Once a year, children all around the world get geared up in Halloween costumes in hopes of getting their hands on some of their favorite candy. What these trick-or-treaters don’t realize is how unhealthy these bite size indulgences really are.

            “[I like] snickers because I love the combination of the caramel and the peanuts,” junior, Ziya Jahangir said. Snickers are the second most popular Halloween candy among Americans, behind candy corn, but they are also one of the unhealthiest types of candy out there. These sinfully sweet chocolates contain a whopping 72 calories, 3.7 grams of fat, and 7.4 grams of sugar.

            “I didn’t think about [the nutrition facts of Halloween candy] when I was younger, but now that I’m getting older, I’m starting to realize how bad all of the candy is for you,” said sophomore, Tessa Iglesias. Iglesias’ favorite Halloween candy are Starburst’s. In just eight of these tiny chewy candies, there are a total of 3.5 grams of fat, 160 calories, and 23 grams of sugar.

            The main problem children and adults run into on Halloween is eating too much candy in one sitting, causing an overload of sugar. Excessive amounts of sugar lead to cavities, obesity, and even diabetes.

            “On Halloween night I usually eat somewhere around 30 or 40 pieces [of candy],” freshman, Amanda Villafana said. These days, most Halloween candy given out is either in bite size or snack size portions. Therefore, it’s easier to eat more candy and not realize it. One way to assure that you don’t eat too much candy in one sitting is to divide it up; limit yourself to eating only five pieces a night. Candy can be fine in moderation but excessive amounts will lead to health problems in the future.