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.

Turns out these No-Sugar Sour Fruit Candies were much simpler to make than I could have imagined. By simply using fruit-only juice, gelatin and citric acid, these candies are just as satisfyingly sour as the ones from the store! In a small pot combine the fruit juice, ½ teaspoon of the citric acid, ¼ cup of the water.

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.

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.

Stevia contains high quantities of diterpene glycosides, which cannot be broken down or absorbed by the digestive tract. Therefore, intake of stevia sweetener does not affect the blood glucose level.

“Generally speaking, sugar-free candy will have less of an effect on blood glucose than its sugar-containing counterpart,” says Jo-Anne M. Rizzotto, RD, a certified diabetes care and education specialist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

There are a few reasons why there may not be as much choice for sugar-free sweets in the supermarket: Production costs: Sugar-free sweets often require the use of artificial sweeteners or alternative sweetening methods, which can be more expensive to produce than traditional sugar-sweetened products.

Natural plant sources, such as stevia and monk fruit, or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose, can be used. Common bulking agents that are used with plant-based sources include erythritol, allulose, fiber, and maltodextrin.

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.

Isomalt vs Sugar

Isomalt is completely sugar-free and therefore can be ingested by diabetics and won't cause tooth decay. Isomalt also has about half of the sweetness that sugar does and is lower in calories. Isomalt has a much higher resistance to crystallization and humidity when compared to sugar.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

sorry, but no. Moderation is still important. That said...if you're going to help yourself to a few pieces of sugar-free candy (and def feel free!), just know that you'll want to factor those carbs, grams of fat, and calories into your recommended daily intake.

However, sugar-free and fat-free sweets may not be particularly good for you. Sugar-free candies use artificial sweeteners that have fewer calories than regular sugar, but they still have substantial calories. For instance, a regular Oreo contains 54 calories, while a sugar-free Oreo contains 50 calories.