There’s no getting around it – people almost universally love to eat candy.
If you’re a diabetic or if you are just trying to cut down on your sugar intake but you don’t want to give up on candy, sugar-free candy might be the thing for you.
This article will review all the different sugar-free candy brands available on the market and what to consider when buying sugar-free candy.
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Considerations When Buying Sugar-Free Candy
Calories
Sugar-free does not necessarily mean that it contains zero calories.
In fact, sugar-free candy can contain almost just as many calories as the variants with sugar. It is true that the caloric content of sugar-free candy will be lower than that of regular candy but the difference will sometimes be minimal.
This is because the fat and protein, both of which are sources of calories (fat especially), are still present. Carbs other than sugar are also usually present so be mindful of what you’re buying and always check the packaging.
Sugar Alcohol
Sugar alcohols are one type of commonly used sweetener used in sugar-free candy. They can have up to four times fewer calories than regular sugar which makes them a great way to cut down on carbs. However, there are downsides to them too.
The most common downsides are gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Every individual has a different level of tolerance so don’t go overboard if you don’t know your limits. If you overdo it with sugar alcohols, your stomach will not appreciate it.
Taste
People love regular candy because of its taste, there’s no getting around that.
When it comes to sugar-free candy, many people are concerned that they are going to taste awful because the main ingredient that makes candy taste so good is not there.
Is this concern justified? It depends, some lower-quality sugar-free candy is probably not going to taste very appealing but you’ll barely taste the difference with the better brands if you feel it at all that is.
Top Sugar-Free Candy Brands Comparison
[wptb id=4032]Best Sugar-Free Candy Brands
Life Savers 5 Flavors Sugarfree Hard Candy Bag
Life Savers and their 5 Flavors Sugarfree Hard Candy Bag is definitely one of the best sugar-free candies you’ll find out there. The most unique feature of their candy is their shape which resembles a life preserver.
All of their candy, regardless of the flavor, comes in that shape. This particular product is a pack of 12 2.75-ounce bags of sugar-free candy. Inside, you’ll find five of the most commonly enjoyed hard candy flavors: cherry, raspberry, watermelon, orange, and pineapple.
Life Savers describe these as the flavors that have “stood the test of time” and that’s true for the most part. The candies contain both natural and artificial flavors, and each piece is individually wrapped. We’ve mentioned calories as one of the things to watch out for with sugar-free candy.
With this brand, you’re getting 50% fewer calories than with most regular hard candy brands. The caloric reduction is achieved by using isomalt and Splenda (sucralose), i.e. sugar alcohol as sweeteners.
In terms of the taste, you probably won’t even be able to tell that you’re eating sugar-free candy. Many of the people who have tried them have praised their excellent taste.
If you’re looking to try sugar-free candy for the first time, you absolutely can’t go wrong with Life Savers as your introduction.
Werther’s Original Sugar-Free Chewy Caramels
Many people consider caramel to be their favorite type of candy. If you prefer caramel to hard candy, then Werther’s Original Sugar Free Chewy Caramels might be just for you.
This sugar-free caramel variant has quite a few similarities with Life Savers’ hard candy. They both come in 2.75-ounce bags but Werther’s caramels come in packs of two bags instead of a pack of 12 like the Life Savers’ hard candy.
Another similarity is in the packaging department since each caramel is individually wrapped. The caramels are chewy and the taste is pretty faithful to the original version. Isomalt is used to sweeten the candy and you know what means.
Yes, our good friend sugar alcohol makes a comeback which once again means that moderation is highly suggested when it comes to enjoying this candy unless you know you have a high tolerance.
One more thing to keep in mind is the outside temperature since the caramels can melt in hot weather and it is not at all fun to try to get melted caramel out of individual wrappers. If you’re wondering about the caloric side of things, you’re in for some great news.
A single piece of this sugar-free candy contains only 20 calories, so indulging in a few pieces a day won’t put you in danger of going over any calory limit you’re trying to stick to.
Any caramel fans out there looking for a sugar-free version of their favorite candy should be delighted with what Werther has to offer.
Jolly Rancher Sugar Free Hard Candy Assortment Peg Bag
Jolly Rancher offers an alternative to Life Savers in the hard-candy department. Since they offer the same type of candy, a bit of comparison is in order.
Let’s start with the quantity. Jolly Ranchers offers fewer bags per pack (3), but the individual bags are bigger than those of Life Savers at 3.6-ounces of candy per bag. Every piece of candy is individually wrapped in both cases but the flavors are different.
Jolly Ranchers offers four instead of five flavors and they are different than the ones offered by Life Savers. Jolly Rancher offers the following flavors: watermelon, grape, apple and raspberry.
Your individual flavor preferences will likely play a role in your choice because of these differences but keep in mind that the flavors might not be evenly distributed across the bag.
If you do like these flavors, you’ll be happy to hear that the taste has been described as quite comparable to the real thing.
Sugar alcohols are used as sweeteners and, if you’ve gotten this far in the article, you probably know what that means – the need for moderation.
Jolly Rancher’s hard candy contains no sugars or fats, which means that the caloric content is low, with only about 9 calories per piece.
Jolly Rancher offers a product to rival Life savers and you won’t regret choosing either.