Making Healthier Candy Choices

By Brandi Swieter

Look at store shelves and you’ll find a myriad of chocolates and candies available any time of year. While these treats may taste delicious, they are far too unhealthy to consume in excess. Skip the large box of chocolates and instead make healthy candy that tastes great without growing the waist line.

Use Dark Chocolate

Both milk chocolate and white chocolate have no real value. Dark chocolate is the option that actually does have some benefits. With plenty of antioxidants, a bit of dark chocolate is good to have in life. While it should not necessarily be consumed every day, it can be eaten once in a while. Use dark cocoa powder when making candy for the best version.

Incorporate More Fruits

There’s a reason chocolate-covered strawberries are a favorite among many. They offer the health benefits of fruits while also adding some delectable chocolate to enhance the flavor. Incorporate more fruits like this into your candy creations for improved healthiness in the choices. Dark chocolate-covered cherries, blueberries, and bananas are all possibilities.

Coconut Oil Fudge

Coconut oil has long been said to be a health beast in many ways. Add it to your cooking for enhanced flavor as well as added benefits. Coconut oil fudge is one candy-related option. Simply mix up coconut oil, coconut butter, and cocoa powder and you have yourself a fast fudge option far healthier than other alternatives.

Use Natural Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is involved in a number of candy recipes, yet it actually contains quite a lot of sugar if you look at the nutrition label. Rather than purchasing peanut butter from the store, people should make their own peanut butter from scratch. Other alternatives exist as well, such as almond butter and even butter made from sunflower seeds. Both options are far less sweet, but still offer that rich consistency that so many people enjoy. It’s worth a try to still get to enjoy all those peanut butter favorites, such as Butterfinger bars, Reese’s cups, and buckeyes.

Make Homemade Sour Fruit Candy

Chocolate options are not the only type of candy there is. Many people enjoy gummies instead, especially sour versions. To make a homemade sour fruit candy, fruit juice is needed. With water, citric acid, unflavored gelatin, arrowroot starch, and coconut nectar, you can create a fruit candy healthier than any store-bought version.

Candy is never going to be the healthiest choice available, but creating homemade versions is one way to make it a little more healthier. Skip the candy aisle from now on and create healthier candy choices at home.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in American Fork, Utah.