15+ Sugar Free Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is sugar-free candy ok for diabetics? ›

Bottom line. Yes, children and adults with diabetes can and do eat candy. The key is moderation and making sure to track the number of carbohydrates and calories eaten. Sugar-free candies can be better for blood sugar levels, but they still contain carbs and calories.

Many sugar-free treats get their sweetness from substances called sugar alcohols. These compounds, including maltitol, isomalt, xylitol, and sorbitol, contain neither sugar nor alcohol (in the traditional sense). Rather, they provide sweetness from compounds that human intestines cannot absorb as readily as sugar.

Stevia is generally more expensive than artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose. Such fluctuations in raw material prices and availability leads to higher prices of sugar-free products.

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: Saccharin.

The 15-15 rule—have 15 grams of carbohydrate to raise your blood glucose and check it after 15 minutes. If it's still below 70 mg/dL, have another serving. Repeat these steps until your blood glucose is at least 70 mg/dL.

Used sparingly, honey can be part of a healthy, balanced diet for people living with diabetes. But it's good practice to get into the habit of limiting honey and any added sugar as much as possible. More than focussing on an individual ingredient, think about what you eat for each meal as a whole.

Sugar free sweets

It's worth checking which sweetener is used within the sweets as sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol, maltitol, erythritol and xylitol) can have laxative effects if taken in too high quantities. The other note is that sugar alcohols may raise blood glucose levels, albeit less severely than sugar.

Twizzlers, 2 Strawberry Twists These are almost pure sugar. “Sometimes people with diabetes want to use their favorite candy to treat a low blood sugar incident,” says Norwood. “It's permission to eat sugar when they otherwise feel they shouldn't be eating it regularly.” Carbohydrate count: 18 g.

Sugar alcohols are digested very slowly in the intestine and are not fully absorbed into the blood. Therefore, they do not raise blood sugar the same way other carbohydrates do. Due to the slow digestion, they are fermented by the bacteria in the intestine and as a result can cause abdominal gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Why was stevia banned in the UK? ›

The Food Standards Agency and Stevia

It initially banned stevia due to concerns about its safety and potential cancer connections. This decision was in line with the broader European response to the potential health risks associated with stevia.

Con: You May Experience Gastrointestinal Side Effects

Especially for those who already suffer from stomach problems, the artificial sweeteners in sugar-free candies may cause side effects. Possible gastrointestinal symptoms include bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

If you have diabetes, a great alternative to regular candy is sugar-free candy, as it typically has a decreased effect on your blood sugar levels. Some sugar substitutes that can be found in certain sugar-free candies include: stevia. aspartame.

We offer a variety of Zero Sugar products across our chocolate candy, sweets and gum. Trying to cut back on sugar and still enjoy your favorite candy and snacks? We offer a variety of Zero Sugar products across our chocolate candy, sweets and gum.

As sugar contributes no nutritive value, apart from carbohydrates and calories, it has 'empty calories' and so is not good for overall health. This doesn't mean that people with diabetes should have a sugar-free diet. In fact, it's almost impossible to have a sugar-free diet in the long term.

Sugar substitutes don't affect your blood sugar level. In fact, most artificial sweeteners are considered "free foods." Free foods contain less than 20 calories and 5 grams or less of carbohydrates, and they don't count as calories or carbohydrates on a diabetes exchange.

Advantages for Well-Controlled Early-Stage Diabetes: Russell Stover sugar-free candy, enriched with sugar alcohols such as maltitol, erythritol, lactitol, mannitol, and sorbitol, presents a potential boon for individuals with well-controlled early-stage diabetes.

Fruit and vegetables contain a good mix of nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre. Other snacking options include unsalted nuts and seeds, oatcakes, rice cakes, wholegrain crackers, or unsweetened yogurts.