Halloween Treats Can Lead to Tricky Sugar Consumption

Halloween is over, but what remains are piles and piles of delicious, sugary sweet candy. Although an occasional treat -- or even the yearly consumption on Halloween -- is probably fine, Americans consume more than 150 lbs. of sugar per year.

"We don't recommend stealing candy from babies. Trick-or-treating comes once a year, so enjoy Halloween, but then leave off the excess sugar the rest of the year -- so you don't end up looking and feeling like a zombie!" said Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of "The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction!"

According to Dr. Teitelbaum, splurging on Halloween isn't the end of the world; he's more concerned about the dangers of runaway sugar consumption, which is part of the Standard American Diet. "The average American adult consumes 140 pounds of empty calories from sugar and white flour each year," said Dr. Teitelbaum, "and that's hazardous to our overall health."

American-style daily sugar consumption has been shown to contribute to high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke, cognitive impairment, diabetes and metabolic problems, chronic pain, fatigue and the obesity epidemic.

"To beat sugar addiction, we don't advocate going 'cold turkey,' because it usually fails," said Dr. Teitelbaum. "Learning your specific sugar addiction type and then treating the hidden causes of the addiction is the effective way to get that monkey off your back once and for all."

Dr. Teitelbaum advocates being a smart consumer and smart in the kitchen.

"Be sure to read the nutrition labels on the packages you buy. Every 4 grams of sugar listed equals one teaspoon of sugar. You'll be shocked at how much added sugar is hidden in common foods we purchase."�

Dr. Teitelbaum recommends natural sweeteners like stevia that are actually good for you. He also says chocolate, rich in antioxidant polyphenols, should be considered a "health food" when consumed in moderation.