Here it comes. The season of festive drinks, hot chocolate, baked goodies. And it all begins with a stock pile of candy from people who profess to like children.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Americans take in around 6 pounds more sugar annually per person than we did in 1970.

This year, Americans will fan out across discount marts and grocery stores to spend about $2.5 billion on bags and bags of Halloween candy! It’s not that parents aren’t getting the message: More than ever are setting limits on the amount of candy their kids are allowed to eat. This, of course, makes retailers nervous as they hone in on parental anxiety.

Stores like Whole Foods Market have begin to sell nearly 15 natural versions of familiar Halloween candies. You’ll now find items like candy corn, minus high fructose corn syrup, and organic peanut butter cups.

Just don’t be fooled. So-called “diet foods” are not better! Diet foods and diet drinks may even be worse for our bodies than traditionally sweetened foods.

 How could that be? Consider the facts:

  • Artificial sweeteners are “hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than regular sugar. This is meant to  stimulate “our genetically programmed preference” for sweet tasting foods more than any other type.
  • Diet foods are tricky. They fool your metabolism into thinking sugar is coming soon. So your body begins to pump out insulin, the fat storage hormone, and as a result your body produces more belly fat.
  • Diet products also disrupt and slow your metabolism. Soon you burn fewer and fewer calories, so you burn less calories daily.
  • Diet foods are designed to keep you hungrier and craving more sugar and starchy carbs. Soon you can’t get enough bread and pasta.
  • Lab rats that ingested artificial sweeteners were found to eat more, have sluggish metabolism, and put on 14 percent more body fat in two weeks, despite eating fewer calories.
  • In population studies, the risk of obesity in diet soda drinkers increased 200 percent.

Have you already been seduced by Halloween candy?

Address your sugar cravings before the holiday baked goods descend!