When I was a child I loved candy. I always found a way to have some on me, somewhere, hiding in secret cabinets or in my pockets. I know first hand how detrimental these “treats” are to your health and am so happy that I’ve now found a way to enjoy my life (and holidays like Halloween) without this type of candy anymore.
This time of year, I can’t help but feel saddened when I see the Halloween candy aisles at conventional grocery stores. Gigantic bags of Kit Kats, Butterfingers, Laffy Taffy, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Sweet Tarts, and Dum Dum Pops line the shelves. Year after year, it’s the same traditional products – the same ones that made me so sick as a child – along with new chemical candy creations that are getting bolder trying to top the competition with even more artificial colors and additives… bright orange Kit Kats and Green Apple Caramel Filled Twizzlers anyone? Is this the best we can do?
Although Halloween isn’t a healthy holiday by any means, there’s no reason to throw all caution to the wind and litter the neighborhood with these toxic “treats” once a year. Over 90% of Americans are concerned about GMOs in their food – and a growing number of us read ingredient lists and are steering clear of artificial food additives – yet there seems to be a disconnect when it comes to holidays like Halloween and what people are willing to put into their cart.
If you normally avoid GMOs, artificial colors, flavors, and controversial preservatives, now’s the time to stop buying conventional Halloween candy and seek out better alternatives.
If you wouldn’t feed these ingredients to your own children (or yourself), why would you hand them out on Halloween?
Most Halloween candy does not have the ingredients listed on the package because it comes in smaller sized versions sold in multipacks, so here’s a reminder of what is lurking in most conventional candy:
Artificial Flavors – Made from cheap toxic chemicals derived from petroleum along with solvents, emulsifiers, flavor modifiers, preservatives that aren’t labeled, so you don’t know what you’re really ingesting.
Artificial Colors – Also derived from petroleum, these dyes are linked to hyperactivity in children and some cancers.
Caramel Color – The most common form is made from ammonia and contains the chemical 4-MEI which is classified as a possible carcinogen. Why add this to chocolate and caramel that is supposed to be naturally brown anyway?
Vanillin – This artificial vanilla flavor is made from wood or petrochemicals.
Growth Hormones – Unless it’s certified organic, much of the dairy in chocolate comes from conventionally raised cows raised with synthetic hormones that are banned in other countries and linked to an increased risk of cancer in humans.
PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate) – A cheap emulsifier used to replace more expensive cocoa butter.
TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) – The preservative TBHQ derived from petroleum that’s linked to asthma, allergies, and dermatitis.
DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides)– A dough conditioner usually derived GMOs that can be a hidden form of harmful trans fat.
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) – A preservative banned and heavily restricted in other countries because it is linked to cancer.
Fun-Size GMOs? Halloween candy is a minefield of genetically modified ingredients sprayed with Roundup.
Unless a candy is organic or Non-GMO Project verified, it’s probably made with genetically modified (GMO) ingredients. The sugar in most processed food comes from GMO sugar beets, and if it doesn’t specifically list “Cane Sugar” it’s generally GMO. This “Roundup-Ready” sugar is sprayed with Roundup – a herbicide linked to cancer and several other diseases – good reasons to avoid it at all costs.
Although Hershey’s is the first mainstream candy brand to announce that they’re removing GMOs from some of their chocolate, they are not removing GMOs from all of their Halloween candy varieties and this change isn’t slated to happen until the end of 2015. So, the vast majority of non-organic Halloween candy contains GMO sugar, and may also contain other common GMO ingredients like soy lecithin, corn syrup, dextrose and soybean oil.
Just as important as the “scary” ingredients and despicable practices used to produce Halloween candy, food allergies are skyrocketing putting many children at risk.
It’s a pretty grim picture when you realize that 1 out of 13 children now have food allergies in this country – and these are serious allergies to boot. There’s a lot of common allergens in popular Halloween candy – peanuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat – so it’s a great idea to stock up on non-food Halloween treats for children with allergies. You can paint a pumpkin teal and place it on your porch to let Trick-Or-Treaters know that you’re handing out non-food items (keep them in a separate bowl from any candy if you have both).
It’s time for us to rethink how we do Halloween and stop buying these “treats” that aren’t doing anyone any favors!
There’s a way to celebrate Halloween and still have a fun time without GMOs and controversial food additives. While these alternatives below aren’t all perfect and not something I recommend eating on a regular basis (it’s candy!)… these options are way, way better than conventional Halloween treats, and you can find them at many natural foods grocery stores or online here:
- OCHO Minis
- Alter Eco Truffles
- Justin’s Mini Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Unreal Candy
- Surf Sweets Organic Candy
- YumEarth Organic Candy & Fruit Snacks
- Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears & Worms
- Torie and Howard Organic Chewie Fruities
- Organic Fair-Trade Hot Cocoa Packets
- Jack-o-lantern Tangerines
- Crayons and Halloween coloring books (Michaels has a great assortment of non-candy items)
- Halloween Stickers
- Halloween Stamps
- Miniature Toys – like Slinkys and bouncy balls.
- Glow in the dark sticks (these can be as cheap as candy!)
Until we successfully vote with our dollars by choosing products like these instead, stores are going to continue stockpiling their shelves with “fun size” packets of sweet additive-laden GMOs for parents to hand out to children on Halloween night.
It’s appalling when you stop to think about it.
The candy industry has been reluctant to change because candy is an “indulgence” and they hope we’ll turn a blind eye to the ingredients list and reprehensible sourcing practices. They argue that just because candy isn’t healthy, they can continue filling it with additives made from petroleum, GMOs, ingredients that are banned or require a warning label in other countries, and that we’ll keep buying.
“We’re a treat. We’re not a food. We’re not a meal. We’re a treat and consumers like to treat themselves.” – President of Mars Chocolate North America
Really?! – It doesn’t need to be this way.
