Can Candy Be Healthy?

Today, there are plenty of brands that claim to offer “healthier” options for indulging a sweet tooth — some by cutting back on calories and added sugar, others by adding nutrients like fiber, and/or by using organic or allergen-free ingredients. While more accessible than they’ve been in the past, these options are still not as easy to find as traditional candy. They also tend to be more expensive than their conventional counterparts — in some cases, twice as much per serving.

So, is seeking out and paying more for so-called healthier candy worth it? Here is how six popular brands stack up nutritionally and what you need to know about them.

1. YumEarth

This brand makes an array of non-chocolate options — jelly beans, gummy bears, lollipops, even a healthier version of candy corn for fans of that Halloween staple (hi, Mom!) — that are free of the top eight food allergens, as well as free of artificial dyes and GMOs.

This is great news for anyone with a food allergy, since traditional candy bars almost always contain at least one of the major allergens, such as wheat, soy, dairy, or nuts. Just don’t expect YumEarth’s candy to be very different nutritionally from more readily available and affordable counterparts.

Take the YumEarth Fruit Chews as an example. For just over 1 ounce of candy, both YumEarth and Starburst fruit chews have the exact same 16 g of added sugar. The ingredient lists are strikingly similar as well.

While YumEarth does feature certified organic ingredients, those ingredients are still just fancy names for sugars and saturated fats (organic rice syrup, organic cane sugar, organic palm oil), so don’t be fooled by the “health halo.” It’s still best to consume these candies in moderation.

2. SmartSweets

This brand offers a wide variety of gummies, including vegan-friendly options, with a promise of significantly less sugar than traditional varieties. When you read “sugar-free” or “low-sugar” on a food label, however, it often means that the sugar has been replaced with something else, likely an artificial sweetener.

The other thing to note about this brand is that it adds plant-derived fiber to its products. The extra fiber can help blunt the effects of sugar on blood glucose, although it’s definitely better to get your sugar and fiber fix naturally from a piece of fruit. Still, SmartSweets Red Twists deliver 40 g of total carbohydrates, including 12 g of fiber and just 2 g of sugar (with no added sugars), compared with the 27 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of added sugar and zero grams of fiber in an even smaller serving of strawberry Twizzlers.

3. Unreal

This innovative line of chocolate bars, nut butter cups, and candy-coated chocolate “gems” (think M&M’s) claims to be made with 51 percent less sugar than the leading competitors’ products, while containing no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or artificial colors. It even manages to sneak in some crisped quinoa for crunch and plant-based protein.

Still, the nutritional profile isn’t terribly exciting. While Unreal does use organic cane sugar in its ingredients, your body won’t know the difference between organic and conventional sugar, and the amount is comparable to what’s in traditional candy.

4. Surf Sweets

These gummy candies — worms, bears, and fish — are sweetened with organic cane sugar and not high-fructose corn syrup. But really, your body metabolizes both forms of sugar in the same way, and they have the same effect on your body.

Surf Sweets DelishFish contain 100 calories and 16 g of added sugar per serving. Swedish fish have slightly more of each, with 110 calories and 23 g of added sugar in the same serving. To be fair, Swedish Fish doesn’t list high-fructose corn syrup among its ingredients either.

If you prefer the flavor of DelishFish, go for it; if not, they may not be worth the premium price tag. It is worth mentioning that Surf Sweets does donate 1 percent of its proceeds to help clean up the ocean, so you can certainly feel good about that if this is your candy of choice.

5. Justin’s

Researchers don’t yet fully understand the exact mechanism and dose response, but it’s best to limit this ingredient as much as possible.

6. Ocho Organic

This organic, fair-trade chocolate and caramel brand uses only gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients, and it has vegan options. Even so, the bars are pretty indulgent.

So, Are Some Candy Bars Actually Good for You?

At the end of the day, even “healthy” candy bars aren’t good for you. If a certain brand of candy is your favorite, indulge in moderation and savor every bite.

Unless you’re looking for a product that is allergen-free, gluten-free, or low in sugar because of a specific health condition, the brands listed above may not be worth the hefty price tag. Opt for a fun-size candy that you truly enjoy, whether it’s on this list or not, and keep your consumption to a minimum.

Too much sugar isn’t good for anyone, but neither is completely eliminating your favorite treats from your diet.