We Ranked 25 Halloween Candies by Sugar Content

Healthy Halloween candy: an oxymoron or a legitimate possibility? Even though most us of can't get away with trick-or-treating anymore (curse that middle school growth spurt!), we never really get too old to resist the bowlfuls of Halloween candy that materialize in every office kitchen and grocery aisle come October.

Now, we wouldn’t wish a candy-free October on anyone, but some sweet treats have scarier nutrition facts than others—namely when it comes to sugar content. As such, we carefully studied the ingredient lists, calories, fat, and sugar content of 25 popular Halloween candies and ranked them in order of frightfully sweet. (We also threw in how long the average person would have to trick-or-treat based on the calories burned at a brisk pace, according to the CDC). So when raiding your little cousin's Halloween loot this year, now you'll know which serving sizes are more favorable, as well as which treats are better for you overall—but, by all means, celebrate however you please. 

Serving size: 3 fun-size packages

Calories: 190

Fat: 2 grams

Sugar: 34 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 55

Brace yourself: One serving of these teeny rainbow treats contains about as much sugar as a scoop of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Corn syrup and food dyes round out the startling ingredient list.

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Calories: 190

Fat: 8 grams

Sugar: 28 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 55

Chocolate covered raisins can be a delicious treat but aren't as healthy as they might sound. With a higher sugar content than other candy, the best way to eat these yummy (and surprisingly addicting) raisins are a few at a time.

Serving size: 15 pieces

Calories: 110

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 22 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 32

This packaging boasts "made with real honey," but the bag fails to advertise its ickier types of sugar (white sugar, corn syrup, confectioner's glaze, and dextrose). Not to mention the artificial flavors, dyes, and gelatin (which, in case you need a reminder, is made from horse hooves).

Serving size: 3 2-piece bars

Calories: 210

Fat: 11 grams

Sugar: 21 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 60

The super-light wafer in this chocolaty treat might make it seem healthier and less caloric, but that's only if you're eating less than the serving size. So if you like chocolate, go ahead; break yourself a piece instead of snacking on a few.

Serving size: 4 pieces

Calories: 150

Fat: 6 grams

Sugar: 21 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 43

Seriously, who eats just two mini Milky Ways and calls it a night?! We shudder to think of the amounts of sugar, corn syrup, milk fat, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and artificial flavors we actually consume on our Halloween Milky Way binges.

Serving Size: 1.6-ounce bag

Calories: 250

Fat: 16 grams

Sugar: 19 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 72

Sure, the calorie count is higher than other candy, but the best way to indulge in this treat is to eat a half serving each time. While the entire bag contains 250 calories, broken down into two servings, it's only 125 calories. Plus, nutrient-packed cashews are healthier than processed filling, so even though they're loaded with sugar, they're not all bad.

Serving size: 4 pieces

Calories: 160

Fat: 0.5 grams

Sugar: 19 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 46

These licorice-like twists are marketed as a "low-fat" food, which is true. But don't be fooled into thinking they're healthy. A formula of white flour, sugar, and cornstarch makes these a nutritional nightmare. There are almost 20 grams of sugar in just four straws, and really, who only eats four Twizzlers?

Serving size: 3 bars

Calories: 140

Fat: 1.5 grams

Sugar: 19 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 40

An ingredient list of various sugars, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, and artificial flavors renders these stretchy-sweet bars a total nutrition fail.

Serving size: 7 pieces

Calories: 160

Fat: 9 grams

Sugar: 18 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 46

The fat content of these American treasures is pretty high, but if you cut the serving size in half, they won't do you in. And stopping at three Hershey's Kisses actually isn't that hard since they're rich and chocolaty and take a bit more effort to unwrap. 

Serving size: 5 pieces

Calories: 120

Fat: 2.5 grams

Sugar: 17 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 35

Does anyone even really like Tootsie Rolls? They're a sorry excuse for chocolate. But they somehow contain just as much sugar? Not worth it (unless, to you, they are).

Serving Size: 12 pieces

Calories: 130

Fat: 6 grams

Sugar: 17 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 38

Most people love the sweetness of fruit, but when you add dark chocolate to the mix you've got yourself a killer combo. Made with a blend of açai berry, blueberry, and smooth dark chocolate, this is a healthier snack that you can eat alone or add to a homemade trail mix.

Serving size: 2 pieces

Calories: 160

Fat: 9 grams

Sugar: 16 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed to burn off: 46

Snack-sized Almond Joys have been a favorite for trick-or-treaters for decades. Savor one piece and leave the second for a rainy day.

Serving Size: 6 pieces

Calories: 120

Fat: 3.5 grams

Sugar: 16 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 35

These caramels will melt in your mouth, and you can have at least six pieces and not even hit 150 calories. With a coconut milk base, it's perfect if you want a dairy-free caramel option, however, the sugar content is still quite high.

Serving size: 38 pieces

Calories: 150

Fat: 7 grams

Sugar: 16 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 43

Reese's Pieces are undeniably delicious, but they're also noticably high in fat and sugar. However, they're not that scary so long as you don't eat a full serving at once—try cutting it in half to clock in under 10 grams of sugar for your sweet indulgence.

Serving size: 1 ounce

Calories: 130

Fat: 4 grams

Sugar: 15 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 38

If you're going the M&M's route, opt for the pretzel variation. They don't offer much in the way of vitamins and minerals, but less chocolate and more pretzel mean lower levels of sugar and fat than other flavors.

Serving size: 1 lollipop

Calories: 70

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 13 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 20

These lollipops will definitely bring back all the nostalgia. The sweet, crunchy candy shell with the bubblegum center has been a staple in trick-or-treat bags for decades. 

Serving size: 13 pieces

Calories: 60

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 13 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 18

Just enough sweet and sour, these tart candies are a more moderate choice when counting calories as you can have at least 13 pieces without worrying too much about calorie consumption.

Serving size: 4 pieces

Calories: 80 

Fat: 1.25 grams

Sugar: 11.5 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 23

There's no denying that Starbursts are delicious, but their nutrition content is anything but. A frightful recipe of corn syrup, sugar, and (greasy-as-heck) hydrogenated palm kernel oil are responsible for the cartoonish fruit flavor and gummy texture. Regardless, when it comes to the sugar scale alone, they're not the worst of the worst.

Serving size: 3 pieces

Calories: 70

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 11 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 20

Savor these hard candies with classic flavors such as grape, watermelon, and green apple. Seeing as they can be tough to bite into, the best way to protect your teeth is to suck on them until your tongue turns a rainbow of colors.

Serving size: 3 pieces

Calories: 108

Fat: 6.4 grams

Sugar: 9.9 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed to burn off: 31

Say it ain't so! These depressingly delicious peanut butter cups contain enough sugar and fat to send your diet goals into early hibernation. And that's just for three pieces. Think about how many you actually eat on Halloween. Spooky!

Serving Size: 1 snack pack

Calories: 70

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 9 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 20

It's pretty hard to say no to gummy bears, yet these particular ones have more health benefits than the kind you find while perusing the grocery store candy aisle. With natural sugars and no artificial coloring, these bite-sized bears are a healthier alternative for Halloween (though, they still have 9 grams of sugar per pack).

Serving size: 1 bar

Calories: 80

Fat: 4 grams

Sugar: 8.5 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 23

If you think Snickers aren't that bad because they're made with peanuts and "real" chocolate, think again. This cheap, artificially-flavored chocolate product barely counts as food, and it's only made worse by the corn syrup, sugar, and fatty processed oils. And, even so, it's one of the best sugar-to-serving ratios come October 31.

Serving size: 1 bar

Calories: 100

Fat: 3.5 grams

Sugar: 6 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 29

Think of this granola bar as the yin and yang of Halloween snacks. The salty and sweet components mimic a tasty candy treat, but this choice is a much healthier option than something high in sugar.

Serving size: 1 packet

Calories: 45

Fat: 0 grams

Sugar: 7 grams

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 13

A fun-size bag of these chewy goodies contains no fat and comparatively little sugar. Better yet, you get 15% of your daily vitamin A quota and 50% of your vitamin C!

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Calories: 180

Fat: 14 grams

Sugar: 1 gram

Minutes of trick-or-treating needed: 52

Okay, okay, we know—this isn't really a Halloween candy. But if you actually want to stay healthy this Halloween, stick to these (surprisingly addictive) salted pumpkin seeds. One serving contains healthy fats and nine grams of protein, plus healthy doses of iron, vitamin E, manganese, and zinc.

Up next: discover the most mesmerizing Halloween makeup ideas from Instagram.