Every single one of us has the power to make a difference, and it all begins with YOU. When we collectively stop this ridiculous cycle and stop buying these products, something is going to give.
Did you already buy toxic Halloween candy this year?
Take it back to the store and tell them why! If you have friends or neighbors that are still handing out conventional Halloween treats, share this post with them! When we all work together, real change happens. It’s amazing what our collective activism can do. Just think… this time next year we might find Dum Dums made from real fruit instead of artificial flavors and colors… crazier things have happened – ha ha!
It only takes a second to open someone’s eyes, if you know anyone about to poison the neighborhood children, please share this post with them!
Happy (and healthy) Halloween!
Xo,
Vani
This is a great idea except for the fact that not everyone has those better treats where they live. I’ve never seen any of them in the stores here. And if they’re more expensive than conventional than many people won’t be able to afford them if they need to buy a lot. Love the idea though!
The products listed are linked to shop pages, and can be ordered online (and it is frequently cheaper to do so, but not always). The issue for me is the second one you mentioned: price. If we are going to buy such indulgent items, they will be for us–not for strangers! And on that note, might as well spend a pittance on healthful ingredients so I can just make some treats at home.
Really thanking my stars that we don’t get trick-or-treaters here. I’d feel so guilty, unwilling to dispense poison, but unable to afford a good alternative.
I don’t stay home on Halloween so I don’t have to hand out candy….
7 yrs ago I stopped ….
I don’t eat it, so my neighborhood kids won’t get it from me, and home made goodies are no longer welcome, so….
NO CANDY….at all..
Hi, We give toys like Play Doh to the children and they love that more than the candy!!
@Jim, I object to Play-Doh because it is made with things like boric acid. I would not give it to children of mine, so I would not pass it out to strangers’ kids. That said, I would totally give out toys or something, if 1. I lived in an area where trick-or-treaters go, and 2. we weren’t poor as all get-out. My parents put toys and trinkets inside plastic eggs for me to find at Easter, and I’ve always thought that is such a good idea. Something that lasts, something to help form a memory, is such a nice thing to give or receive even on a throw-away holiday like Halloween.
If you keep a big bowl of pennies out and let a kid grab a handful they love that.
Lighten the fv(& up and enjoy the candy.
Sooooo you KNOW that the FoodBabe is against chemicals in food, so WHY can’t you comprehend this post’s sensibility. DON’T READ IT IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT IDIOT.
These “treats” are not only unhealthy, but often contribute to unhealthy eating habits and addictions. Also the food “voting” dollars are flowing to the worst corporate offenders and supporting the exact wrong products and messages….
Yes Rick, I’m WELL aware of your points. We are saying the exact same thing!!
Calling someone an idiot is reflective of your limited vocabulary. It is also a reflection of your limited intelligence.
There’s no enjoying it when it just makes you sick. Kids generally don’t realize this is what they’re in for so this is valuable information for adults to protect them.
enjoy cancer, diabetes, dye poisoning …those all sound great!
Here’s another good candy alternative! You can get 50 children’s comic books for $20 at this site…
http://www.boom-studios.com/kaboom-trick-or-treat-pack.html
I love this idea, because then you are encouraging the kids to read too!
I suggested this to my husband and he replied that not giving out candy is a good way to get your house egg’d.
I think it’s ok to give kids candy that’s “regular” because for a majority of kids that’s what they know. I watch the ingredients in our food & have done that for a long time. Realistically kids will sneak around & get junk regardless of how we monitor the food in our household. To me, fanatical thinking & rigidity (whether it be food, religion, lifestyle, etc) is more poisoness than eating a few pieces of GMO candy once or twice a year.
yes but if we all stop buying this candy then the next generation doesn’t need to have it be “what they know”. I was raised on a lot of crappy food and feel nostalgic/comforted by some of it but it doesn’t have to be that way for our kids!
Yep, I caught my 12 year old son stealing his favorite candies form the neighborhood gas station after I banned them from the house. This junk really is an “addiction”. We had a looonnngggg “talk” after that and since then he can’t go there anymore because he’s so impulsive I can’t trust him to control his desire for treats. I do keep tons of fresh fruit and veg and snacks like popcorn kernels and pickles on hand but the reduced lunch program at school just loads them up again with cheap sugared junk. I’m going to be the neurotic parent who pulls their kid out of school for homeschooling because of lunch issues but the cost of making him healthy lunches only to find out he’s been tossing them compared to two dollars a week for reduced lunch is destroying my brain tissue!!!!!
Ha! We home school and that’s one of the reasons! It helps to be able to know what your kids eat. However, on the the other hand, my two older boys (27 & 22) almost turned into junk food junkies when the left home. One has made it and has told me he appreciates the way he was raised. The other one is doing ok. He still likes his fast food-but we’ve planted the seed and that’s all we can do. I agree that we can make a difference in the next generation as far as our food patterns. But the GMO’s will always be there. Unless there’s a revolution again the system……………and that’s a whole different subject. Thanks all for your responses! I love the Food Babe and I always appreciate what she sends out.
I’m the neurotic oarent who oulled their kid out of school for food issues among others and homeschooled!!!!! They haven’t been sick once!
YEEEEEESSS Rebeccab!!! I am by no means perfect on my clean eating journey, but it angers me to no end what they serve in cafeterias of schools, and pass it off as “healthy and well balanced”!!! I don’t spend over an hour in the grocery store reading labels and avoiding carrageenan in even “natural” meat just for my kid to go to the cafeteria of his school n get crap! Food Babe, if you read this, PLEASE let your next venture be cafeterias of this nations schools…..PLEASE!!!!!
I’m confused. You have soy lecithin in red because that’s bad – but your suggested treats contain sunflower lecithin. But lecithin is bad right?
you have ‘natural flavours’ highlighted in red – yet the Nutivia o coconut bites have “coconut flavour” added.
And why is tapioca syrup ok but corn syrup not? The glucose in this syrup is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream causing an insulin hit exactly the same as corn syrup.
