Warning: The Cadbury Crème Egg is UNHEALTHY.
But wait a minute, you probably already knew that. Yet, every year, when this Easter novelty treat comes around, over 200 million are purchased in the UK alone. They are now even sold in many different forms, such as a “Twisted” candy bar, an ice cream cone or even a Cadbury Crème Egg McFlurry at McDonald’s.
Easter and The Cadbury Crème Egg
Since they are a seasonal, you may find yourself eating just “one or two” during the holidays and justifying its rarity as a treat. You may already know that the Cadbury Creme Egg, is candy, and like most candy, is not a particularly good source of vitamins or minerals and is high in sugar and fat.
But did you know how much sugar and fat exactly? What else is listed in the ingredients of this tasty “egg”? Before you reach for them at the checkout stand in your grocery store, let’s undress this famous Easter candy and see what you are really eating:
Cadbury Creme Egg Nutrition Information:
Calories:
Based on The Hershey Company’s site, the Cadbury Crème Egg has 150 calories, and 50 calories from fat in a 34 g egg (The candy was recently reduced in size in the US and in Canada, therefore reducing the calories as well from 170 to 150). This is about 7.5 % of the Daily Value of calories, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. So far, it’s not the worst candy. But let’s keep reading.
Fat:
Contains 6 g of fat (and not the ‘good’ kind), or 9% of the total Daily Value Fat.
Protein:
Contains 2 g of protein.
Vitamins and Minerals:
Zero. As suspected.
However, on a slight good note, I would like to add that the Cadbury Crème Egg does contain 2% of the Daily Value in calcium and is low in sodium – only 15 mg. But, we know about the calcium paradox (Click Here to find out!) and that there’s a good chance we’re not going to absorb ANY of the calcium in the Cadbury Crème Egg.
I am afraid that is all the ‘good’ news I have. Let’s look at the ingredients from The Hershey Company :
- Milk Chocolate ( Sugar; milk; chocolate, cocoa butter; milk fat; nonfat milk; soy lecithin; natural and artificial flavors)
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Contains 2% or less of:
- Artificial color (Yellow 6)
- Artificial Flavor
- Calcium Chloride
- Egg whites (Yes! At least we know that there are some eggs in the Cadbury Crème Egg ingredients, albeit less than 2%)
Sugar+ Corn Syrup + High Fructose Corn Syrup = A LOT of sugar
Basically three out of the four main ingredients are various forms of sugar. Eating just one Cadbury Crème egg contains 20 grams of sugar, the same amount what the American Heart Association considers a day’s worth of sugar! Three of these candy eggs, or 60 grams of sugar, is the same amount that a physician uses during an oral glucose tolerance test in diagnosing diabetes!!
In addition to a lot of sugar, there is also a lot of artificial colouring and flavouring in the Cadbury Crème Egg:
- Soy lecithin: Typically used as an emulsifier in today’s processed food industry. In theory, all of the soy protein should be eliminated during the processed treatment, but there are still sometimes traces of it left in the final product, so it should be avoided for those who are allergic to soy.
- Yellow 6, aka Sunset Yellow: a synthetic yellow food coloring used in many processed foods and has been reported to cause allergies and hypersensitivity reactions. There is also worry that it may contribute to hyperactivity in children- just the thing you might want to avoid with all the other sugary treats being passed to children during Easter.
- Artifical Flavor: We don’t even know what the artificial flavor is…Chocolate? Vanilla? Your guess is as good as mine.
- Calcium Chloride: This firming agent sounds worse than what it actually is. Its chemical make-up is similar to table salt, but contains calcium instead of sodium and has been deemed safe to consume by both the FDA and the European Union. It may even have health benefits in sports drinks by acting as an electrolyte!
Easter is still a special holiday for some, and also a time to indulge in a few sweets. So, what to eat instead to satisfy that sweet tooth craving? There are healthier options out there, such as purchasing organic dark chocolate eggs, or you can even create your own “healthier” versions of the Cadbury Crème Egg at home. Here are a couple recipes from the blogosphere:
If the Cadbury Crème Egg is your favorite indulgence this season, don’t feel bad. You will not get fat or get diabetes from eating one of these chocolaty gooey eggs. But perhaps the best time to eat one might be after chasing the kids all day during the egg hunt or after a nice long stroll post- Easter brunch.
Let me know what you thought of this article and leave me a comment below! Also, help spread the word about Cadbury Crème Eggs using the social media links below and let your family and friends know what they’re eating! Happy Holidays and Happy Easter from everyone at The Naked Label.
Sources:
CADBURY CREAM EGG NUTRITION INFORMATION http://www.livestrong.com/article/292588-cadbury-cream-egg-nutrition-information/
The Hershey Company Cadbury Crème Egg – http://www.thehersheycompany.com/brands/cadbury/creme-egg-candy.aspx
Anatomy of a Cadbury Crème Egg: http://www.fitsugar.com/Whats-Cadbury-Crme-Egg-22537785
Soy Lecithin: http://preventdisease.com/news/09/073009_soy_lecithin.shtml
Sunset Yellow FCF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Yellow_FCF
Calcium Chloride: http://www.livestrong.com/article/298211-what-is-calcium-chloride-used-for-in-food/
