What’s the big deal about candy anyway?

Media General News Service
Published: September 24, 2008

As Halloween approaches, here’s what can be frightening for grown-ups – it’s now the “eating season.“

Halloween is only the start of a season filled with good things to eat. Next: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“What signifies this happy, fun time of year?“ asked nutritionist Steven Witherly, author of “Why Humans Like Junk Food.“ “It’s the presence of candy.“

Witherly says humans’ enjoyment of candy is a result of evolution.

“It’s high in those things that actually are very rare when we were evolving. It’s high in fat and sugar,“ Witherly said. “Kids are naturally attracted to sweet stuff because that’s what their brain is running on. That’s what their nervous system is running on, and of course this
time of year, you can’t get away from it.“

Witherly said kids like sugar more than adults because, pound for pound, their small brains use more sugar than do adult brains. But even for adults, visually stimulating candy can trigger a craving.

“You have every shape or variety of thing you can possibly imagine,“ Witherly said. “Humans are visual animals, so when we see something we have a tendency to gravitate toward it. And humans tend to like colors and shapes.“

He said people also eat more candy at this time of year because it’s everywhere – and because, with candymakers gearing up for the holidays, the candy is fresher than at other times of the year.

According to the Nielsen Company, this year Americans were expected to spend $2.1 billion on candy for Halloween, the time of year when the most candy is sold.

That’s about $7 spent for every man, woman and child in America, an extra 3,500 calories per person – or one extra pound gained.
And that’s to say nothing of the food that will be consumed at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“It’s natural; we evolved that way,“ Witherly said. “The fall is where you store calories for the spring. … This is when we pack on the fat because … the body naturally has a tendency to want to store this through the winter.

“In any event, this is a scary time of year for dieting; there’s no doubt about it.“

He offered some tips for those who hope to avoid excess holiday weight:

Out of sight, out of mind - store the candy where you can’t see or smell it.
Choose to eat healthier candies – such as raisins, trail mix, gummi bears, lollipops, and dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
Use candy as rewards for good behavior or exercise, not for eating healthy.
Fill up on healthy foods before attending holiday parties.
Keep exercising – such as walking after a meal. One reason for weight gain around the holidays is that people tend to exercise less.
Drink green tea – in studies it’s been show to decrease body fat.