If you’re on the Keto diet right now, then you likely already know how hard it is! If you’re considering going on the Keto diet, then maybe after reading this guide, you might have a better understanding of some of the choices you’ll need to make.
Partaking in the Keto diet isn’t straightforward. It comes with plenty of sacrifices.
After all, it is a diet that’s fundamental principles are low carb intake + high fat intake.
So where does that leave candy, hey? Well, don’t worry!
Because you can still eat candy on the Keto diet…well, at least some candy can be eaten.
That’s what we’re going to take a look at today. The best Sugar-Free Candy for the Keto diet!
Contents
Best Sugar-Free Candy For Keto
Sugar must be avoided or at least severely limited by anyone on the Keto diet as it is a source of those undesirable carbohydrates. Not what we want to be digesting when we’re trying to burn fat for fuel and remain in Ketosis.
As the whole world knows, candy is the most sugar-heavy food out there. That’s what makes it taste so sweet, after all.
So you would think that candy is a big no-no on the Keto diet.
Think again! There are plenty of sugar-free Keto-friendly candies out there to enjoy and get your fix for that devilish sweet tooth of yours.
Below is my top 5 list of these candies, all from a variety of what I like to call ‘candy families.’
There are mints, there are gummies, and there are hard candies.
All of these brands can be purchased at Amazon.com, which is where I buy my candy in bulk at great prices.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at today’s top 5 list.
Double’D Fruit Chews
Up first are these fruity delights by Double’D.
If I could compare these to a candy in the non-Keto-friendly world, then it would without a doubt be Original Starbursts, which is my favorite candy of all time.
So I’m also a big fan of Double’D Fruit Chews, which are sweetened using isomalt which is a sugar substitute.
Isomalt has basically no impact on your blood sugar levels which is good for the ketogenic process known as Ketosis to take place.
All of the colors and flavors of these treats are natural and gluten-free, with two pieces amounting to a mere 35 calories.
Best of all is that there are zero net carbs which are obviously hitting the jackpot when it comes to the Keto diet.
Definitely, a Keto-friendly candy that is wonderfully tasty as well.
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Stevita Naturals Hard Candy
Time for the list’s hard candy, and it comes from Stevita. Another Keto-friendly candy that is free from artificial flavors and gluten.
They’re also free from sugar and artificial sweeteners as they get their sweetness from isomalt but also from a natural sugar called stevia, hence their name.
Coming in four tasty flavors that are cherry, grape, strawberry, and orange, these natural hard candies will hit the spot all for a zero net carb intake as well. 0 sugar. 0 net carbs.
What more can you ask for?
- SUGAR-FREE HARD CANDY - Our stevia-sweetened, sugar-free candy looks & tastes like candy. We use isomalt, a natural sugar alcohol from non-GMO sugarcane, to create these mouthwatering hard candies with a natural, plant-based orange flavor.
- ALL NATURAL - Our candies are gluten free, paleo & keto friendly. Since they contain no artificial sweeteners, they are also safe for teeth & diabetics.
- PACKAGED FOR FRESHNESS - Convenient pop-open tins make it easy to satisfy your sweet tooth on-the-go.
- SUSTAINABLY SOURCED - We source 100% of our stevia from the plant's natural habitat in southwestern Brazil. There, a small cooperative of family farmers sustainably produce pure, great-tasting stevia.
- TRUSTED NAME - Stevita introduced the world's first tabletop stevia in 1988 & has continued to sell this sustainable product for over 30 years. Today, we are still family operated & woman owned.
SmartSweets Gummy Bears
Gummy bears are a staple of the ordinary candy world. So don’t be alarmed by the thought that you might not be able to eat them on Keto.
Whilst you can’t eat your usual big brands, like Haribo, you can enjoy many of the Keto-friendly gummy bears out there.
My personal favorite is those made by SmartSweets.
Although they do not have a net zero carb intake, you can still enjoy some without expending all of your daily nutritional budget.
They’re made with high-quality ingredients, sweetened by stevia and allulose, a natural sweetener that your body won’t absorb, so they are perfect for Keto.
They’re absolutely delicious. Per quarter of a bag, which would be 12.5 grams, you’re looking at a net carb intake of 4.5 grams and 1 gram of sugar content which is basically sugar-free.
Not bad and definitely still keto-friendly.
- SmartSweets are a radically better choice than traditional candy - all the deliciousness but with 79 - 92% less sugar!
- SmartSweets 3.0 is our latest JUICY innovation that uses a new combination of non-GMO plant fibers to give you lots of prebiotic goodness. You liked it before? You'll LOVE it now.
- KICK SUGAR: Only 3g of sugar - smartly sweetened without sugar alcohols! SmartSweets Fruity Gummy Bears have 36g Carbs - 11g Fiber - & 10g Allulose = 15g Net Carbs
- NOTHING ARTIFICAL: Every ingredient we use is gluten free, Non GMO, always real, and never artificial. No artifical flavors, colors, sweetners or sugar alcohols
- FREE FROM TOP ALLERGENS: #KickSugar candy is made without major allergens which includes tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, milk, eggs, fish, and shellfish.
