Not all sugar is bad for you. Healthful fruits and some vegetables contain natural, unrefined sugar. But the refined sugar – found in candy, desserts and your cute little sugar bowl – is a chemical derivative of the natural sweetener found in sugar cane or beets. This processed sugar contains none of the nutritional components of its original form and has no known positive impact on the human body. In fact, refined sugar is blamed in part for a host of health issues, including obesity and tooth decay.

Packaged Halloween candy from your grocery story is of particular concern. Most of these products contain high fructose corn syrup – a liquid sweetener comprised of processed glucose and corn syrup. While there are many theories about just how damaging or fattening it is to the human body, experts agree that everyone should limit their intake of high fructose corn syrup.

Children, at any age, are in the process of developing. Their bodies need foods which are high in nutrition and low in refined sugars. In the short term, excess sugar can cause hyperactivity or excitability in many children – followed by extreme tiredness or mood swings. Over time, a diet rich in sugar contributes obesity-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

So, how do you control your kids’ intake of sweets this Halloween? Here are some tips from the experts:

Keep candy out of site and out of mind. Hide the candy stash to reduce sight-induced cravings. Do not let your children keep the candy in their rooms and do not keep it in a big bowl in a common area.

Control rations. Set the rules in advance: let your child know that she or he can only have one (maybe two) pieces each day. Perhaps one serving after a nutritious meal or after completing a chore or homework. Also, limit the overall supply – so that the candy will run out in a couple weeks or less.

Remember that good things come in small packages. Here’s one positive thing about the loads of Halloween candy: most of it is “fun-sized.” These tiny versions of candy treats help to keep portions under control. But don’t let the small size fool you into thinking you can eat more than one or two. If your child is eating just one fun-sized candy bar each day, think about how much that adds up to over the few weeks following Halloween.

Push the paste. Toothpaste, that is. While dental care is always important, emphasize the need for thorough teeth brushing and flossing whenever there’s an abundance of sugary snacks around.

Replace, don’t supplement. If your child is consuming a daily serving of candy for a few weeks after Halloween, cut the sugar from other parts of her or his diet. Eat oatmeal instead of sugary cereal. Ban other desserts until the Halloween stash runs out. Replace the can of soda with a glass of water.

Educate. Tell your children why you are taking these steps to limit their Halloween candy. Help them understand that candy is a special occasion treat, not part of an average day.

Set the example. Show your kids that you, too, follow the rules and only eat candy on special occasions. They will learn to follow your lead, so be sure to be a healthy role model.

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