The 11 Most Popular Christmas Candies.

But candy is unique in its ability to make us fat. Because it’s so high in sugar and devoid of fibre, candy gives us a much faster sugar rush than any food found in nature. As a result, our bodies can often overreact, pumping out more of the sugar-management hormone insulin than we need. Then two things happen, neither of them good: First, insulin grabs all of that sugar and looks for someplace to store it, most often as belly fat. And second, stealing too much sugar from our systems, creates a sugar crash: a sort of hunger rebound that sends us back to the party to try for more chocolate bark.

So instead of going all Grinch on you, Eat This, Not That! We took a hard look at the nutritional info on every sort of Christmas candy that might be rolling down your chimney this year and ranked them best to worst (comparing the nutritional profiles and quality of ingredients to equivalent serving sizes). Now, when you reach into the kids’ stockings, you’ll know you’re setting yourself up for a Merry Christmas, not a flabby New Year.

HOLIDAY CHOCOLATES:

As a general rule avoid anything that’s labelled “made with chocolate,” “chocolate,” or “chocolate-coated,” which indicate the presence of partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, harmful dyes like Yellow #5 and Red #40 and artificial flavouring. Cocoa’s waist-whittling effects do not extend to the fake stuff.

REESE’S BELLS

Reese’s Bells, Reese’s Bells, Reese’s not all the way. Although there are a few on our Nice List, these guys are definitely naughty. Anything listed with partially hydrogenated oils AKA trans fat, which have been banned by the FDA, is a no-go.

DOVE PEPPERMINT BARK DARK CHOCOLATE SQUARES:

Although Dove advertises this product as a bark, there really just artificial dark chocolate bite squares. Even more disappointing is the presence of trans fat. Did we mention the first ingredient is sugar?

DOVE SILKY SMOOTH SNOWFLAKE PROMISES CHOCOLATE ASSORTMENT:

These Silky Smooth Snowflake Promises may be innocent when you eat just one, but after five you’re looking at 200 calories, 7 grams of saturated fat and 19 grams of sugar — that’s as much sugar as you’ll find in 10 Butterfinger BBs. And if you have any food allergies, avoid purchasing these snowflake chocolates at all costs. They’ve recently been recalled due to mysterious Snickers popping up inside their bags. If you’re a fan of the caramel nutty chocolate bars this may seem like a bonus, but for those suffering from any nut allergies, it should not be taken lightly.

KIT KAT HOLIDAY CANDY BARS

Unwrap one of Kit Kat’s cutesy holiday wafers and you’ll find Santa smiling back at you. You’ll also find 22 grams of processed sugar and 7 grams of saturated fat. Don’t even think about having more than one, unless you own a big red suit.

CRUNCH JINGLES

Sadly the only thing that will be ringing when you pop these bell-shaped candies into your mouth is your blood sugar alarm. This is jingle hell.

HERSHEY’S CANDY CANE KISSES

Hershey’s candy cane mint candies add antioxidant-rich and appetite-suppressing peppermint oil to the traditional milk chocolate kiss. But despite their potential weight loss ingredient, we can’t ignore the artificial dyes, words “artificial flavour” and corn syrup in their ingredient list (or the steep sugar and fat counts).

CHRISTMAS JUNIOR MINTS:

Tied for the naughtiest chocolate, these two Junior Mint flavours are under 200 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving but boast a whopping 32 grams of sugar. Within 24 hours of eating added sugar, your body is flooded with elevated levels of triglycerides, which universally lead to one thing: belly fat.

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER TREES:

And your best Reese’s option is… these Reese’s Trees! You can indulge in one for just 90 calories, 5 grams of fat and 8 grams of sugar!

LINDT MILK CHOCOLATE SNOWMEN

If you’re one of those people who love giving oversized holiday-shaped chocolates as presents, try downsizing it this year. These mini Lindt Milk Chocolate Snowmen are just 55 calories apiece. Whether or not the recipient decides to eat the full serving is up to them, but at least the nutrition comes from quality ingredients.

KIT KAT MINT MINIATURES

Take a break from shopping with one of these Kit Kat Mint Miniatures. They pop right into your mouth and contain peppermint oil, a weight-loss superfood. In fact, researchers conclude that by adding mint to your diet, more of the fat you consume will be metabolized, as opposed to steadily making your pants tighter.