gene that you consume through eating GM foods will remain inside you. The DNA in the food can travel into organs throughout the body, even into the fetus. The genetic material inserted into GM foods transfers into the DNA of intestinal bacteria and continues to function. Even long after we stop eating GM foods, we may still have their GM proteins produced continuously inside us. SCARY!
  8. Beware of labels saying ‘Sugar Free’. Almost all foods labeled ‘Sugar Free’ are actually worse for you than eating added cane sugar. Most ‘Sugar Free’ additives are chemically made or derived from processed GM corn. One ingredient you may see a lot in ‘Sugar Free’ is maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is derived from GM corn or wheat. It is known to cause digestive issues, weight gain, flatulence, frequent visits to the bathroom, difficulty breathing, rash, bloating and a few others.
  9. Aspartame. Another ‘Sugar Free’ ingredient you most definitely need to avoid. It is known to be the most dangerous substance added to food. It hides under the names; NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal Measure. It is known to cause; weight gain, headaches, heart palpitations, nausea, fatigue, muscle spasms, vertigo, memory loss, hearing loss, vision loss, anxiety attacks, joint pain and slurred speech.
Those are only SOME of the ingredients that can be found in non-organic candy. In snickers? Yes! Butterfingers? Yes! Ummm… Those are the only non-organic candies I know the names of. But you get the idea! Guess I’m really far into the organic world lolIf you want to buy candy for Halloween there are a good amount of organic brands out there that have great tasting candy! I’m not a fan of eating lots of sugar, but for one night, go for it!

Click on each Organic Brand to learn more about the company and their products.

A few Organic Brands are;

  1. Surf Sweets
  2. TruJoy Sweets
  3. Justin’s 
  4. YumEarth Organics
  5. Endangered Species Chocolate
Have a Happy, Healthy and Safe Halloween!A girl who truly cares about everyone’s health and wellness,

Emma 

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