Column: Gwen Schultz takes a look at the sweet stuff.

I HATE CANDY!

By Gwen Schultz '10

I’m sorry, but your feelings are about to get hurt.

How many times have you bought candy or ice cream on an impulse and then totally regretted it after you scarfed it all down?

"Kid in a Candy Store"

Honestly, I don’t think that you like it that much. And certainly not enough to eat it in the quantities that we Americans like to. I think you are conditioned from childhood—programmed, even—to reach for the fatty and sugary foods because you think you are supposed to like it and that it will make you feel good.

I think it all starts when we are little kids and we are fascinated by sugar. I think pretty much everyone goes through a phase like this. M&Ms, skittles, starburst, and the like become our religion for a few years. In fact, when I was little my parents would confiscate my Halloween candy, making the substance even more elusive and intriguing.

But think about it the next time you eat an entire bag of skittles in one sitting… Did it really make you feel better? Somehow, we just never let go of the childhood candy craze.

Personally, I choose not to buy into the whole candy/ sugar obsession (or ice cream, for that matter, but I will get into that later). Yeah, it’s true, I’m weird, but let’s be clear: I am by no means anti-chocolate! Dark-chocolate covered almonds will get me every time.

In addition, I really don’t have a problem with other people eating candy. When I see someone consuming the awful substance, I don’t attack them or try to convert them to my ways.

My point, however, is this: Why eat something that does nothing for your body? Candy, cakes, brownies, etc. have zero nutritional value and therefore I do not see the benefit in eating these things. Even if I liked candy I wouldn’t eat it.

All-natural rainbow flavor?

A secondary point: a lot of candy is not real food. It is full of corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and other man-made products. I can’t remember the last time I ate skittles, but I remember that they tasted fake. There is nothing in nature that resembles little colored balls of sugar. The rainbow does not taste like that!

A lot of my inspiration to go healthy comes from being an athlete. My path to becoming a health freak started at the beginning of high school when I was playing so much hockey I didn’t have time to eat bad food.

Have you ever tried to go into a workout with a snickers bar sitting in your stomach? Maybe you wouldn’t even notice it, but the truth is you are making the workout harder on yourself.

Similarly, I refuse to drink soda, which I regard as the liquid version of candy. Not only does it have no nutritional value, but also it is horrible for your teeth and dehydrates you. Honestly, I don’t believe a true athlete would drink soda during a season.

A typical ice cream cone

Ice cream, however, strikes a different chord with me. I am repulsed by the stuff and I do not even like to look at it. I find it gross and sticky and I especially hate melted ice cream.

But take a look at the facts. As high as 16% fat content and 16% sugar or artificial sweeteners? Not worth consuming. Not only that, but next time you buy ice cream make sure you look at the ingredients. If you’re going to repulse me, at least eat real food—not ice cream made with “modified milk ingredients.”

Believe me, I once was normal, too. When I was in elementary school, I did eat ice cream and M&Ms—but I think I just grew out of it.

Perhaps my weirdness came from my parents: during the years of Halloween candy confiscation, my brother, my sister, and I would have to wait until Christmas just to have Frosted Flakes. From an early age it was forced into my head that some foods are not worth eating.

I’m glad it happened, though, because I believe that being a healthy eater helps not only with my nutritional health but also my general energy and happiness. You may be wondering…if not candy, ice cream, cakes, and such…what do I eat? Rabbit food? Raisins, almonds, fruit, fruit leather, and granola are always to be found in my dorm room. Tasty!

It’s time we rethink what we really want to be eating. By no means should you deprive yourself of something you really love—I’m not here to do that to you. But I ask that you rethink what you really do like, and whether you think what you eat will have any benefit for you later on. A little change in your diet could go a long way.