A Diabetes-Friendly Guide to a Spooky and Safe Halloween

By: Ashley Smith and Rhea Gupta

It's that time of the year! Dressing up in spooky costumes, carving pumpkins… but most importantly, going trick-or-treating! All across the nation, people dress up on the 31st to see who can get more candy. Will I finally get more candy than my friends? Who knows! However, even though trick-or-treating can be fun, having uncontrolled hyperglycemia isn’t. The fear of high blood sugar can be spooky, but it doesn’t have to be. Everyone, with or without diabetes, can enjoy a lovely evening of trick-or-treating by utilizing these safe tips and advice!

The Truth Behind the Nutrition Facts of Popular Halloween Candy

What's in your Halloween basket? Some Kit Kats? Candy corn? Or our favourite: the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? All are good choices and very delicious indeed. But want to know a secret? You can enjoy Halloween candy and treats, even with diabetes! However, one important part of keeping your body safe is to look at the nutrition facts on candy. Carbohydrate counting is important, and one way to find the information on your candy is to look at the “Total Carbohydrate Grams” on the nutrition facts (American Diabetes Association, n.d.; JDRF, 2023). For example, let's say you decide to have a milk chocolate Hershey’s Kiss bar for a snack after Halloween; it would be 2.8 g of carbohydrates (JDRF, 2023). How about one piece of hard candy, like a Jolly Rancher? That would be 6 g of carbohydrates (JDRF, 2023). What about some M&Ms in the fun-size bag? That would be 9.7 g (JDRF, 2023). Let's say you are extra hungry and want a fun-size Snickers; it would be 10.5 g of carbohydrates (American Diabetes Association, n.d.). What about a fun-size Kit Kat? That would be 8 g of carbohydrates. And lastly, the most favourite of them all, the glorious Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, contains 12 g of carbohydrates (JDRF, 2023). However, when in doubt, or unsure about the total grams of carbohydrates, the most accurate amount of carbohydrates will be listed right on the nutrition facts on the wrapper of your candy (American Diabetes Association, n.d.; JDRF, 2023). Now, by knowing where to look for the total grams of carbohydrates, along with some examples of the best candy (the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup), you will be equipped with the ability to feel comfortable with the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming and manage your insulin dosing with ease based on your blood glucose levels and your sweet treats (American Diabetes Association, n.d.; JDRF, 2023)!

Tips for Moderation: Enjoy Candy Without the Fear of Spiking Blood Glucose Levels

Getting caught up in the fun of overindulging in Halloween candy is easy. However, practicing moderation can help keep blood sugar levels stable, while we still enjoy these sweet treats. Here are a few easy tips to follow during Halloween: 

1. Portion moderation: pick out a few treats for your children, and ensure they stay within their carbohydrate intake limits (Diabetes Canada, 2019). This is important for everyone, not just children!

2. Save candies to treat low glucose levels: pick out candies that can help treat moments when your blood sugar reaches low levels. This includes candies with dextrose, such as Skittles, but avoid candies with higher fat levels, such as chocolate bars (JDRF, 2023). 

3. Select candies low in carbohydrates: avoid consuming candy which results in a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. To prevent this, choose candies like dark chocolate and lollipops (Shah et al., 2017).    

4. Stay warm: cooler temperatures may cause drops in blood glucose levels. Make sure your child stays warm while trick-or-treating (JDRF, 2023). 

5. Monitor blood glucose levels: this habit should be a routine but try to keep a close eye on your levels before, during, and after the consumption of candy (Diabetes Research Connection, 2017). 

By following these simple steps, we can reduce the stress of uncontrolled blood glucose levels while still enjoying the fun of the spooky season!

Halloween does not have to be a scary time for individuals with diabetes. By understanding the impacts of different candies on our blood glucose levels and practicing moderation, you can enjoy these sweet treats. The goal is not to completely restrict yourself but to understand what works for you to keep these blood sugar levels stable. Halloween is a fun time for many, so dress up, enjoy some treats, and follow these simple tips to help balance your health. Happy spooky season, everyone!

References:

American Diabetes Association. (n.d.). How to celebrate Halloween with a child with diabetes. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/navigating-halloween-child-diabetes 

Diabetes Canada. (2019, October 22). Tips to Enjoy Your Treats for a Safe and Fun Halloween. https://www.diabetes.ca/media-room/news/tips-to-enjoy-your-treats-for-a-safe-and-fun-halloween

Diabetes Research Connection. (2017, October 31). Halloween Candy Carbohydrate Counts for People with T1D. Diabetes Research News. https://diabetesresearchconnection.org/halloween-candy-carbohydrate-counts-people-t1d/

JDRF. (2023, October 26). Halloween guide. https://jdrf.ca/halloween-guide/ 

Shah, S. R., Alweis, R., Najim, N. I., Dharani, A. M., Jangda, M. A., Shahid, M., Kazi, A. N., & Shah, S. A. (2017). Use of dark chocolate for diabetic patients: a review of the literature and current evidence. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, 7(4), 218-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/20009666.2017.1361293