A lot of fuss gets made over Halloween and all the candy that comes along with that holiday, but that’s just a drop in the bucket when it comes to Americans’ obsession with candy. Whether it’s tootsie roll candies, lollipops, candy bars or just plain old pieces of chocolate, the average American eats about 25 pounds of candy a year. That’s a little over 2 pounds per month, and it’s a serious sweet tooth. Here are some interesting things to know about candy use and consumption in the U.S.
Of that 25 pounds of candy that Americans eat each year, about half of it comes from chocolate in some form. There are probably a couple of reasons for that. For one thing, many people count chocolate in any form as among their favorite foods. Another is that a large portion of candy has chocolate in it. In addition, many of the most well-know candies are made from chocolate, such as MandMs, many brands of candy bars and tootsie roll candies.
Another interesting fact to know about candy consumption in the U.S. is that it’s actually adults that do most of the eating. Because of Halloween, we often think of candy as a kids’ thing, but people over the age of 18 actually account for about 65% of the candy that gets eaten in the U.S. While kids might eat less candy than their parents and grandparents, they do have a lead when it comes to certain kinds of candy. Kids actually prefer hard chewy candies such as tootsie rolls, averaging about four of them for every one eaten by adults. Adults on the other hand much prefer chocolate over any other kinds of candy.
It’s not just candy eating that the U.S. is known for. The country also has a robust candy manufacturing industry. The U.S. as a country produces a tremendous amount of candy, and many of the most well-known candy companies are based in the country. That could be the reason that American kids and adults eat so much candy: There’s a lot of it produced, and it is marketed very heavily.
A good thing to keep in mind with candy is that moderation is best. All of that sugar can lead to weight gain, diabetes and dental problems. Two pounds a month is probably too much candy for the average American.
