Diet candy may refer to any type of sugar-free, reduced-calorie, low-carb, or low-fat candy. Whether you are diabetic, on a diet or want to protect your teeth from decay, diet candy can be a good alternative to sugar-sweetened or higher-calorie candy -- as long as you don't overdo it. Sugar-free or reduced-calorie options are available for just about every type of candy, including hard candy, jelly beans, caramels, lollipops, licorice, gum, gummy bears, and even chocolate.
Sweeteners
Many types of diet candy use sugar alternatives so that the product is sugar-free or only contains a negligible amount of sugar. Sugar alternatives commonly used to sweeten diet candy include: sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol and malitol; artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine and sucralose; and, sometimes, plant-derived natural sweeteners like stevia. There are some advantages and disadvantages associated with each type of sweetener. For example, sugar alcohols contain more calories than artificial sweeteners, but they may taste more like sugar. Depending on the particular sugar alternative, it may also associated with different side effects.
Fat and Calories
Not all diet candy is calorie-free or fat-free, which means it is a good idea to pay close attention to both the nutrition label and your portion size when eating diet candy. Some types of sugar-free hard candy and gum are completely free of both calories and fat, but other types of diet candy are labeled as "reduced-calorie" foods -- meaning they contain at least 25 percent fewer calories than their regular counterparts. These types of diet candies may contain some calories and/or fat. For example, one popular brand of sugar-free milk chocolates contains 160 calories per serving, including a significant 110 calories from fat. Another diet candy -- a brand of sugar-free gummy bears -- contains 0 g of fat, but 70 calories per serving.
Other Ingredients
Besides sweeteners, diet candy may also contain various natural and synthetic additives -- many of which are also present in nondiet candy. Some common types of ingredients in diet candy include emulsifiers, waxes, preservatives, dyes, natural flavors and artificial flavors. Specifically, diet candy may contain ingredients such as soy lecithin, gelatin, carnauba wax, hydrogenated vegetable oil, polydextrose and artificial dyes red 40, yellow 5 & 6 and blue 1. Some of the artificial ingredients in your diet candy may be associated with health problems. For example, according to an article by Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D. published in "Eating Well" Magazine in 2010, several artificial dyes commonly present in candy and other processed foods have been linked to cancer and child health problems including allergies and hyperactivity.
Side Effects
Diet candy is associated with certain side effects related to sugar alternatives. For example, the aspartame used to sweeten many diet candies may cause migraine headaches in some people. Additionally, according to MedlinePlus, aspartame is not recommended for people with a rare disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU, as aspartame contains a substance called phenylalanine which people with PKU are unable to metabolize. In children with PKU, phenylalanine can cause mental retardation and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Meanwhile, sugar alcohols such as sorbitol may cause stomach discomfort, gas and laxative effects when ingested in large quantities or in people who are particularly sensitive to these effects.
References
- DiabeticFriendly.com: Sugar Free Candy, Sugar Free Chocolate and various SugarFree, Low Carb, Sugarless and Diabetic Safe Foods
- DiabeticFriendly.com: Dubble Bubble Sugar Free Bubble Gum
- Hershey's: Ice Breakers Coolmint
- Hershey's: Hershey's Sugar-Free Chocolates
- Netrition.com: Jelly Belly Sugar-Free Candies, Gummi Bears, 3 oz Bag
- Melville Candy Company: 98% Dark Stevia/Sweetened Chocolate Bar (1lb)
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