You are missing the gmo piece in your reply
Lecithin isn’t bad but good ..its soy that’s bad. .its gmo and estrogen simulating
The sugar may be processed the same but tapioca starch isn’t genetically modified like corn
It’s a phytoestrogen. It’s not the same as estrogen or estrogen “simulating” … Besides that, all plants contain phytoestrogens.
It’s phytoestrogen…. It’s not estrogen and it’s not estrogen simulating. Aside from that, all plants have phytoestrogen in them.
This is to Darr, most plants do contain phytoestrogens, however they do not contain the extremely high levels that soy does. This is one of the reasons why traditional soy foods are always fermented, that’s the only way humans can digest and absorb nutrients from soy. My fiance’s mother made her a ‘natural’ cake, and the whole thing was made from various soy products, none of them fermented. We thought she was pregnant for over a week after she ate her cake. Then all the symptoms went away. That is the effect of large doses of phytoestrogen found in non-fermented soy products. Hope this helps!
Tapioca syrup is not a GMO, corn syrup is. “Natural Flavors can include some ingredients that are not actually healthy, but if you know what the natural flavor is from (like coconut), it takes the guess work out of exactly what it is.
“Coconut flavor” on an ingredient label doesn’t mean the flavor is from coconut. The flavor could contain no ingredients from coconut- this would be a “coconut type flavor.” Or a Coconut Flavor could contain 1.00% of an ingredient from real coconut, be used at 0.5% in a product, and that product can claim that it’s made with coconut. There’s no less “guess work” in natural flavors than artificial flavors…
Also, does anyone realize how much soy lecithin is used in products? 0.5% in your chocolate bar isn’t going to send you into early menopause… It’s not like drinking 2 gallons of soy milk a day.
Halloween is once a year, and you are all free to make your own healthy or unhealthy choices, as are childrens’ parents that take them out trick or treating. You may be shocked to hear this, but I’ve been eating Halloween candy for 27 years and I don’t have cancer or heart disease or 3 eyes or any symptoms of “poisoning.”
Interesting, could you publish your reference list (I do hope they are all public access) so we can all read up on your claims about these ingredients and educate ourselves on the science behind the assertions in this piece?
It’s called “Google”. You can type in any ingredient and get a million hits on published articles from reputable sights about how bad that ingredient is for our bodies. Two things to consider: there are over TEN THOUSAND chemicals on the FDA’s GRAS list (generally regarded as safe) that are NOT required to be put on packaging despite the fact that they have NOT been heavily tested. And two, keep in mind that none of these ingredients is organic, which means that are HIGHLY LIKELY to be GMO. Sugar, wheat, corn, and soy are the top four GMO’s in mass production. Everything that has corn syrup, soybean oil, etc. has been sprayed with RoundUp and LEFT ON the plants. Not to mention they are all mutants made in a lab and seeded in our soil, which is DIRECTLY linked to cancer cells in your body NOT being attacked by your immune system and therefore spreading.
THANK YOU! sooo tired of people not wanting to do the research or even look for the research that has already been done!!! It’s called self initiative. We all need our own to get through this onslaught of chemicals and political intrigue. If we are generous enough to share information we have looked up the best anyone can do is look it up themselves as well. We’re not in any position to hold peoples hands
And the reference list for the actual information supporting the claims in the article is where? Google is a bit “non-specific” you see. It wouldn’t be responsible to make claims that couldn’t be verified as accurate and which hadn’t been challenged by a rigorous peer review process. Not to forget correlation does not mean causation and selection bias is a particularly insidious trap to fall into.
When did GM wheat become commercially available?
Martin, those are poor excuses for failing to do your research. It’s only your own body that stands to be hurt so get reading.
Looks like Mr. Martin is a paid troll, hired to cause confusion amongst the masses. Dude, look at her highlighted words, those are called “links” and they take you on a magical journey of learning. Imagine that. And google’s “non-specific” aspect means you have to look through some bullsh*t to find the truth. Propaganda is powerful, and large companies pay a LOT of money to put it out there. But I reckon you already know this, seeing as you’re behaving exactly like a paid troll. Have a great day, hope the stress of intentionally misleading your fellow humans doesn’t keep you up at night or give you an ulcer. Take care my friend.
This is a great article. I would like to reference it in support of my client Switch-Witch – and alternative to Halloween candy. Visit http://www.switch-witch.com to learn more.
Yes! Love the switch witch – thanks for posting this Nicole.
Hi,
Years agoI stopped the candy thing and gave out toys and trinkets. For my boys well, how could I stopped the tradition of dressing up and cruising the neighbor hood. I figured most parents would spend any where from 100 to 150 dollars at the doctors appointment/pharmacy/time off from work, to pay for the cold the child caught from to much sugar. I could pay my kids per pound/piece of candy of what they collected. It seems like I may have two future investment planners in my home as the boys loved the idea. Every year we would pay out cash for tricks and treats. Then I would have a home made ice cream party for those kids and parents who participated in the event. A win win situation for everyone esp the kids!
Boo
If this happens into law most supplements will be outlawed also . Should we outlaw sugar too……alcohol…….tobacco………caffeine………sex……..happiness……….you see we could make it a perfect world but my sister is this and after 5minutes I’m ready to go home to my dirty house with my dog and cat ……..and all the bad things I eat……I probably eat better than most anyone I know ……..just a thought
Really?!?! Your ignorance astounds me. YES! This food should outlawed!!! IT IS outlawed in several other countries including all of Europe! It should be illegal for companies to produce foods that destroy our immune system. It should be illegal for the FDA to NOT interfere with Monsanto. Why is this travesty occurring here in the U.S. and no where else? Why are more Americans dying of cancer and heart disease than any other country? Why is the obesity rate of Americans climbing at a disgusting rate?? Because Big Pharm and Monsanto and the White House are enjoying a tremendously satisfying ménage à trois. And THAT will only be fixed if we stop buying their poison.