Cocomels Coconut Milk Caramels in Sea Salt
One for the caramel lovers of the world now. Sea salt is often an ally for Keto when it comes to slipping chocolate into your daily diet.
And these coconut milk caramels from Cocomels use sea salt to great effect as they taste amazing.
Made with coconut cream and sweetened with allulose and monk fruit which is both zero-calorie sweeteners.
5 of these will equal a net carb intake of just 2 grams, which is pretty good going for the Keto diet. Oh, and did I mention there’s no sugar?
John’s Healthy Sweets Peppermint Hard Candy
We’ll be finishing today’s list with a mint candy.
My favorite mint candy is these peppermints by Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets.
Mints are usually jam-packed with sugar, so you may be surprised to see a mint brand on the top 5. But the clue is in the name of this candy. ‘Healthy Sweets.’
They’re not lying. Incredibly low in net carbs at 2 grams per 10-gram serving, these peppermints are sweetened with erythritol and xylitol and flavored perfectly naturally.
They even get their colors from fruit and vegetable juice. Make of that what you will. Keto-friendly and sugar-free. Buy a bag today!
- The healthiest—and tastiest—candies in the world!
- Sugar free, low calorie peppermint hard candies
- Fortified with 10 grams fiber and 160%DV vitamin C
- NO artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners
- Gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan, Kosher, made in a nut free facility
What Types Of Candy Are Best To Eat While On Keto?
The candies that are best to eat on a Keto diet are those that are sugar-free or low in sugar and also low in carbs.
Right, well, that was a lot of info to take in about carbs and sugar during that top 5 list, wasn’t it? Shall we get to the bottom of why it all matters? I think so.
Low Carb And Sugar Content
Whilst a very strict specification to abide by, it is fundamental that you stick to the low carbs and sugar intake.
Otherwise, what’s the point in partaking in the Keto diet if you’re not going to follow the rules?
But why do candies have to contain low sugar and carbohydrate content to be Keto-friendly? Why does the diet center around these principles?
Well, it’s actually a very complex scientific process. Let’s talk through it in simple terms.
The Keto diet is designed so that your body is forced to burn fats for energy rather than carbohydrates. So not only do we aim to consume fewer carbs, but we also aim to increase our fat intake as well.
This metabolic process where the body burns fat as fuel rather than glucose/carbs is called Ketosis.
If you’re eating too many carbs, then the body will burn that off for energy instead of fat.
So like a naughty child at the table that won’t eat its vegetables, we are saying to our body, ‘no, you’re going to eat the fats, not the carbs!’
Every food you put into your body must therefore be low in carbs.
Why low in sugar or sugar-free as well? Sugar is a carbohydrate in itself. A powerful one too!
So candies must be low in carbs and sugar. To be honest, it’s really only the candies that are specifically designed for Keto that fulfill these criteria.
But that’s exciting. You get to try a whole new range of healthy candy!
What Candy Should You Not Eat On Keto
You should not eat candy that is high in carbohydrates and sugar as these properties are not compatible with the Keto diet.
We know that candies with low to no carb and sugar contents are compatible with the Keto diet.
So it’s obvious that we can’t eat candies that have a high carb and sugar content.
Eating them will spoil your keto diet, which is why you’re here, after all.
So your candies that aren’t specifically designed to be healthier and to fit in with a Keto diet are probably best avoided, which takes out pretty much all of the major fan favorite brands.
You’ll want to be looking out for those candies that are designed specifically for the keto diet or variations of it… That way, you can ensure that you are keeping your carb and sugar intake down.
Because remember! If you eat too many carbs and sugar, then your body will burn them for energy, as opposed to any fats you have ingested. Meaning your body won’t be going through Ketosis.
Do be careful, though, as some products may be labeled as having low cars or low sugar when this isn’t strictly true.
The reality is that they actually might only be low in carbs and sugar if your servings are minuscule. What’s the point in that? We want to enjoy a good handful of candies as a treat, don’t we?
Such products often use artificial additives and gluten.
When you pick up a product that claims to be Keto-friendly, look out for whether or not they contain artificial sweeteners, flavors, colorings, preservatives, and also the following compounds: maltodextrin and dextrose.
These ingredients will still increase your blood sugar levels which will stifle your attempt at Ketosis.
You should steer clear of packaged and processed foods. Particularly non-friendly-Keto candies, sugar-sweetened gum and mints, ice cream, and baked goods as well. These are all not compatible with the Keto diet.
The daily allowance for carbs is 5% of your daily diet. If you eat 2000 calories a day, then only 25 grams of that should be carbohydrates. Seems low, right? Well, of course, it is. After all, the keto diet is based on a low carb intake for its partaker.
If you eat candies that aren’t Keto-friendly, then that 5% will quickly be met. And will be surpassed even quicker. Which will spoil everything!!
Finally
Your candy-eating days aren’t over just yet whilst you’re on Keto.
There are still plenty of low-carb and low-sugar candies to enjoy to keep you on track.
That will mean exploring new brands.
But hey, that’s exciting.
Think of it as traveling the world and experiencing different cultures. Except you’re traveling the candy world!
Whatever you decide to eat, when on Keto, always remember…low/no carbs and low/no sugar!
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Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.