Community Corner

Easter Candy: Which Candies Aren't as Bad for You?

Author outlines what to watch for when buying chocolate eggs.

While adults are planning big family dinners for Easter, kids have only one thing on their minds: chocolate. In many households, that chocolate is in the form of small chocolate eggs given as gifts or hidden for an Easter egg hunt. There are many chocolate egg options, and they vary in terms of both sugar content and ingredients, including the presence of potentially harmful artificial dyes.

According to dietitian Gloria Tsang, author of the new book "Go UnDiet: 50 Small Actions for Lasting Weight Loss" and founder of nutrition network HealthCastle.com, choosing the right chocolate eggs can reduce the health impact of your kids' Easter egg hunt.

"Many big brands produce chocolate eggs specifically for the Easter season," Tsang says. "Since parents are buying products they don't buy the rest of the year, they may not have checked out the ingredients of each product."

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Here are HealthCastle.com's top items to watch for when buying chocolate eggs:

  • Sugar: You know chocolate eggs contain sugar. But you might be surprised that all brands reviewed contain more sugar than cocoa. The key source of sugar is often a candy shell.
  • Artificial dyes: Colorful candy shells contain dye, of course. But some contain Yellow No. 5, which may cause hyperactivity in some kids.
  • Artificial flavor and wax: Yes, wax. Many branded chocolates use wax in their formulas. Look for brands that skip this "extra" ingredient.

The best course of action is to buy chocolate eggs from a local chocolate shop, where you're likely to find more real chocolate and less sugar, dye, and other artificial ingredients. If you're buying chocolate eggs at the grocery store, look for brands with no candy shell.

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