So, if you are going to eat one, just own it. Don’t pretend it’s a “breath freshener” or a “decorative accent.” It is a sugar delivery device with holiday branding. You are eating candy. Own your decision, my friend.
But here is a fun twist: the small, “mini” candy canes you find in bulk bags? Those are often 6 to 8 grams of sugar each. (See? I’m not all doom and gloom.) If you must have that peppermint fix, the mini ones are your friend. You can have three and still be under the sugar load of one giant one. Math wins again.
I’m not saying you should ban candy canes from your life. That would be un-American (or un-Finnish, or un-Christmas). I’m saying you should look at that red and white spiral and see it for what it is: a liquid sugar stick that has been solidified by a wizard in a factory.
What the Brands Won’t Tell You
Most candy canes don’t even bother listing a serving size. Why? Because a “serving” is one cane, and that cane contains no redeeming nutritional value. None. Zero vitamins. Zero minerals. Zero fiber. It’s just empty calories dressed up in a Santa suit. (Heck, even Santa probably steals these things and re-gifts them.)
Candy Cane Main Ingredients at Tammy Teague blog
The average crushed candy cane you sprinkle on a latte? That’s another 6 grams of sugar you didn’t even count. You thought you were adding “flavor.” You were adding a teaspoon of sugar. You have been bamboozled by peppermint.
I once crunched a candy cane into a fine powder and measured it on a food scale. 14.8 grams of pure sugar. I nearly cried. Not from joy. From the realization that I had just inhaled the caloric equivalent of a small sandwich without tasting bread.
