Compared: Halloween candy with the scariest and the least scary 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

vs

Halloween Candy with the Lowest Sugar Content

Rank	Product name	Sugar content per 100 grams		Rank	Product name	Sugar content per 100 grams
1	Nerds Candy	93		1	Twizzlers	38
2	Sour Patch Kids	80		2	Red Vines	40
3	Swedish Fish	77		3	Butterfinger	41
4	Candy Corn	74		4	Twinkie	42
5	Skittles	73		5	Whatchamacallit	44
6	Sugar Babies	73		6	Mounds	44
7	Sweet Tarts	73		7	Sour Punch Twists	47
8	Charms Blow Pops	72		8	Haribo Goldbears	47
9	Werther’s Candy	69		9	Almond Joy	47
10	Dum Dum Pop	69		10	Dove Dark Chocolate Bar	47

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:

Rank	Product Name	Sugar Content per 100 Grams
1	Nerds Candy	93
2	Sour Patch Kids	80
3	Swedish Fish	77
4	Candy Corn	74
5	Skittles (Original)	73
6	Sugar Babies	73
7	Sweet Tarts	73
8	Charms Blow Pops	72
9	Werther’s Candies	69
10	Dum Dum Pop	69
11	Air Head	69
12	3 Musketeers	67
13	York Peppermint Pattie	67
14	Tootsie Roll Pop	65
15	M&Ms (Original)	63
16	Rolo Candy	63
17	Heath Bar	61
18	Mars Bar	61
19	Jolly Ranchers	61
20	Toblerone Bar	61
21	Mike and Ike	60
22	Milky Way Bar	59
23	Laffy Taffy	59
24	Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar	58
25	Nestle Crunch Bar	58
26	Whoppers	57
27	Hershey’s Kisses	56
28	Dove Milk Chocolate Bar	56
29	Starbursts	55
30	Kit Kat	54
31	Baby Ruth Bar	54
32	Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar	54
33	Reese’s Pieces	53
34	Salt Water Taffy	53
35	Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup	52
36	Peanut M&M’s	52
37	Snickers Bar	52
38	100 Grand Bar	52
39	Tootsie Roll	52
40	Hershey’s Krackel Bar	51
41	Twix Bar	50
42	Andres Chocolate Mints	50
43	Mr. Goodbar	50
44	Funables Fruit Snacks	50
45	Ring Pop	50
46	Dove Dark Chocolate Bar	47
47	Almond Joy	47
48	Haribo Goldbears	47
49	Sour Punch Twists	47
50	Mounds Bar	44
51	Whatchamacallit Bar	44
52	Twinkie	42
53	Butterfinger	41
54	Red Vines	40
55	Twizzlers	38

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

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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