Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIngredientsProsConsBest Options
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Pros
Cons
Best Options
If you havediabetes, you may wonder if eating sugar-free candy is the best choice when you have a craving for something sweet.
Sugar-free candy has some pros and cons when it comes to your health, but the amount of carbohydrates in sugar-free candies may come as a surprise. Some sugar substitutes can have unpleasant side effects, as well.
This article explains the different types of sweeteners used in sugar-free candies, their pros, cons, and possible side effects, and the best alternatives to these candies when you want a sweet treat.
Sugar-Free Candy Ingredients
Sugar-free candies use artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes to create a sweet taste while foregoing real sugar. Most of these sweeteners have fewer calories and carbohydrates than sugar, but not all of them are calorie-free or carb-free.
Some sugar substitutes you’ll see on labels include:
Steviais a non-alcohol, non-artificial sugar substitute made from the leaf of a sweet plant.
Saccharin, aspartame, stevia, and sucralose are calorie-free and carb-free.
Sugar alcohols contain somecarbohydrates. You’re especially likely to encounter sugar alcohols in sugar-free candies, so be sure to check labels.
Also keep in mind that other ingredients in candy may be unhealthy, as well. You need to consider the entire product, not just how it’s sweetened.
2:35How to Make Dark Chocolate Avocado “Pudding”
2:35
How to Make Dark Chocolate Avocado “Pudding”
Pros of Sugar-Free Candy
Sugar-free candies have some advantages over candies sweetened with sugar—but there are limits to the advantages.
Counting Carbs From Sugar AlcoholsSugar alcohols are digested differently than regular sugar and have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels. When counting your carbs, subtract half the grams of sugar alcohol from the total carbohydrates on the label.For example, if total carbs are 25 and sugar alcohols are 20, you’d count the food as 15 carbs per serving.
Counting Carbs From Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are digested differently than regular sugar and have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels. When counting your carbs, subtract half the grams of sugar alcohol from the total carbohydrates on the label.For example, if total carbs are 25 and sugar alcohols are 20, you’d count the food as 15 carbs per serving.
Sugar alcohols are digested differently than regular sugar and have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels. When counting your carbs, subtract half the grams of sugar alcohol from the total carbohydrates on the label.
For example, if total carbs are 25 and sugar alcohols are 20, you’d count the food as 15 carbs per serving.
Diabetes-Friendly Snacks Under 200 Calories
Cons of Sugar-Free Candy
Sugar-free candies do have their drawbacks. It pays to keep these things in mind when deciding how to satisfy your sweet cravings:
Control Portion SizeJust because something is sugar-free doesn’t mean you can eat more than you normally would. Sugar-free treats are not truly “free” foods, because they may still contain calories, fat, and carbohydrates. Enjoying lower-calorie options in the same portions as you would their sweeter counterparts will help keep you from going overboard.
Control Portion Size
Just because something is sugar-free doesn’t mean you can eat more than you normally would. Sugar-free treats are not truly “free” foods, because they may still contain calories, fat, and carbohydrates. Enjoying lower-calorie options in the same portions as you would their sweeter counterparts will help keep you from going overboard.
Signs You Have a Sugar Addiction (and How to Break It)
“No Sugar Added”
In the ice cream aisle, you may come across packaging that says “no sugar added.” What that means is that the manufacturer didn’t add sugar to the ice cream itself. But other ingredients (such as chocolate chunks) may, in fact, contain sugar.
Look specifically at the calorie and carb counts on the label to see just how much sugar is really in there.
No-Sugar Diet: Food List and Seven-Day Plan
People with diabetes can eat regular candy that contains sugar in moderation. Whether you eat sugar-free or sugared sweets. it’s important to keep track pf how many carbohydrates each contains. The truth is that candy, whether sugar-free or regular, is still candy.
Which types of sugar-free candies are best? That depends on your personal taste and your goals.
If healthiness is your ultimate goal, you’re better off skipping the candy and choosing a snack that blends something sweet with other healthy ingredients, such as fiber or protein. For example, pair strawberries with a piece of dark chocolate or dip apple slices in peanut butter.
You can also find sugar-free recipes online to make your own sweet treats at home. Look for those that include whole grains, nuts, or dried fruit (or add them to the recipe). These will help keep your blood sugar steady and increase the beneficial nutrients you’re getting along with the carbs, calories, and fat.
Summary
Sugar-free candies can seem like an appealing option for people with diabetes—and they can be, as long as you are aware that even sugar-free options contain carbohydrates. Certain non-sugar sweeteners may also have unpleasant side effects.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition.American Heart Association. Press Release.Federal dietary guidelines emphasize healthy eating but fall short on added sugars.University of California, San Francisco, Diabetes Teaching Center: Diabetes Education Online.Counting sugar alcohols.Mäkinen KK.Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals.Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi:10.1155/2016/5967907Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019 May;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014Fiander M, MacKay DS, McGavock J, Wicklow B, Zarychanski R.Nonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies.CMAJ. 2017 Jul 17;189(28):E929-E939. doi:10.1503/cmaj.161390
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition.American Heart Association. Press Release.Federal dietary guidelines emphasize healthy eating but fall short on added sugars.University of California, San Francisco, Diabetes Teaching Center: Diabetes Education Online.Counting sugar alcohols.Mäkinen KK.Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals.Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi:10.1155/2016/5967907Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019 May;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014Fiander M, MacKay DS, McGavock J, Wicklow B, Zarychanski R.Nonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies.CMAJ. 2017 Jul 17;189(28):E929-E939. doi:10.1503/cmaj.161390
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition.American Heart Association. Press Release.Federal dietary guidelines emphasize healthy eating but fall short on added sugars.University of California, San Francisco, Diabetes Teaching Center: Diabetes Education Online.Counting sugar alcohols.Mäkinen KK.Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals.Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi:10.1155/2016/5967907Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019 May;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014Fiander M, MacKay DS, McGavock J, Wicklow B, Zarychanski R.Nonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies.CMAJ. 2017 Jul 17;189(28):E929-E939. doi:10.1503/cmaj.161390
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition.
American Heart Association. Press Release.Federal dietary guidelines emphasize healthy eating but fall short on added sugars.
University of California, San Francisco, Diabetes Teaching Center: Diabetes Education Online.Counting sugar alcohols.
Mäkinen KK.Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals.Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi:10.1155/2016/5967907
Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019 May;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014
Fiander M, MacKay DS, McGavock J, Wicklow B, Zarychanski R.Nonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies.CMAJ. 2017 Jul 17;189(28):E929-E939. doi:10.1503/cmaj.161390
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
