Who would have thought that candy and fitness would be written together in a sentence in a positive manner?

For years, we were taught that candies are as good for our fitness as cigarettes are for the lungs. The message has been clear: if you want to get fit, forget that you have sweet taste buds in your tongue.

But modern dieticians have changed the narrative. They believe banning sweets altogether will lead to craving, guilt eating, and losing progress. So, instead of making candy a forbidden fruit, a smart solution was introduced.

The new slogan is sustainability over restriction, and the key is moderation.

Top 5 dietician-approved candies you can indulge in guilt-free

Let candies not be seen as enemies, but occasional reward indulgences.

Here are the top 5 candies you can enjoy guilt-free, but don't go overboard.

Peanut M&M

Leslie Bonci, sports dietitian of the Super Bowl 2020, believes that the peanut M&Ms are a perfect mix of sweetness and saltiness that comes from chocolates and peanuts. It is one of the few treats with nutritional value.

Nutritional value: 180 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g protein, 20 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 18 g sugar.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

According to sports dietician AMY Goodson, eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups once in a while doesn't affect your fitness progress.

Nutritional Value: 10 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g protein, 12 g carbs, less than 1 g fiber, 11 g sugar.

Gummy Worms

Gummy worms digest easily and produce energy used during endurance training. Eating a few before cardio sessions or cycling can give you a good energy boost, at least that's what athletic trainer Dana Angelo White says.

Nutritional Value: 100 calories, 1 g protein, 13 g sugar.

Mr Goodbar

The chocolate in a 4.4-ounce Mr. Goodbar gives a good 4 blocks of energy boost needed during workouts. You can eat it before or after a workout.

Nutritional Value: 160 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g protein, 17 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 15 g sugar.

Hershey's Dark Chocolate Bar

The dark chocolate in the bar is full of antioxidants like polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins. Also, since it has 200 calories and no sodium, water retention is not a problem.

Nutritional Value: 200 calories, 13 g fat, 2 g protein, 24 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 20 g sugar.

Benefits of eating candy:

1. Energy boost
2. Revitalizes glycogen stores after a workout
3. Improves muscle recovery
4. Palatibility
5. Mental boost

Best time to eat candy:

1. 30 minutes before the workout for energy.
2. For workouts lasting more than 90 minutes, eat one in the middle to sustain energy levels.
3. 90 minutes after for muscle recovery. Pair it with some protein and carbohydrates.

So, which one is your favorite candy among them? Share any other sustainable tips and tricks you may have. And for more fitness-related content, follow Bodybuilding Bros.

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Joyita Das