Sugar doesn’t have to be scary- Tips for a healthy Halloween

Clarissa Lenherr By Clarissa Lenherr on 29th October 2021

For many, Halloween is synonymous with the day of eating candy! Regardless of whether you dress up or not, our Instagram feeds, supermarket shelves, adverts and more are filled with ghoulish goodies that are on offer.
Talking of all things scary, sugar has been made out to be the demon of the nutrition world, and whilst we all know that a diet high in sugar isn’t beneficial for our health, there is nothing wrong with an occasional sugary treat – no this isn’t a trick!

To navigate Halloween this year without the sugar crash, read on for our resident nutritionist’s healthy tips.

AIM FOR 2 OUT OF 3
If you can stick to a healthy breakfast and lunch on the 31st of October, you are less likely to feel guilty about letting your hair down on all hallows eve! That isn’t to say that you should starve yourself all day and wait for the sweets – that can actually be more detrimental, leaving you in a spooky mood, but also leaving you feeling ravenous and more likely to overeat.

GO FOR SAVOURY
Not every snack on Halloween has to hit your daily quota of sugar in one bite! There are some devilishly good savoury options that you can go for, some even packing in a nutritional punch!

MAKE YOUR OWN SWEET OPTIONS
Not all Halloween themed food needs to fit in the “unhealthy” category. There are some incredibly delicious healthier style bakes that don’t compromise on taste.

When baking goodies, consider some of these lower sugar swaps:

  • Try maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar or opt for less sugar in recipes
  • Consider using flours such as wholemeal or nut flours such as almond – these have less of an impact on your blood sugar
  • Add in spices, especially autumnal spices to dishes – cinnamon, pumpkin spice mixes etc for natural sweetness and flavour
  • Use apple, butternut squash, sweet potato or pumpkin puree in recipes for a veggie sweet kick

    GO EASY ON THE DRINKS
    Green, red and bright orange cocktails might be appealing alongside our favourite costume of choice, but these are often packed with sugars, sweeteners and other funny ingredients that are as scary as some of the bad outfits spotted on Halloween! Whilst it’s important to let loose, there are a few healthy hacks we can fall back on to soften the next day’s fright!
  • Get mixing up a cauldron of non-alcoholic cocktails using one of MEDAHUMAN’S mixers
  • Ask for less sugar if buying drinks out
  • Stain your mouth like a vampire and opt for red wine which has less sugar and lower alcohol content than cocktails
  • Get in a glass of water for everything alcoholic drink