Here is an interesting new idea in the battle against obesity, which I came across in a magazine while on a cycling holiday in Scotland last month.

You read correctly – there is now a whole line of sugar free candy sprays available, that are designed to help quench those cravings for sweets. There are all sorts of flavors out there to appeal to your inner child, from Mike and Ike to Hot Tamales. You can even ‘taste’ your favorite cartoon character, from Hello Kitty (does she really taste like marshmallows?) to Sponge Bob Square Pants. Simulated dessert sprays appeal to a more adult palate, such as key lime pie flavor.

My take on these products: Not an unreasonable way to satisfy a candy craving if taken in moderation (ie a few sprays per day) – if the alternative is downing a bag of sweets, well, this is better. The Sour Apple variety has 24 calories per 1 oz bottle, so a couple of sprays a day can be considered to be Free.

Having said that, Free Veg will always be my #1 recommendation to have a party in your mouth without the expense of calories – veggies can be really satisfying and tasty, AND they give you the benefit of vitamins and nutrients! Sorry to be a stick in the mud but it’s true…) 🙂

Dr. Sue © 2009 www.drsue.ca drsuetalks@gmail.com