12 Healthy Candy Options to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Candy often gets a bad rap for its high sugar content and lack of nutritional value. So what do you do when a craving hits? Luckily, a wave of healthy candy options is hitting the market, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth with fewer calories and artificial ingredients. Whether you’re looking to lead a healthier lifestyle or incorporate a sweet treat into your weight loss plan, these delicious options are a great alternative to traditional sweets.
But what sets these healthy candy options apart from the others? From natural ingredients to low sugar content, health candies redefine what it means to indulge. Below, we’ll explore these sweet treat options, their ingredients, their benefits, and how they fit into a balanced diet.
This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA.
Image Credit: Tetiana Kolubai/Istockphoto.
What Makes Candy “Healthy?”
The average American eats over 60 pounds of sugar annually, which amounts to about 77 grams of sugar each day. This significantly exceeds the American Heart Association’s recommendations of no more than 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men.
So, what candy has the most sugar? Traditional candies like Skittles and Sour Patch Kids often contain some of the highest amounts of sugar, sometimes over 20 grams per serving. Healthy candies differ from traditional candies in many ways, including:
- Sugar alternatives. The healthiest candy uses sugar alternatives like stevia, monk fruit, maltitol, or erythritol. They can provide sweetness without causing blood sugar spikes, making them some of the best candies for people with diabetes or those aiming to reduce added sugar.
- Fewer artificial ingredients. If you read the labels closely, healthy candy options have a shorter ingredient list and are usually free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
- Added fiber or protein. Some healthy candies have added fiber or protein to minimize blood sugar fluctuations and keep you feeling more satisfied.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
12 Healthy Candy Options
Sugar-free gummies, low-carb chocolate, and portion-controlled treats are popular options that can still feel indulgent. For instance, dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher is often considered a healthier candy choice. It contains less sugar than milk chocolate and provides antioxidants that may support heart health.
So, what is the healthiest candy or the lowest-calorie candy? As it turns out, there are many better-for-you options. Here are 12 of the best healthy candy alternatives, from gummies and lollipops to chocolates and jellybeans, so you can make informed choices the next time you hit the candy aisle.
Amazon
1. Yum Earth Organic Jellybeans
These delicious treats use organic ingredients like cane sugar and rice syrup as substitutes for the high fructose corn syrup and synthetic sweeteners found in traditional jellybeans. Instead of artificial dyes, coloring comes from organic fruits and vegetable concentrates like pumpkin, carrot, black currant, radish, and apple. They are made with non-GMO ingredients and are free from the top nine allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, and sesame.
Nutritional Information: 110 calories for one pouch, 0 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 28 grams total carbohydrates, 0 grams protein
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2. Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Fair trade certified chocolate, organic peanuts, and cane sugar combine to make one of Unreal’s best-selling candies: dark chocolate peanut butter cups. These cups contain 36 percent less sugar than leading brands and 18 percent less than other natural candy brands. Unreal’s products use non-GMO, organic, fair-trade certified ingredients without artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers.
Nutritional Information: 80 calories for one peanut butter cup, 6 grams total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium, 8 grams total carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 5 mg calcium, 55 mg potassium
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3. Smart Sweets Lollipop Variety Pack
SmartSweets lollipops contain just one gram of sugar per two pieces, about 88 percent less sugar than regular lollipops. Each pop is sweetened with stevia and uses plant-derived fibers like isomaltoligosaccharides, avoiding sugar alcohols and synthetic sweeteners. They are also free of major allergens, GMOs, and artificial flavors and colors.
Nutritional Information: 40 calories for two lollipops, 12 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat, 0 grams sodium
Amazon
4. Cocomels Coconut Caramels
Cocomels are organic, vegan, and plant-based caramels made with coconut milk and natural sweeteners. They have the same toothsome chew as regular caramels but without all the sugar and dairy. With 2 grams of sugar per piece, Cocomels contain about 30 percent less sugar than traditional caramels.
Nutritional Information: 140 calories for five pieces, 5 grams fat, 470 mg sodium, 1 gram protein, 22 grams carbohydrates
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5. Solely Mango Fruit Gummies
Traditional fruit gummies are chock-full of artificial colors and sweeteners, but Solely Mango Fruit gummies have none. So if you’re craving something chewy and fruity, these zero-added-sugar, all-natural, organic gummies are a great choice. The only ingredient? Pureed mango.
