• With Halloween approaching, a new study has analyzed 50 seasonal treats to determine which Halloween snacks contain the most sugar.
•  Nerds lead the ranking as the unhealthiest treat, containing 91 grams of sugar per 100g.
• SweeTarts follow in second place, while Swedish Fish are identified as the third-unhealthiest candy choice. 

With Halloween just around the corner, a new study has unveiled the unhealthiest seasonal treats. The research team at the price monitoring website PriceListo.com analyzed the sugar content of 50 popular Halloween snacks to determine the unhealthiest snacks. 

According to the data, Nerds are crowned as the unhealthiest Halloween candy in the ranking. The study reveals that the popular candy choice contains a staggering 91 grams of sugar per 100g. The average box of Nerds, which tends to be just over 140g, contains over three times the usual recommended daily sugar intake of 30g. 

The research found that the average Halloween candy contains 53.53g of sugar per 100g, meaning that the sugar content of Nerds exceeds the average amount by almost 70%. While the candy ranked fairly low in terms of calories, containing 374 calories per 100g, it’s clear that this is the treat to avoid if you’re looking to protect your teeth this Halloween. 

SweeTarts are identified as the second-unhealthiest snack choice this Halloween. Despite being relatively low in calories, the popular sweet and sour candies contain a notable 80.3g of sugar per 100g. 

In addition to the candy’s high sugar content, SweeTarts are also packed with artificial additives, making them more likely to be overconsumed. The average packet of SweeTarts contains over two times the recommended daily sugar intake, making them one of the unhealthiest Halloween snack choices. 

Swedish Fish are found to have the third-highest sugar content in the ranking, containing 80g of sugar per 100g. According to the data, the average bag of Swedish Fish contains over 2.6 times the recommended daily sugar intake, despite containing 360 calories per 100g. 

Although they are often referred to as a Halloween classic, candy corn is identified as the fourth-unhealthiest snack choice. The popular seasonal treat contains 75g of sugar per 100g, which is over 40% more sugar than the average Halloween snack. 

The top 10 unhealthiest Halloween snacks: 

Rank	Treat Name	Sugar Content per 100g (in grams)
1	Nerds	91.0
2	SweeTarts	80.3
3	Swedish Fish	80.0
4	Candy Corn	75.0
5	Skittles	74.0
6	Caramel Apples	73.0
7	Hot Tamales	71.6
8	Sugar Babies	71.0
=9	3 Musketeers	64.6
=9	Jolly Ranchers	64.6
=10	Sour Patch Kids	63.0
=10	Milky Way	63.0
=10	Airheads	63.0

Skittles are up next as the fifth-unhealthiest Halloween snack choice. The popular candy contains 74g of sugar per 100g, which is almost 2.5 times the recommended daily intake. 

Despite being a go-to treat for the fall season, caramel apples are found to be the sixth-unhealthiest snack choice in the ranking. According to the data, a caramel apple contains 73g of sugar per 100g, making it one of the most sugar-packed treats in the ranking. Although the study found that a caramel apple only contains 304 calories, the snack’s high sugar content may actually increase hunger levels.

Hot Tamales are revealed to be the seventh-most sugary Halloween treat, containing 71.6g of sugar per 100g. These cinnamon-flavored candies are often a go-to for Halloween, but their excessively high sugar content can have a damaging impact on your dental health. 

Sugar Babies are found to be the eighth-unhealthiest candy in the ranking, containing 71g of sugar per 100g. While this addictive candy is often a favorite for Halloween, its high volume of concentrated sugar means that Sugar Babies contain almost 2.4 times the recommended daily sugar intake. 

3 Musketeers are in ninth place in the ranking, containing 64.6g of sugar per 100g. These familiar favorites are often included in Halloween treat bags, but each bar contains a whopping nine teaspoons of sugar. While most sugary snacks tend to contain a lower number of calories, this particular candy contains 425 calories per 100g, making it one of the unhealthiest treat options in the ranking. 

Jolly Rancher sweets join 3 Musketeers in ninth place, also containing 64.6g of sugar per 100g. Despite being a popular candy choice for Halloween, Jolly Ranchers have been receiving increasingly bad press in the media after the Food Standards Agency warned that several products from the brand are “unsafe to eat.” UK businesses and consumers are now being urged to stop buying and selling Jolly Rancher products, which were found to contain almost 21% more sugar than the average Halloween treat. 

Sour Patch Kids, Milky Way chocolate bars, and Airheads were all found to contain the tenth-highest amount of sugar in the ranking. These beloved treats contain 63g of sugar per 100g, which is 2.1 times the recommended daily sugar intake. 

Other exceptionally unhealthy treats include Milk Duds and Hershey’s Pieces. 

For those looking for some lower sugar options this Halloween, Twizzlers and Red Vines were found to have some of the lowest sugar content, with the treats containing 45g of sugar per 100g. 

Ice cream was also found to contain less sugar than some of these popular Halloween treats. Reese’s Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream only contains 20g of sugar per 100g. Similarly, Ben and Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream was also revealed to contain 25g of sugar per 100g. 

Other treats that are relatively low in sugar include Haribo’s Goldbears and Starmix. 

The research also unveils which treats contain the highest number of calories per 100g, with Milky Way Magic Stars leading the ranking. These classic milk chocolate treats, which are popular in the UK, were found to contain 556 calories per 100g. 

The Dove Dark Chocolate Bar contains the second-highest number of calories, with a total of 546 calories per 100g. Despite being a Halloween classic, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups contain the third-highest number of calories, with a total of 537 calories per 100g. 

Other treats that were found to contain a high number of calories include Cadbury’s Milk Chocolate Buttons, Cadbury’s mini milk chocolate bars, and M&Ms.

The study also examined which seasonal treats are the most protein-packed. Starbucks’ infamous pumpkin spice latte comes out on top, containing 14g of protein in a grande portion. Hershey’s Pieces were found to contain 11g of protein, while Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups contain 10.9g of protein per 100g. 

Other high-protein snacks include M&Ms, Snickers, and Maltesers. 

A spokesperson for PriceListo.com commented on the research: 

“While Halloween is undeniably a time to kick back and indulge in some familiar favorite treats, it’s still important to remain mindful of the sweets you’re choosing to consume. This research highlights just how much sugar is packed into some of the nation’s most popular treats. 

“It’s staggering to see how much sugar some of these popular treats contain, with some brands in particular containing over double the recommended daily intake.

“While sugary treats can obviously be tempting over Halloween, it’s often a better choice to stick to chocolate. Chocolate tends to contain a higher number of calories, but will fill you up quicker, as opposed to sugary treats, which are both more bingeable and worse for your dental health. 

“Overconsuming Halloween candy can pose dangers of cavities, enamel erosion, and plaque buildup. Meanwhile, chocolate doesn’t tend to cling to your teeth, unlike sugary treats like candy corn, which can become lodged in crevices, creating a buildup of bacteria. 

“This fall, it’s important to keep your dental health in mind when stocking up on Halloween snacks. While certain treats may initially appear ‘healthier’ due to containing a lower number of calories, they instead contain an excessive amount of sugar, causing damage to your teeth. 

“This is why it may be a healthier decision to switch to less sugary and more protein-packed snacks this Halloween.” 

This information was provided by the price monitoring website, PriceListo.com.