Tara your obtuse attude is also unforgiving …..the eu outlaws many things even vitamins ……minerals ……the powers that be are just waiting to outlaw all thought too …..should not question being right even if I want to be wrong …..its called freedom …we can choose here …..just takes some doing trying to figure things out ….
Tara,
Wile there are times that I wish that these bad corporate practices could be outlawed, I’m not sure that that is the answer. As Mike points out, the law can be twisted in ways that would be detrimental to all of us and large corporations have the power, the money, and the inclination to do so. With the situation as bad as it is, I believe that education may be the only tool that we have, and it is far from 100% effective. To find peace of mind in this type of solution, it may require a believe in a beneficent divinity in conjunction with a belief in free will.
A friend, who smoked, when I told him that he should stop smoking, pointed out that he had the right to choose how he died. I cried when he told me this. I knew that, above all, he had this right. He had spent 4 years of his childhood as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, having buried all of his immediate family at the camp. I knew that if anyone had this right then he did, and then I realized that all of us do.
This incident eventually helped me to stop thinking about how to force people to do what I believe is best for them and instead to work on educating people on the issues and to then let them make informed decisions, which may or may not be what I would choose. To do this I have to trust that how they live or die is a matter between them and the divine. My job appears to be to offer help to people, but not to try to micromanage their lives, something that can be very difficult to accomplish, especially when we can never have complete information in terms of what is actually best for any specific individual.
I appreciate and empathize with your feelings and frustration over the quality of our food supply. I wish it did not appear to be in such a bad state.
Respectfully,
Dr. Howard
#how to fail at an argument
if you are too stubborn to clean up your own diet, just be honest that this is the reasoning for your response.
My diet is glutenfree, sugarfree,organic I hope and juice daily ..My preaching has converted almost every person in my family and can’t believe the impact I have made . People do listen and are so ill they just don’t know where to start …..We can all make a small difference by example …..I am so glad I didn’t get the boot and the goid doctor saw my point …….Jess was just trying to make a point and boy really got things stilled up ….have a great weekend …and I’m on your side ……
Sorry, your slippery slope argument made me think otherwise. In that case I am confused why you would even expect such outlawings to happen when we can’t even get some of the most toxic agricultural products and food additives made illegal in the US.
I think its a set-up. The EU has done this ,we’re next ….maybe …..On the other hand it takes years to change foods ,markets ,ideas ,health ….I have been changing my life ,my diet ,my being 35 years . My dad had a irregular heart beat with silent angina. His book by-passing by-pass and follow up chelation treatments got me reading too And now were here……
People will say, “we ate tons of candy as kids in the 60’s &70’s and we are not sick…” These traditionally toxic candy companies have been around for a long time and will be here forever. The fact is that the masses buy cheap, GMO toxic everything. Few people will seek healthy choices, especially justifying that Halloween comes but once a year… I am against the toxic poison in this candy for sure, but try convincing others will just cause anger and resentment in families. “Darn it, I want my toxic candy!” 😉
“we ate tons of candy as kids in the 60’s &70’s and we are not sick…” hmm.. I’m not sure I agree with that comment. I have lost both parents and a step parent to cancer… Seemingly healthy people. Professors, friends, aunts, uncles have all been sick in the Midwest.
I made the shift to organic and non-gmo (3) years ago. I’m never looking back. I see the shift happening in Seattle, where I recently moved. Most places carry locally sourced ingredients and are very transparent about organic/non-gmo. I’m hoping this thinking/trend starts happening in other parts of the country… Millenials will hopefully demand it. I real shift in priorities. I paid off my car so I can spend more on ‘real’ food.
I am one of the ones who ate tons of candy in the 60’s and 70’s but I agree with Jrstark, the candy did not contain the gmo ingredients back then as it does now. I now eat real, dark chocolate, not the cheap, gmo stuff. Although my health did not suffer from that candy back then, my teeth did! I have several fillings probably because of it.
The candy they sell now is not the same as the candy in the ’60s and ’70s. That was before GMOs, soy everything and cheap chemical fillers. Back then it was real chocolate and sugar, it isn’t any more.
You are so correct…you cant change most people..they want to celebrate this horrible holiday so tbe candy matches the darkness of holliween….people will do what they want no matter how you try to help them see that the candy is unhealthy ..most dont give .a hoot ..in this country everything goes ..if the government doesent care to change these laws is because they dont care what poison is in your food ..and they dont care about the people ..they dont care if you die…dont u people know this by now….???? They the govenment want your votes to have power and they dont give a hoot about any of us…..there will alwaybbe more people who eat and support junk food junk candy and they will bite your hand if you dare take it away from them…lost cause very sad….
I’m handing out CleanCandy from NaturalCandyStore.com this year:
https://www.naturalcandystore.com/product/cleancandy-organic-peppermint-starlight/new-candy
Completely organic and Fair Trade hard candy. It’s really good (sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch, but it’s a great alternative that meets the goal of this blog post).
Vani you are so dead on with what your saying here. It is POSION!!!!! And if there is ANYONE who won’t let themselves or there kids eat that candy but still hand out that candy to other children are horrible.
How can you say “my kid is too important to eat that junk, but who gives a crap about yours”.
The only time I will still buy something with poison in it is if the person asks me to buy it for them, I warn them before I do and if they tell me they don’t give a poop I will pick it up for them. Their choice, but I make sure they pay me back because my money doesn’t support poison.
Now these kids don’t know any better and there would be no point in you warning each kid before giving them the poison candy. Thus just give them something safe to enjoy. You never you know, that kid might LOVE that candy and ask their parents to find it. They may discover to buy it in an organic store and will go take a look. And maybe, just maybe you might inspire that parent to pick up something else. Maybe your tiny little piece of organic candy might help change a families life. Even if they only change a couple of items for organic that is better than nothing.
This Halloween do what Vani is suggesting and maybe you might help improve other peoples lives.
Beans
Thanks Beans – I hope when I go out trick or treating with my nephews this year, I see better options… year after year, it’s always poison.
Like i said before the candy maches the horrible holiday …it is a very evil holiday …look it up see what holloween is really about…where it originated …its wose than the candy…
Webuy yummy earth suckers in a giant bag from amazon for a reasonable price (they aren’t available locally here either). I offer these to my neighborhood children, served them as birthday treats to my Sunday school class, put them in stockings at Christmas, and also swap out my own children’s candy for these (“give Mommy the sucker the Dr gave you and I’ll give you a better one.” so far, it works well with my 3 very young children.) We love these and so do children accustomed to standard candy.
Great idea to swap the bad candy with better! Thanks for sharing Alechia.
We’re participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project to support kids with food allergies, and so we’re going to hand out glow sticks, and maybe little toys as well. It’s great to hear that glow sticks will cost no more than candy would! I still let my kids trick or treat, but they only keep a little candy, and get rid of the rest. Besides, my daughter has a milk allergy, so I’ll have to go through her candy, anyway, and decide what’s ok for her to have a bit of.
Hi Food Babe,
Good for you for telling anyone who will listen about the toxins in our food!! Our family got hit with Chaetomium Globosum and the toxin from Stachybotrys in a rental property. Mycotoxicosis is REAL (mold illness) and is a biotoxin illness. Also, known as CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome). This illness will break you because it affects every part of your body because it damages the Central Nervous System. What’s more is that the history of this is shocking. The doctors do not believe it and few treat it. They say that you are in need of psychiatric help. Taking psych meds and steroid meds which, if you can find a doctor who will at least treat the symptoms without saying the words “toxic mold”, is the usual first line of defense for doctors who have no idea what they are doing. You have to end up getting rid of your belongings because remediation does not kill toxins. Some people are allergic to mold but ALL people are affected by these toxins that are airborne gases. People used to build their house walls and building walls with plaster. TO SAVE MONEY, cheaper drywall was invented and is now used. Drywall accumulates water-damaged structure molds fast as mold only needs food (wallboard, drywall) and water (moisture) to survive and grow FAST. With the onslaught of dangerous pesticides being sprayed on our food, people trying TO SAVE MONEY are creating an imbalance of fungi and bacteria that nature naturally has and outdoor mold is becoming resistant to all measures to remove it. Some experts say that ALL doctors have treated mycotoxicosis they just don’t realize it and call it depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Cancer…You see, these water-damaged structure toxins are deadly and Chaetomium Globosum is the only mold that emits toxins that: mutates DNA (“inherited” is not “genetic”), prohibits protein synthesis (has everything to do with Cancer and Alzheimer’s), and inhibits cell replication. There is a very good reason that doctors do not understand/know about this at all (see Global Indoor Health Network/mycotoxins /naysayers.
The health care system in America is nothing short of evil. Big business makes much money off of medicines and illness. Psych/neuro meds are a multibillion dollar industry. The Dept. of Agriculture uses Chaetomium as a biological agent (they know it kills) in soil to kill insects. Many in housing industry who have investigated mold had had their license taken and offered back in exchange for dropping mold investigations. Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools had 77 schools with mold in the walls (this kind is toxic) and not one parent letter was written at any school for any parent (see youtube CMS/mold). One employee investigated the mold and lost his job. Who knows about the dangers of these toxins? The U.S. military, Iran, Iraq to name a few. 90% of biological/chemical warfare experiments deal with mycotoxins (namely Trichothecenes). Trichothecenes were found in our urine and the mold doctor (integrative medicine MD – you must go out of network because the AMA does not allow doctors to test for mycotoxins!) wrote a letter to my son’s school that explained the urine results and the numerical value was said to be higher than what would normally be in our grains!! Trichothecenes are in our food. Aflatoxins are in our food. They say don’t worry because they are nominal amounts. I am so sick of this word “nominal” . My neurologist prescribed me a supplement for migraines when I told her about the pressure in my head and emphasized that it wasn’t migraines. She told me to take this EVERY day. I asked about a small word on the bottle on a link online. This word, “Caramine” was listed under other ingredients. CVS, poison control, nor the doctor knew what this was. The doctor said just take it. I asked the nurse to have the doctor call me about what it is and what it does. She never called. The maker ASEKO said that it is Carmine just a “different spelling” Carmine otherwise known as a crimson red dye made from a crushed up beetle otherwise know as RED Dye number 40 – the one that affects so many childrens’ developing brains that makes them hyper. He said that he was sure that it is Carmine in this supplement that was created and made by a company of 5 people but he would ask the chemist and get back with me through email – he never did. The ONLY place on the internet that you will see this word spelled CARAMINE is on unusual websites if you google: Caramine Drug mind control. This drug is said to have been used by CIA for mind control. I joined Drug Forum to talk about this and the next day 2 of the websites and the picture that shows the back of the bottle were not online anymore! Imagine…Caramine (mind control) being same thing as Carmine or RED #40 or substance that affects childrens’ behavior…CVS said not to worry because everything like that is nominal. Titanium Dioxide (used in sunscreens) is also in it…CVS said that Polyethylene Glycol (used in antifreeze) is used to help gastro issues…But why? “That I can’t answer,”replied the pharmacist. You see Food Babe, the U.S. gov’t (pharma) puts things in our medicines that we wouldn’t notice or question.
See: Global Indoor Health Network
Dr. Shoemaker
Dr. Jack Thrasher (Ph.D /toxicologist)
Dr. Ackerley (double board certified psychiatrist from Harvard)
Dr. Donald Dennis (research articles)
Insomnia, anxiety, can’t control body temp., hormonal problems, memory/concentration problems/brain fog/encephalopathy (brain inflammation) all come from mycotoxins (See The Linking Pathogen in Neuro-Systemic Diseases: Chronic Fatigue, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis)
These mycotoxins (myco meaning fungus), damage the pituitary gland (the master control gland for many functions)
Doctors have no idea how wrong they are. They do not know that the cover-up is in high places. Some believe that mycoplasma/mycotoxins and the inflammation that is caused by them is the root of all illness! You watch in the coming years what unfolds…they can’t keep this a secret. Kelly Dussault and her son went through this. Her son stood before Washington and tried his best to tell their story. No one would listen and he committed suicide. The documentary “Moldy” was made (you do have to buy it and I hate that it is associated with money) to help spread the truth.
Food Babe, corn and wheat/grains are the foods that generally have the most mycotoxins. You have to eat natural antifungal foods, get a binder for the toxins and eat NO Sugar. Many people prescribe antifungal medication. Their is a research paper by Dr. Jack Thrasher that states that a woman diagnosed with cancer in the form of a brain tumor underwent Chemo and it didn’t help. She was given an antifungal and the “cancer” went away.
This is all so scary because this doesn’t show up on blood tests. There is a great deal of overlap symptoms in Lyme Disease and Biotoxin Illness from mold. Until recently, pharma giants funded MANY medical schools and Dept. of Agriculture still funds the FDA among others. When you have a health care system with the entity that offers the help being the same as the entity who gains from the illnesses – that is a major conflict of interest.
Sorry so long but look up this info for yourself – Gina B.
this is amazing, and I keep posting a lot of your stuff on my fb, I want people to know, and I don’t care if they “like” it or whatever, at least I’m making the right choices. We love you foodbabe keep doing what you do, and we will too!!
Love from
Colorado
Caroline – Thank you so much!
WOW!
What an eyeopener! I don’t eat much candy and now I will eat even less, or at least I will have an alternative brand when I do.
I eat an ounce of Bakers Chocolate every day for pleasure and antioxidant effect. I like the ingredient list: CHOCOLATE!
Thanks for the heads up on the ingredients on the “normal” candies.
I let my daughter trick or treat then leave her candy out for Trixie, the Halloween fairy who leaves her toys or gifts in the morning. Along with organic chocolates.
I have to say, I just bought a sampler pack of the YumEarth (aka YummyEarth) candies and they were an absolute hit at my office. I don’t even like most candy, but I was even eating some and loving it!
Each year I purchased bags that contain 24 small snack size bags of pretzels. Only three ingredients on the label — no cornstarch or artificial ingredients.
CITRIC ACID IS GENETICALLY MODIFIED
Hi, Vani. You missed highlighting in red the “citric acid” on the ingredients lists above. Perhaps you are not aware that citric acid, when used as a mass-produced preservative, is derived not from citrus fruit but from genetically modified black mold. (Please consider adding this to your list of items to publicize!)
Here’s an excerpt from an article called “A Sour Deception: Citric Acid Comes From GMO Black Mold, Not Fruit,” found online here: http://www.nutritionalanarchy.com/2014/04/14/citric-acid-comes/
“Citric acid occurs naturally in such fruits as limes, pineapples and gooseberries. The dry, powdered citric acid used as an industrial food additive since the early 19th century, however has a less appetizing source; it is manufactured using a mould that feeds on corn syrup glucose. Citric acid does in fact occur naturally in citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits in significant quantities… in fact, as a product of the Kreb’s Cycle, it is present in most living things. But industry would find it simply too costly and… well, simple to derive their preservative ingredient that way. Instead, since the early 1900s, the black mold Aspergillus niger has been used to ferment starches to derive citric acid. Today, it is not only true that nearly all citric acid is made through mold fermentation with GMO corn, but that it is produced by some of the biggest of Big Ag food producers, both in the U.S. and in China.”
I also wondered if the “hydrogenated palm kernel oil” in “Butterfinger” was missed as a problem ingredient?
Check out the Lovely Candy Company – they have Non-GRO and Gluten Free Candy that tastes GREAT!
CITRIC ACID IS MADE FROM GENETICALLY MODIFIED BLACK MOLD!
Hi, Vani. You missed highlighting in red the “citric acid” on the ingredients lists above. Perhaps you are not aware that citric acid, when used as a mass-produced preservative, is derived not from citrus fruit but from genetically modified black mold. (Please consider adding this to your list of items to publicize!)
Here’s an excerpt from an article called “A Sour Deception: Citric Acid Comes From GMO Black Mold, Not Fruit,” found online here: http://www.nutritionalanarchy.com/2014/04/14/citric-acid-comes/
“Citric acid occurs naturally in such fruits as limes, pineapples and gooseberries. The dry, powdered citric acid used as an industrial food additive since the early 19th century, however has a less appetizing source; it is manufactured using a mould that feeds on corn syrup glucose. Citric acid does in fact occur naturally in citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits in significant quantities… in fact, as a product of the Kreb’s Cycle, it is present in most living things. But industry would find it simply too costly and… well, simple to derive their preservative ingredient that way. Instead, since the early 1900s, the black mold Aspergillus niger has been used to ferment starches to derive citric acid. Today, it is not only true that nearly all citric acid is made through mold fermentation with GMO corn, but that it is produced by some of the biggest of Big Ag food producers, both in the U.S. and in China.”
No candy here. I hand out glow necklaces. The kids love them!
It’s hard to imagine Halloween without bowls/bags of assorted candy. My health-conscious side wants to say YES to the post, but I do love the occasional Tootsie roll and chocolate bar. The healthier alternatives were not widely available when I was a kid, so my mom let us kids have just one treat after supper. Halloween candy lasted all year in our house!
Hi Rica, Trust me when I say you could do MUCH better for truly fabulous and decadent treats!!