Nutritional Information: 60 calories per pouch, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 14 grams total carbohydrates
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6. Dr. Johns Classic Fruit Swirl Hard Candies
Dr. John’s sugar-free, low-calorie hard candies come in a mixed bag with six flavors: blue raspberry, cherry, grape, lemon, lime, and orange. Instead of traditional sweeteners, Dr. John’s uses xylitol and erythritol, which are plant-based natural sweeteners that are easier on teeth than regular sugar. Bonus: Each serving is fortified with 10 grams of fiber and 160 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C
Nutritional Information: 35 calories for four pieces, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, 18 grams total carbohydrates (10 grams dietary fiber)
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7. Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Bar
Hu chocolate is made from just three simple ingredients: cacao, unrefined coconut sugar, and cocoa butter. What it doesn’t have: refined sugar, lecithins, sugar alcohols, and palm oil. Each bar is certified non-GMO, fair trade, vegan, paleo-friendly, and kosher.
Nutritional Information: 190 calories per half bar, 14 grams total fat, 100 mg sodium, 14 grams total carbohydrates (3 grams dietary fibers, 7 total sugars including 6 grams added sugars), 3 grams protein
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8. Skinny Dipped Dark Chocolate Cocoa Almonds
These roasted almonds are “skinny dipped” in a thin layer of dark chocolate. With only four grams of sugar and non-artificial ingredients, a handful makes for a quick, on-the-go sweet treat. Because nuts are a great source of protein, these sweet treats can help fuel your body, too.
Nutritional Information: 140 calories for 18 almonds, 10 grams total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 13 grams total carbohydrates (5 grams dietary fiber, 4 total sugars including 3 grams added sugar), 4 grams protein
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9. Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars
Each layered fruit bar is made with real, organic fruit purees and juices, without synthetic colors and artificial flavors. In addition to being tangy, sweet, and tasty, each bar is Certified USDA Organic, non-GMO Project Verified, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher.
Nutritional Information: 50 calories for one bar, 0 grams fat, 0 grams cholesterol, 0 sodium, 12 grams total carbohydrates (10 total sugars including 4 grams added sugar)
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10. Numa Orange Cream Taffy
Made with real, simple ingredients, Numa Taffy is low in sugar and calories and high in protein. In each serving, you get 50 percent less sugar and 200 percent more protein than your typical candy bar, as well as more than 10 essential vitamins. Because they are individually wrapped, the candies are great for tossing into your purse, gym bag, or car for a quick treat.
Nutritional Information: 70 calories for two pieces, 2 grams fat, less than 5 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 12 grams carbohydrates ( 2 grams dietary fiber, 6 total sugars, including 4 grams added sugar)
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11. Snack Owl Watermelon Slices
These sour, chewy watermelon slices contain half the sugar of regular gummy candies, making them a smart low-calorie option. Plus, they are high in fiber, gluten-free, and plant-based, and each serving has as much fiber as three servings of broccoli! Instead of regular sugar, the candies contain allulose, which impacts the glycemic index less.
Nutritional Information: 100 calories per bag, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 41 grams total carbohydrates (10 grams dietary fibers)
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12. Behave Sour Gummy Bears
Behave sour gummy bears have one gram of sugar per serving — compare that to the 40 grams in Sour Patch Kids. These candies are ideal for people with diabetes who want to keep their blood sugar levels from spiking, thanks to low-glycemic sweeteners like monk fruit, allulose, chicory root fiber, and soluble tapioca fiber.
Nutritional Information: 80 calories per package, 0 fat, 10 mg sodium, 36 total carbohydrates (19 grams dietary fibers), 4 grams protein, 31 mg calcium
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Moderation and Balance
Moderation and balance are key to any diet, especially when it comes to added sugar. Consuming too much added sugar can lead you to quickly exceed your recommended daily calories, leading to weight gain. Too much sugar can also lead to health problems like chronic inflammation, along with an increased risk of developing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
And don’t forget the sugar crash. Sugar-laden candies can bring a burst of energy, but they can also lead to a sudden drop in blood glucose levels and cause lethargy, irritability, headaches, sweating, and more.
While sugar is the main unhealthy ingredient in candy, remember that even healthy candy (zero sugar candy and low sugar candy included) is still not a significant source of vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants — all of which are essential for your health.
Related:
- Should You Eat Before or After Your Workout to Lose Weight?
- Prebiotic Soda Benefits: Is It Better Than Regular Soda?
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This article originally appeared on ForHers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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