15+ Sugar Free Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is sugar-free candy ok for diabetics? ›

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.

Which Ingredients Are Used To Make Sugar-Free Candy? For this sugar-free hard candy recipe from Sweet Smarts, we'll be using the following ingredients: ¼ teaspoon plant-based flavoring oil. 1 ½ cups of erythritol.

The formula of sugar-free hard candy is by weight percentage: Crystal maltose alcohol 50%, xylitol 8%, isomalt 40%, Mint Essence 0.2%, menthol 0.2%, vanillic aldehyde 0.1%, food coloring 0.01%, monoglyceride 0.001%, surplus is water.

Manufacturers charge more for these products because they use synthetics that cost more to source. It's difficult to make candy that tastes good without sugar.

In fact, stevia does not contribute to increased glucose and insulin levels. One of the most important biological effects of stevia is opening calcium channels in pancreatic beta cells mediated by the active constitute of S. rebaudiana, steviol. This stimulates insulin secretion in response to glucose.

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 substitutes taste sweet but don't contain sugar. They have fewer calories than sugar, and some have no calories at all. Foods labeled “sugar-free,” “keto,” “low carb” or “diet” often contain sugar substitutes, which fall into three categories: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners.

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.

What is the hard-crack in sugar candy? ›

300° F–310° F

The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.

Candy doesn't count as healthy, even if it is sugar-free. If you eat a lot of candy and aren't ready to cut back, however, switching to sugar-free candy may help you better control your carbohydrate intake. The long-term goal, though, is to cut down on all candy. It is only for people with diabetes.

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.

Splenda starts out as sugar but is altered to pass more quickly through your system. That means it doesn't get stored in your blood and doesn't affect your blood sugar in the way that sugar does. But that alteration is what makes Splenda less than ideal, Dr. Young says.

A 1.5-ounce bar of To'ak is the most expensive sugary bite you will ever take. And it contains only two ingredients: cacao and cane sugar. The thing is that the cacao in this candy comes from 100-year-old Arriba cacao trees, widely thought to be the last of the species.

Less blood sugar impact: If you have diabetes, sugar-free candies are a better choice for keeping blood sugar stable. But don't assume they're carb-free, especially if they contain sugar alcohols. Better for your teeth: Sugar-free candies and gums pose less of a risk to your teeth than their sugary counterparts.

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.

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.