America's Easter candies with the most sugar

Dr. Arash Ravanbakhsh, a Calgary dentist from Inglewood Family Dental, analyzed over 40 of the most popular Easter candies in America to reveal which have the most sugar per gram of product.

Table: Easter candy with the highest sugar content per 100 product grams

Small, colorful candies that either stick to teeth or dissolve slowly rank worst on the dental danger list. These maximize sugar contact time with teeth.

"When you look at something like Junior Mints, they dissolve slowly in the mouth, bathing teeth in sugar for extended periods," Dr. Ravanbakhsh said. "Sour candies are a double threat because they combine high sugar content with acidity that further weakens enamel."

Junior Mints contain an average of 80 grams of sugar per 100 grams of candy, exactly 80% of the product, followed by Nerds Rope (76.92g), Sour Patch Bunnies (76.67g), Brach’s Jelly Beans (75.86g), and Skittles (75g).

Robin Eggs have a higher sugar content than any other chocolate-filled candy in the study, at 74.19 grams of sugar per 100 product grams.

Cadbury’s popular Easter candies, Mini Eggs and Creme Eggs, also contain a lot of sugar (68.75g and 64.71g per 100g, respectively). While Creme Eggs aren’t as high in sugar content, the soft, gooey filling is likely to stick to your teeth longer, making them potentially more damaging to your teeth.

When kids eat candy matters almost as much as what they eat. Timing plays a major role in preventing cavities, notes the dental expert.

"Eating candy as dessert right after a meal is better than snacking throughout the day," Dr. Ravanbakhsh said. "When we eat, our mouths produce more saliva, which helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles."

Chocolate is preferable to gummies and hard candies when it comes to protecting dental health. In fact, chocolate-based treats, especially those with nuts or those containing less sugar overall, are better choices.

Ferrero Rocher had the lowest sugar content per gram of the candies analyzed, at 40g per 100 product grams. Dr. Ravanbakhsh notes these hazelnut chocolates clear from the teeth faster than sticky alternatives due to the presence of fat.

“If your children are consuming candy during Easter, it is important to limit this where possible, ideally just to mealtimes,” Dr. Ravanbakhsh added. “But, there are a couple of steps you can follow right after candy consumption to further protect your teeth. They include drinking a glass of water immediately after candy consumption to wash away any leftovers and dilute the acid in your mouth, as well as waiting 30 minutes to brush your teeth to prevent covering your teeth in acidic residue.”