How to Pick the Best Sugar Free Candy
Advancements in food science and a growing consciousness about weight loss have created a booming market for all kinds of sugar-free products, including candy. Sifting through the many choices can be daunting, so it helps to narrow down the selection by determining what you need from your sugar-free sweets.
Things You'll Need
- A goal for going sugar-free, like weight loss, diabetes or preference
- An outline for the desired nutritional content of the candy, like low-carbohydrate, low-fat or low-calorie
- A list of ingredients to avoid
- A list of which artificial sweeteners you prefer and which you dislike
- A list of your favorite types, textures and flavors of candy
- A budget for how much you want to spend on the candy
Instructions
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Most people have a reason for wanting or needing to switch to sugar-free candy. Whether it's a weight-loss program, diabetes, or personal preference, there are options to suit each one, and it helps to have your goal in mind when setting out to search for the best sugar-free candy for your situation.
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Based on your specific goals and nutritional needs, you will need to focus on sugar-free candies that best suit you. For instance, sugar-free chocolates are traditionally made with the sugar substitute maltitol, which is a good option for diabetics because of its slow absorption rate. However, most sugar-free chocolates are made palatable by a lavish dose of cocoa butter, bumping up the saturated fat and calorie content, and making it an unfit choice for someone trying to shed pounds. By knowing what type of nutritional content you are looking for from the get-go, you can make the best choice of sugar-free candy for your needs.
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It is also important to watch for ingredients in sugar-free candy that you are allergic to, or that you dislike. Some common food allergies include dairy and nuts. Occasionally, people have adverse reactions to certain kinds of sugar substitutes. While focusing on some of these nutritional details, remember to keep an eye out for ingredients that you dislike so that you can avoid those selections.
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Determine which sugar substitutes you like and which ones are unfavorable. Some popular sugar substitutes in candy include saccharine, aspartame, sucralose, maltitol and stevia. Keep a list of the ones that are best tasting to you so that you can reference them as you search.
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Narrowing down your dietary restrictions is important, but so is choosing a sugar-free candy that actually tastes good to you. Think about your favorite flavors and textures of candy and search based on those preferences. Most major brands offer sugar-free versions of their candy. There is even a company that offers sugar-free versions of retro candies from decades past.
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Some sugar-free candy can be quite expensive. Some varieties are only available in bulk quantities. However, some of the more popular versions of sugar-free candy are sold in grocery and convenience stores at similar price points to their full-sugar counterparts. Formulate a budget before you begin shopping so that you do not come away with sticker shock or buyer's remorse.
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Tips & Warnings
Stick with as many "natural" ingredients as possible. They are better for you and will actually taste better.
When in doubt, stay with name brands that have a solid reputation.
Ask family members and friends for examples of sugar free candies that they like.
Don't consume ingredients when you don't know what they are.
Stay away from excess chemicals no matter how good the product might taste.
Don't support over-inflated product lines with no real reason to triple the cost above comparable brands. It will force equal quality drinks of a lesser cost out of business.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
