Easter Candy Reality

Did you know that Easter is one of biggest candy consuming holidays in the U.S. coming in second only to Halloween?  Every year American’s spend over $2 billion on Easter candy!  About 70 percent of all Easter candy sold is chocolate. 

Before you head to the candy aisle at your local grocery store, let’s take a look at some Easter candy favorites and we’ll let you decide if all those calories and sugar is worth it.

Marshmallow Peeps

Serving Size 5 chicks

Calories 140, Total Fat 0g, Sat Fat 0g, Sodium 15g, Total Carb 36g, Sugars 34g

No Easter basket is complete without Marshmallow Peeps!  You may be thinking - wow, no fat! And each Peep is only 28 calories? - but have you noticed how much sugar makes up this marshmallow goodness?  The are 36g carbohydrates (0g fiber), which is about 12% your recommended daily value.  To burn off one serving of Marshallow Peeps, you would have to perform Circuit Training for approximately 16 minutes*.  If you’re like me and can’t pass them up, buy the single serving pack to avoid overindulging!

Reece’s Peanut Butter Egg

Serving Size 1 egg

Calories 190, Total Fat 10g, Sat Fat 3g, Sodium 135mg, Total Carb 18g, Sugars 16g

Each individually wrapped egg is 190 calories and contains a lot of fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and sugars.  They are highly processed and you would have to walk or run about 2 miles* to burn off each one of these delicious eggs.

Reece’s Pieces Peanut Butter Eggs

Serving Size 12 eggs

Calories 190, Total Fat 9g, Sat Fat 8g, Sodium 45mg, Total Carb 24g, Sugars 21g

Check out the amount of saturated fat!  Saturated fats are fatty acids with a single bond between the carbon atoms.  They increase LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and consuming too much can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.  The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fat to less than 7% of daily calorie totals (or approximately 140 calories in a 2,000 calorie/day diet).  Burn off these calories by jumping rope for about 16 minutes* or spend 19 minutes* stair climbing.

Cadbury Mini Eggs

Serving Size 12 eggs

Calories 190, Total Fat 8g, Sat Fat 5g, Sodium 30mg, Total Carb 28g, Sugars 27g

Cadbury Eggs are a very popular Easter candy but they boast a high calorie count, high fat content, high in carbohydrates (only 1g fiber), and contain a lot of sugar.  If you eat Cadbury Mini Eggs, you should spend about 25 minutes* on the Rowing Machine or 28 minutes* on the Elliptical.

Starburst Jelly Beans

Serving Size 1.5oz (about 1/4 cup)

Calories 150, Total Fat 0g, Sat Fat 0g, Sodium 20mg, Total Carb 37g, Sugars 29g

How can anyone resist Jelly Beans on Easter Sunday?  The positive is there is no fat in the Starburst version.  The negative is the high carbohydrate and sugar content.  To burn 150 calories, try aqua jogging for about 13 minutes* or hit the driving range for 40 minutes*.  Like all candy, eat in moderation!

Happy Easter!

*All suggestions are based off an estimate calorie burn for a 140 pound female.  Exercise intensity, body weight, gender, age, and fitness levels can affect on the actual amount burned.

Blog post by Jen Skiba.