Dietribe: Trick your Sweet Tooth this Halloween

Posted by Anne Houseman on October 27th, 2009

For those of you with a sweet tooth, the thought of Halloween can be exhilarating and thrilling at the same time (much like Edward Cullen). While most of the time sweets aren’t my downfall (*cough* pizza, chips *cough*), when they are sitting in front of me, look out — they won’t be there for long.

Trick taste buds with a small, sweet treat!

Of course, Halloween is just the beginning of a season filled with mouth-watering hard candy, chocolates, cookies, pie and other confectionary delights. During other times of the year, it seems easier to avoid these temptations, since I do not purchase them purposefully, and they aren’t around the house (unless my husband goes shopping, that is). But beginning right about now, scrumptious sweets seem to be lurking around every corner. From the generous coworkers who bring in baked goods to leftover Trick-or-Treat stashes that you consume “because it’s not good for the kids to have too much,” this is sugar season for sure.

If it’s this hard to avoid temptation without having a real sweet tooth, I can only imagine how bad it must be for those who truly crave candy. So this weekend, as we don our costumes and revel in the haunting holiday, here’s a few “tricks” I’ll be taking to enjoy some treats without getting full-blown sugar shock.

Just one will satisfy.

Sip apple cider. A delightful treat for anyone to enjoy (just step away from the accompanying donut), each 8 oz drink has about 116 calories and 27.6 grams of sugar, so all you need is a small mug to get in the festive spirit.
Savor a piece of gourmet chocolate. One small, rich morsel of gourmet chocolate can satiate your sweet tooth more than the “waxier” types of chocolate that leave you wanting more (and more, and more…).
Nosh on a sweet baked apple. After baking, drizzle this naturally sweet fruit with a touch of caramel (don’t coat it), and top it off with a couple of tablespoons of vanilla pudding. You’ll have a healthy snack with just enough sweetness to satisfy!