While the term "candy bar diet" might conjure images of guilt-free indulgence, the reality is more nuanced. Sure, fancy chocolate is great and dark chocolate contains beneficial minerals and antioxidants, but there’s something so wonderfully nostalgic about a drugstore candy bar. Even registered dietitians agree that there’s nothing wrong with occasionally enjoying a treat just because it’s sweet.
This article delves into the nutritional landscape of popular candy bars, examining their potential health impacts and offering guidance on making informed choices. We'll explore expert opinions, dissect ingredient lists, and ultimately determine if there's a way to enjoy a candy bar while staying mindful of your health.
The Allure of the Candy Bar
There's no denying the appeal of a candy bar. They're convenient, affordable, and offer a satisfying burst of sweetness. Meredith Price, founder of Priceless Nutrition & Wellness, told HuffPost, “I am a self-proclaimed chocoholic and absolutely believe there is room in a healthy diet for chocolate and other sweets. I’d prefer to choose healthier options like dark chocolate. However, if someone enjoys a Snickers bar every now and then, that is 100 percent OK.”
The key, experts emphasize, lies in moderation and prioritizing a balanced diet.
Ranking the Sweet Treats: A Nutritionist's Dilemma
To gain clarity, nutritionists were asked to rank popular candy bars from healthiest to least healthy, considering factors like saturated fat, sugar content, and the presence of trans fats. The candy bars included in the ranking were: Snickers, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, Kit Kat, Twix, 3 Musketeers, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme, Reese’s Sticks, Almond Joy, Milky Way, and Hershey’s Gold.
Read also: Keto-Friendly Sweets
It's important to note that there isn't a consensus "healthiest" candy bar. Each expert weighed different factors, leading to varying rankings.
Meredith Price's Ranking: Saturated Fat and Sugar as Key Factors
Price focused on saturated fat and sugar content, immediately demoting bars with trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) to the bottom of her list due to their heart disease risk. Calories were not a primary concern, as the bars fell within a similar range (210-250 calories).
Her ranking:
- Snickers
- Twix
- Kit Kat
- Hershey’s Gold
- Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme
- Almond Joy
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar
- Reese’s Sticks
- Milky Way
- 3 Musketeers
Snickers topped her list due to its relatively low saturated fat content (23% of daily value). However, Price cautioned about its higher sugar content and advised limiting it to one sweet treat per day. Twix followed for its moderate saturated fat (30%) and sugar (22 grams). 3 Musketeers landed at the bottom due to trans fats and a high sugar content (36 grams, or 9 teaspoons).
Natalie Rizzo's Ranking: Prioritizing Recognizable Ingredients
Rizzo, a registered dietitian and author, prioritized recognizable ingredients, favoring bars with nuts or chocolate as primary components. Among bars with similar ingredients, the one with less sugar won out, and candy bars containing unrecognizable ingredients went to the bottom of the list.
Read also: Nutrition of Atkins Bars
Rizzo's ranking:
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar
- Reese’s Sticks
- Snickers
- Twix
- Milky Way
- 3 Musketeers
- Almond Joy
- Kit Kat
- Hershey’s Gold
- Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar earned the top spot for its simple ingredients. Reese’s Sticks followed due to milk chocolate and peanuts being primary ingredients, along with a lower sugar content and 4 grams of protein. Hershey’s Gold and Cookies ‘n’ Creme fell to the bottom due to sugar as a primary ingredient and the presence of unrecognizable additives.
Jonathan Valdez's Ranking: A Focus on Daily Values
Valdez, owner of Genki Nutrition, considered serving size, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and calories. He flagged nutrients exceeding 20% of the daily value per serving. He also considered the fiber, protein and mineral content.
Valdez's ranking:
- Reese’s Sticks
- Kit Kat
- Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme
- Hershey’s Gold
- Almond Joy
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar
- 3 Musketeers
- Milky Way
- Snickers
- Twix
Reese’s Sticks led his list due to its lower saturated fat content compared to other bars. Kit Kat followed, citing higher traces of vitamin D, iron, calcium, and potassium, along with relatively lower fat content. Twix landed at the bottom due to its high saturated fat content.
Read also: The Truth About Candy Diets
The Verdict: Moderation is Key
The lack of consistent rankings highlights the absence of a truly "healthy" candy bar. However, this doesn't mean candy bars are off-limits.
Comparing a Snickers Bar to a Nutrition Bar
A comparison of a Snickers bar to a Luna Bar (Nutz Over Chocolate) and a Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey granola bar reveals interesting insights. While the Snickers bar had the most calories per serving (250), the serving size was larger (52.7 grams) compared to the Luna Bar (48 grams) and granola bar (42 grams), both of which had 190 calories per serving. The Snickers bar also had the most sugar (27 grams) compared to the granola bar (11 grams) and Luna Bar (10 grams). However, the Luna Bar offered 9 grams of protein and a decent dose of calcium, iron, folic acid, and vitamin D.
The "value" of any food depends on an individual's overall diet, including the balance of calories, protein, fat, and sugar consumed throughout the day. Physical activity also plays a significant role.
The Case for Dark Chocolate
If there’s a health food most people can agree on - including nutrition experts - chocolate is it. “Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, comes with a multitude of health benefits when consumed in moderation,” says Lauren Manaker, RDN, LD, a writer and personal trainer based in Charleston, South Carolina.
Technically, chocolate is a plant-based food, and derives many of those benefits from the presence of flavanols, compounds found in cocoa beans, according to a review published in May 2021 in Food and Chemical Toxicology. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that there is limited, but credible scientific evidence for products to make the claim that high flavanol cocoa powder may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The FDA does note, however, that this qualified health claim does not apply to “regular cocoa powder, foods containing regular cocoa powder, or other food products made from cacao beans, such as chocolate.”
Potential Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
Research suggests that dark chocolate may offer several health benefits:
- Lower Blood Pressure: Dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure due to theobromine, a compound that widens and relaxes blood vessels.
- Improved Cognitive Function: Eating cocoa daily may improve learning, memory, and attention.
- Mood Enhancement: Dark chocolate may act as a prebiotic, positively influencing the gut-brain axis and improving mood.
Choosing the Right Dark Chocolate
The key is to choose the right kind of chocolate. Dark chocolate has a significantly higher cocoa content, ranging from 50 percent to 90 percent. The higher the cocoa percentage, the more health-promoting antioxidants and other compounds the chocolate contains. Most nutritionists recommend aiming for bars with 60 percent cocoa or higher to reap the most health benefits.
However, it's crucial to read labels carefully, as some dark chocolate may contain milk solids.
Potential Risks
Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars contain lead and cadmium, heavy metals that pose potential health risks. Dark chocolate, due to its higher cacao content, tends to have higher levels of cadmium. Usually, the amount of cadmium in chocolate bars is within safe limits, but, she says, it is another good reason to eat chocolate in moderation.
Moderation is Key
Due to its intense flavor, a little dark chocolate goes a long way. An ounce (one square) may be enough to satisfy cravings and keep less healthy snacks at bay. Sucking on the chocolate instead of chewing it can help you savor the texture, taste, and flavor.
Dietary Considerations: Cholesterol and Saturated Fat
Dietary cholesterol is not associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease in healthy individuals. However, saturated fat intake can raise total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels, potentially increasing the risk of atherosclerosis.
PRAL (Potential Renal Acid Load)
PRAL is calculated using a formula. On the PRAL scale the higher the positive value, the more is the acidifying effect on the body. The lower the negative value, the higher the alkalinity of the food.
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