Monday, February 09, 2009

Candy...trick or treat

Since reading the articles on candy, I was wondering why are we so intrigued. Is it the enjoyment we had as children waiting for Halloween when we could go out dressed up and hit the candy motherload, or is it the instantaneous rush we feel after eating a hershey's bar. I have been a chocolate lover since, probably my first bite so I decided to do some research. Since Americans have become more health conscious people are looking for foods that say they are healtheir (or at least claim so on the packaging). This trend has even hit my beloved candy industry. Candy packges now have sayings such as 30% less fat, sugar-free, and Low-fat. These sayings have always troubled me, how can a candy bar be sugar-free?
In an article written in 1997 the author discusses different types of candy and their properties. This article also was interesting, because it described the best types of candy to eat and their nutritional value. I enjoyed reading about how to indulge my sweet tooth without overindulging on high fat. It describes distinct types of candy: those containing chocolate, those containing fruit, and those containing yogurt. I was also intrigued by the article's table giving data. So the next time you hit the candy store just think...have I hit my alotted saturated fat intake today?
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/octcandy.htm

No comments: