Compared: Halloween candy with the scariest and least scariest amounts of sugar

Compared: Halloween candy with the scariest and the least scary amounts of sugar

Education, Entertainment, Food, Holidays, Human Interest, Lifestyle, Public Health and Safety, Public Service Announcement, Top News, Video
Ace News Today - Compared: Halloween candy with the scariest and least scariest amounts of sugar

Spoiler alert:

  • Nerds Candy ranks as the candy with the highest sugar quantity, with a substantial 93g of sugar per 100g.
  • Sour Patch Kids closely follow, with 80g of sugar, while Swedish Fish rank third, with 77g.
  • Twizzlers stand out as the lowest-sugar option this Halloween, with only 38g of sugar per 100g.

This Halloween, a new study has found that Nerds Candy contains the highest quantity of sugar, as opposed to Twizzlers which has the least.  The research, conducted by Snusboss, analyzed over 50 beloved Halloween candies to uncover which products contained the most sugar per 100 grams.

Nerds Candy leads the ranking this Halloween with a notable 93g of sugar per 100g. With over 135,000 pounds of Nerds produced every single day, a recommended serving size of 15g is advised due to its substantial sugar content, representing 27% of the daily recommended added-sugar intake.

Securing second position is Sour Patch Kids, which, despite their relatively low-calorie content, measuring in at 367 calories per 100g, contain a significant 80g of sugar. These fun-shaped snacks have enjoyed popularity among consumers since their establishment in 1985. Unfortunately, they also rank among the candies with the highest sugar content per serving, with 30g of product containing 24g of sugar.

In third place is Swedish Fish. Despite sharing a similar calorie count with Sour Patch Kids at 367 per 100g, Swedish Fish contain a slightly lower sugar content of 77g per 100g. It’s important to highlight that indulging in five of these small fish-shaped candies will contribute to a significant 46% of your recommended daily added sugar intake.

With an astonishing annual production of over 9 billion kernels and its own national day, Candy Corn secures the fourth spot, containing 74g of sugar per 100g of the product. This seasonal favorite might make trick-or-treaters hesitate, as it ranks among the candies with the highest sugar content per serving, with 23g of sugar in a recommended 30g portion.

Skittles, another candy beloved by Americans, claims the fifth position with 73g of sugar per 100g of the product—just falling short of Candy Corn. This colorful treat’s appeal extends across the globe, as it’s sold in more than 60 countries. However, even a small 15g portion of Skittles contributes significantly, constituting 22% of your daily recommended added sugar intake.

Rounding out the top ten, you will find Sugar Babies and Sweet Tarts, both containing just under 73g of sugar. Charms Blow Pops are a close contender with 72g of sugar, and Werther’s and Dum Dum Pops each contain 69g of sugar.

Halloween Candy with the Highest Sugar Content vsHalloween Candy with the Lowest Sugar Content 
RankProduct nameSugar content per 100 grams RankProduct nameSugar content per 100 grams
1Nerds Candy93 1Twizzlers38
2Sour Patch Kids80 2Red Vines40
3Swedish Fish77 3Butterfinger41
4Candy Corn74 4Twinkie42
5Skittles73 5Whatchamacallit44
6Sugar Babies73 6Mounds44
7Sweet Tarts73 7Sour Punch Twists47
8Charms Blow Pops72 8Haribo Goldbears47
9Werther’s Candy69 9Almond Joy47
10Dum Dum Pop69 10Dove Dark Chocolate Bar47

In contrast, Twizzlers emerge as a more health-conscious choice. These licorice candies stand out with the lowest sugar content, measuring just 38g per 100g of the product—nearly 2.5 times less sugar than Nerds. Notably, Twizzlers also secure the second-lowest calorie count per 100g, narrowly surpassed by Funables Fruit Snacks, at 324 calories. 

Next in the lineup is Red Vines, often seen as a direct competitor to Twizzlers. Opting for a 30g recommended serving will consume approximately half the sugar content when compared to Swedish Fish, totaling 12g. This licorice brand also finds its place among the candies with lower calorie counts, registering at just 333 calories per 100g.

Ranked third is Butterfinger, the first chocolate bar in the ranking, featuring 41g of sugar per 100g. This confection has seen a recent uptick in popularity among American consumers, with a sales increase of 19.5% to reach $57.6 million in the past year. An 18g fun-sized Butterfinger bar will constitute 14% of your recommended daily added sugar intake.

An American classic, with 1,123 Twinkies rolling off the production line every minute, secures the fourth spot with 42g of sugar per 100g of the product. While they boast a relatively low-calorie count of 364 calories per 100g, it’s noteworthy that Twinkies also fall within the top ten candies for sugar content per portion, featuring 32g of sugar in a 77g product serving.

In fifth place is the Whatchamacallit bar, with just under 44g of sugar per 100g of product. This 1970s classic chocolate bar has been a staple in trick-or-treat baskets for decades. For reference, a 25g serving will contribute 120 calories and 11g of sugar.

Completing the list at just over 44g of sugar is a Mounds Bar, closely followed by Sour Punch Twists, Haribo Goldbears, Almond Joy and Dove Dark Chocolate Bar, all at 47g of sugar each. 

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Snusboss said: “As Halloween approaches, this research provides valuable insights into the sugar content of many well-loved products. It serves as a valuable resource for parents, helping them make informed choices for their children when trick-or-treating.” 

“Whether you prefer traditional favorites or are curious about new options, Americans can use this knowledge to make mindful choices when choosing which Halloween candy to give to trick-or-treaters this year.”

The complete list:
RankProduct NameSugar Content per 100 Grams
1Nerds Candy93
2Sour Patch Kids80
3Swedish Fish77
4Candy Corn74
5Skittles (Original)73
6Sugar Babies73
7Sweet Tarts73
8Charms Blow Pops72
9Werther’s Candies69
10Dum Dum Pop69
11Air Head69
123 Musketeers67
13York Peppermint Pattie67
14Tootsie Roll Pop65
15M&Ms (Original)63
16Rolo Candy63
17Heath Bar61
18Mars Bar61
19Jolly Ranchers61
20Toblerone Bar61
21Mike and Ike60
22Milky Way Bar59
23Laffy Taffy59
24Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar58
25Nestle Crunch Bar58
26Whoppers57
27Hershey’s Kisses56
28Dove Milk Chocolate Bar56
29Starbursts55
30Kit Kat54
31Baby Ruth Bar54
32Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar54
33Reese’s Pieces53
34Salt Water Taffy53
35Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup52
36Peanut M&M’s52
37Snickers Bar52
38100 Grand Bar52
39Tootsie Roll52
40Hershey’s Krackel Bar51
41Twix Bar50
42Andres Chocolate Mints50
43Mr. Goodbar50
44Funables Fruit Snacks50
45Ring Pop50
46Dove Dark Chocolate Bar47
47Almond Joy47
48Haribo Goldbears47
49Sour Punch Twists47
50Mounds Bar44
51Whatchamacallit Bar44
52Twinkie42
53Butterfinger41
54Red Vines40
55Twizzlers38
(All data is correct as of October 2023)

Video:

(Sources: Snusboss via YouGov and Walmart) / (Cover photo: Nerds Candy Website)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on 
FacebookTwitter Instagram

Please follow and like us: