Unreal Eats[1] is Healthy Living's original video series, where we go behind calorie counts and health claims to examine what's really in the processed foods that scream loudest in our food environment.


Trick or Treat might be a traditionally youth-oriented activity, but the grown-ups are sharing in the haul -- about half of adults will eat candy on Halloween, according to data from the NPD group, as reported by USA Today[2] . In fact, Oct. 31 makes up 4 percent of candy consumption for the entire year.


And while no one thinks technicolor jelly candy or peanut butter chocolate confections are a health food, we might mindlessly be consuming way more than we intend. On top of the, shall we say, spooky ingredients that can be found in processed Halloween candy[3] , most of the treats filling up our loot bags are loaded with sugar, fat and calories. And the packaging might just be the trick: a handful of "fun sized" candy bars seems perfectly harmless, but can add up to more than a meal's worth of calories fast.


Of course, no one is saying to forgo the treats altogether. But moderation is key: The average adult should consume no more than about 100 to 300 or so empty calories a day[4] , depending on age and gender). If you're keeping a 2,000 calorie diet, that's about 10 percent of your daily intake, meaning it won't take long with your offices's festive supply or your kids' guarded stash to sail way past the target.


Need a candy reality check? Watch our video above for a lesson in portions, and to see how various picks stack up against each other in the calorie department (with a friendly reminder that exactly none of them are nutritious).


Video by Amber Genuske, Laura Schocker & Meredith Melnick




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  • What's Really Inside A Chicken Nugget?


    Nobody walks into (or drives through) a fast food restaurant expecting to order a health food. But you <em>might</em>, at the very least, expect that what you order is, well, what you order. Chicken is chicken and beef is beef, right? Think again: What many fast food meals feature is real-life mystery meat...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/chicken-nugget-ingredients_n_4153520.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • Are Your Pumpkin Treats Tricking You?


    There's no pumpkin in your <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/pumpkin-spice-latte" target="_hplink">Pumpkin Spice Latte</a>. (Let's let that sink in.)...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/03/pumpkin-content-foods-treats-snacks_n_4029849.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • You Won't BELIEVE What's In These Monster-Sized Drinks


    We know, we know, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/13/soda-obesity-diabetes-ban-_n_2862064.html" target="_hplink">big drinks are bad for you</a>. But even the most <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/11/bloomberg-soda-ban-ruling_n_2855769.html" target="_hplink">vehement drink-size critic</a> can't really illustrate <em>just</em> how bad. So we decided to take some of the biggest, baddest drinks in town and compare them to food...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/27/drink-nutrition_n_4002757.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • The Sneaky Sugar In Your Energy Bars


    You've hit the 3 p.m. slump, you're searching for a snack and you know that the candy bar you <em>really</em> want will provide no nutritional value and cause a spike of energy followed by a crash. So what do you do? If you're one of the people contributing to <a href="http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/truth-about-energy-bars-1" target="_hplink">its $700 million marketshare</a>, you grab an energy (or "sports" or "snack") bar...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/14/the-sneaky-sugar-in-your-candy_n_3924136.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • Proof That Fast Food Salads Are Anything But Healthy


    You wouldn't be amiss in thinking that a restaurant's salad is a more nutritious and healthful option than their cheeseburger. But, in the case of fast food menus, that calculation doesn't always pan out...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/29/fast-food-salads-not-healthier_n_3831064.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • What's Really Behind The Jolt In Your Energy Drink?


    It’s not surprising that energy drink companies bombard us with enticing promises of a “big bad buzz” or “wings when you need them.” Who wouldn’t want more energy? It’s hard to resist the allure of a pick-me-up to help you stay alert and energized...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/energy-drinks-health-danger-caffeine-ingredients_n_3750826.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • The Sad, Sad Truth About Frozen Yogurt


    Ahh frozen yogurt. With live and active cultures, a "real" yogurt taste, a sprinkle of Fruity Pebbles and some fruit, it's practically a health food ... right? Not so fast...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/08/frozen-yogurt-ingredients_n_3721930.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • The Trouble With Fruit 'Squeezers'


    If you have kids, chances are you've had some run-ins with fruit and veggie pouches. The squeezable bags tout "100 percent" produce, but unfortunately, that's not where the story ends...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/02/fruit-squeezer-sugar_n_3692058.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • The Alarming Truth About 'Healthy' Cereal


    Dunkin' Donuts is wrong -- America runs on cold cereal. The quintessential breakfast dish accounted for 31 percent of <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/PollVault/story?id=762685" target="_hplink">Americans' morning meals</a>, beating out eggs, bagels and other pastries, according to an ABC poll...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/healthy-cereal-sugar_n_3647356.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • What's In Your Egg-White Breakfast Sandwich Might Scare You


    When McDonald's released their <a href="http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/product_nutrition.breakfast.1079.egg-white-delight.html" target="_hplink">Egg White Delight</a> in the spring, the new menu item was heralded as a sign that the fast food giant was continuing to expand its healthier offerings. And it was hardly the first chain restaurant to offer an egg-white based breakfast sandwich...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/18/egg-white-breakfast-sandwiches_n_3612751.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • What's In Dunkin' Donuts' New 'Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich?'


    You may have heard, Dunkin' Donuts is offering a limited edition breakfast sandwich at a few locations in the outer Boston area. The big draw? The sandwich’s contents of a pepper fried egg and bacon -- both mainstays of the company’s breakfast menu -- are encased in a glazed yeast donut ring...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/15/dunkin-donuts-glazed-donut-sandwich-breakfast-whats-in_n_3039321.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • Shamrock Shake: What's Really In McDonald's St. Paddy's Day Drink?


    McDonald's rolls out their St. Patrick's Day treat each spring. And while its green color and sweet taste might be festive and fun, it's a doozy in the nutrition department. Nobody gets dessert at McDonald's in an effort to be healthy, but we think it's worth noting what's really in the 22-oz. plastic cup…<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/15/shamrock-shake-calories-nutrition-ingredients-mcdonalds-st-patricks-day_n_2885415.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>