Trust me when I say you can do MUCH better for truly satisfying , delicious and decadent treats from the likes of the alternative list! Have you had the milk chocolate hazelnut or caramel crunch bar from Equal Exchange or Justin’s milk or dark chocolate peanut butter cups or milk choc w/almond bars!!??? (& lots more)
I just want to say keep up the good work I haven’t seen any new Signing sheets For protest Against companies Keep me posted I’d like to know I like to sign up and Add my name to the list of disgruntled eaters
Always enjoy FBs articles … and do the best I can at keeping my 86 y.o. body
healthy. Do appreciate all being done to educate us. However, when I read
responses from “STACY” calling people who don’t agree “IDIOTS … I can not
help but wonder what side of the bed she got up on. If she can’t stand the heat
she should either take a chill pill OR get out of the kitchen.
I am sooooo thankful for all the hard work you have already done and are going to continue to do. If I were wealthy I would give you a lot of money to help you in the good fight. You are right about almost everything! I only say almost just in case. Ha! I stand with you. Some people are sadly too lazy or tired to educate themselves or work toward alternatives. We must wake up because we are dying because of a lack of knowledge!
October 16, 2016
Good evening Vani,
I once wrote you a long email suggesting the creation of health food restaurants, or healthful menus in regular restaurants, in association with health insurance companies, life insurance companies, hospitals, health clubs, diverse employers in industry and commerce, and others, for the birth of a win-win industry that woudl enroll healthy people and patients, and the above types of establishments, in a club/franchise of sorts.
The reason for my suggestion was that the good advice you offer can be lost in the day-to-day worries and activities of busy mothers, fathers, children, and workers in general, and not be applied but by a tiny fraction of those who would like to, or not benefit those not scientifically inclined but interested in improving or maintaining their health. What a waste of wisdom!
I think that this new industry would outdo Facebook in one year, worldwide.
Perhaps in the case of Halloween candy, a line of healthy candy can be offered at the thousands of health food stores that sell natural or processed herbs and other health potions which many of us do not have the brains or time to take seriously enough to actually apply in our lives.
Best regards,
Enrique Woll Battistini
http://www.proz.com/profile/1220848
Thank you for that colorful and informative list. I like that!
Good post, as all the replacements MUST be better… That being said, Endangered Species, Ocho Mini, and Justin’s use Soy Lecithin…
I have written Endangered Species and said I would fully support their products if they dropped the SL, but they replied with the definition of what it is and why they use it, which I knew… Upon replying back to them that several companies don’t use SL, including Theo, and have no problems producing their chocolate, I didn’t get a reply back…
Personally, that is a strike out for me… I won’t give a company a second chance if they won’t talk to me about my questions with their products…
All hallows eve and easter and Christmas are indeed Christian holidays gone to pot in terms of losing their rich Christian meaning and turning into commercial opportunities.
Thank you for your educating work
Vani and MOST of the posts that are educating too.
I’ve given a lot of thought to this very subject, and have decided to have both the “traditional” brands and organic candy available this year. Why? Because one organic lollipop in a sack full of gmo candy really isn’t going to make a difference. Chances are also pretty high that the child (or parent) will think it “looks weird” or is less exciting than the other candy and either throw it away or let it drift to the bottom of the bag like all the lame leftover candy does.
But if I make a sign that says “Allergy friendly and organic candy available – please ask!” (and openly offer it to everyone whether they ask or not) it opens the door for parents to either make wise decisions or at least ask me why I go through the trouble to do this. I actually got the idea last year at our church trunk or treat when I noticed several kids and parents rummaging through candy bowls trying to find something they weren’t allergic to. I already felt bad enough for giving out candy that absolutely horrifies me, but my husband told me there was just no way we could afford to get organic candy for 800+ kids each year.
So this is my solution, and I feel like it might even be more effective in letting parents know there are alternatives rather than just tossing some unrecognizable candy in their child’s goodie bag without telling them why. I also want kids with food allergies to know that someone cared enough to purposefully select safe candy for them instead of just expecting them to rummage through the candy bowl to find something that might be ok. It also gives me the freedom to feel like I can give handfuls of candy to the kids who need it and appreciate it without worrying about how much it costs.
My suggestion to everyone is to do what you feel is right. If you can afford to buy organic candy for 800+ kids and feel like you should, then absolutely do it. But if you can’t and it’s bothering you then really put some thought into it and try to find some creative solutions. Either way, thank you so much Vani for sharing your organic candy list with us. I actually hadn’t thought of non-food gifts so that’s a great idea to consider as well.
I hand out a flyer rolled up & tied w/ a ribbon like a diploma with a penny attached describing websites people can visit about why the U.S. should get out of the U.N. or something educational about the fraudulent misapplication of the “income tax” in the Private Sector – like http://www.Truth-Attack.com.
Our republic can’t be preserved if we don;t even know what it is.
The kids must love you.
Hi Vani:
Trying to make contact with you, Vani, so you know the work we are doing… Have sent you info before on our TRICKOR Halloween Trading Cards, but not lately. I have been crazy busy due to Halloween prep.
Please have a look at our site for info… http://www.trickor.com . We are doing really exciting work with kids & families this Halloween. Our cards help kids thrive & improve communication within families.
Will tell you so much more for 2016 Halloween. We’re loving our product & changing lives. We saw your Halloween list of Babe-approved items post… We plan to be on next year’s list!
Keep up the good work!
Best,
Terry
TRICKOR Halloween Trading Cards
Wow, guys, thanks for sharing such great ideas! After learning all that I have about how toxic some of the candy out there is, last year I started giving out trinkets and Halloween pumpkin tangerines. These little cutie’s are so easy to make, just buy a couple of bags of tangerines, and draw different pumpkin faces on them. For the trinkets, I bought those little finger lights and glow sticks for boys, and light up flashing rings and glow bracelets for the girls. I did not spend anymore than I would have spent on candy, and since ordering all of these things, I went to Wal-Mart and they had an even cuter and cheaper selection of trinkets! I just feel so much better, I talk the talk, so now I am really trying to lead by example and walk the walk.
Good candy — I herb.com carries a lot of it and not too pricy
Autocorrect iherb.com
In addition to food – be wary of the Halloween Makeup Kits – We had a horrible experience with our little guy -the story is here: http://thechoosychick.com/blogs/news/15594425-beware-toxic-halloween-makeup-kits-our-horror-story
These are fantastic ideas! I don’t want to give out junk but didn’t know what to do as an alternative. I appreciate this list. Thanks!
I LOVE THIS!!!!!!! THANK YOU for writing this! Every single year, I think about this at holidays. Christmas, halloween, easter, etc…all the big companies fill the candy isles with their junk and it makes my job as a parent, especially, very challenging when the marketing is so targeted at children. I read a comment toward the top about some people not being able to afford the ‘good stuff’….here is a thought to ponder: boycotting big business that DOES have the financial backing to ‘remake’ their products into something that IS safe is the entire point. (Or driving them out of business because they are willing to be predatory for their bottom dollars). To me, its like saying “Well, I can’t afford an apple for $0.99 cents, so I’m going to buy a candy bar for $0.50.” Reality is, the body would be better off with nothing, then to process the toxins in those. Wouldn’t it be better to simply not buy the candy at all? Or, buy less of the good stuff? I think our culture is so focused on what is ‘cheaper’ that we lose sight of what we are actually getting for our money. And, the cyclic affect that has on business and ethical issues around the world. Supporting (by buying) smaller companies who have to charge more because they are using real ingredients, is how we drive those costs down overall. To simply shrug the shoulders and continue buying something horrible simply because its cheap, simply doesn’t make sense. My two cents. 🙂 THANK YOU again for all you do and your hard work at giving us this information!!! Makes my job as a consumer much easier!
I love the idea of companies producing healthier versions, although I believe homemade is ALWAYS the healthiest, but as far as giving out healthy very expensive candy on Halloween? No way! If I knew that the kids coming to the door had parents that were concerned about what they eat, then yes, but when I know most of them have parents that don’t care, then I can’t see spending more money on that one treat that they are getting from me. It starts at home, and unfortunately too many people still don’t care. Just like when I have dinner parties, if I am having friends over that I know are conscious of this stuff then I will serve the best, but when it’s friends who laughs at me for “buying into all this” as they say, then I give them what they want.
Not against healthy living, but i would like to say that when i was a kid Halloween was about tricks and treats. If you gave out good candy, you would be spared. But if someone tried to pass off a healthy alternative, these were the houses that would be covered with eggs, tp, and smashed pumpkin. Not trying to tell anyone how to operate, just dont be surprised if you have a bit of cleanup the day after.
Another more cost effective solution is to pick up a big box of organic granola bars at Costco or BJ’s. They are individually wrapped and Kashi makes an organic seed bar free of nuts.
I love the articles and advice on the Food Babe website but I do feel that all things need to be balanced. We don’t eat a lot of candy in our home. Saying that, I will give out candy on Halloween. It was a favorite for me and my kids growing up. I love the suggestions that Vani gives but at the same time, she is young and has no children. I have a serious budget. Most organic, non-GMO stuff costs a lot more. That’s not saying I don’t try but there is only so much we can actually afford. Thank God BJ’s and Costo are now carrying some organic, non-GMO products that are actually reasonable. Don’t bash each other just support and do what you can. Take advice with a grain of salt and be gracious.
Hands down, agree! Last year much to the displeasure of my husband and kids, I decided I will not hand out candies. I brought a range of colorful pencils. My family said kids will return the pencil to me and go. But actually the response was awesome. Kids stood and picked through the colors and were delighted to get them!! My family ate their words.
Hi Vani, Awesome article. Delighted to share it for you in a few places. Keep up the great work <3 . 🙂
Hello Vani, I see plenty of Full Circle Foods products at the store latetly. The Brand name is simply Full Circle and their logo is a circle with colors and it says “return to a natural way of living”. I’m sure you’ve seen it. Organic crops are very limited and organic produce is hard to come by. Then all of a sudden these people start coming up with all kinds of supposedly “organic” products made with all or mostley organic ingredientes. Do you now anything about the company behind this Brand? Would you endorse their products? In their web-site there’s a section called Our Story. But they don’t really say anything about who they are or how the company started. How do we know their products are truly organic? What if the only organic stuff in their products is the word ‘organic’ in the package? This could be a biotech mafia operation. They probably thought one day, “eeyyyy we’ve created franken and toxic foods and now we’re gonna sell food to the greenies as well. Make a lot of money on both fronts, we just print the word organic in the envelope and no one is the wiser”. Please share your comments if you know anything about this brand and thank you for all the good work and for fighting the good fight. Gabriel.
http://groovygreenlivin.com/glow-sticks-not-so-green-for-halloween/
It’s so unfortunate that all these chemicals are destroying our planet. I love glow sticks and think it would be perfect Halloween treat, but we need to realize it is a hazard to our environment. My advice to parents who don’t want the toxic candy is go away for the weekend of Halloween.
Thanks, I always like posts about chocolate! I’ve gotten our Halloween treats- you can order Easter, Halloween, and Christmas candy from Sjaak’s. It’s expensive, but worth it for a healthy holiday treat. To your list, I would also add Sunspire Sundrops. Not organic, but they are fair trade and have natural dyes, and as a plus they have Halloween colors. I suggest everyone who doesn’t have any of these or similar candies in their local stores to email or go in person to ask. It worked for me in our local health store.
Also, re candy being an indulgence- chocolate is actually very healthy when made right. I’m always seeing conditions that it helps. I take chocolate as headache treatment, a painkiller, and for nausea. It helps!
Thanks for the info Vani but if you give some of the kids trick-or-treating a tangerine or some YumEarth organic candy at your house….you may find some egg splattered on your doorstep when you wake up in the morning.(Probably not organic, free roaming chicken eggs either)
BTW…You are doing great!