Is Sugar-Free Candy Okay for People With Diabetes?

Although consuming sugar doesn’t directly cause diabetes, consuming foods with carbs — including sugar — can make hitting your blood sugar goals more challenging. But does sugar-free candy have the same effect on blood sugar as the traditional stuff? And how does it affect weight, another measure of diabetes control? The answers to these common diabetes questions aren’t so straightforward. “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. That said, “Sugar-free does not mean calorie-free or carbohydrate-free,” Rizzotto adds. “While sugar-free candy is made with artificial sweeteners, and those sweeteners have fewer calories and carbohydrates, when eaten in certain amounts they still may have an impact on glucose levels and can sabotage one’s weight loss efforts.” Here’s the lowdown on eating sugar-free candy when managing diabetes. What Exactly Is in Sugar-Free Candy? “The major difference between regular and sugar-free candy is the kind of sweetener used,” says Anna Taylor, RD, who is affiliated with Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition. Taylor says that there’s typically no significant difference in the fat or protein content of sugar-free candy. Sugar-free sweeteners include saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, and stevia, as research notes . Examples of sugar alcohols, which are also sugar-free, include xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, and maltitol, per the Cleveland Clinic . As you can see, most sugar alcohols end in “-itol,” Taylor notes.
What Studies Say About Sugar-Free Candy and Blood Sugar While sugar-free candy itself hasn’t been studied extensively, the artificial sweeteners it contains have. A review of 37 studies published in 2017 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that artificial sweeteners were linked with a modest increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes, among other ailments. Another review cites research that suggests that consuming artificial sweeteners regularly may be dangerous for people with diabetes. That’s because those sweeteners are associated with an increased risk of obesity, which can further worsen glucose intolerance. That doesn’t mean you have to completely swear off sugar-free treats if you have diabetes or are at risk of it. Other research on humans suggests that regular sugar may be comparatively more damaging to those individuals. One study , for example, directly compared the different effects of sugary beverages and artificially sweetened beverages. The researchers observed that regular consumption (which they defined as two or more servings per day) of artificially sweetened drinks was associated with a 21 percent increase in the risk of diabetes. But the level of increased risk rose by 43 percent when the drinks were sweetened with regular sugar instead. In another review published in 2021 in Frontiers in Nutrition , the authors wrote that more long-term human studies are needed to determine the health effects of artificial sweeteners over time. Why Sugar-Free Candy May Be a Good Choice for People With Diabetes When managing diabetes, experts agree that sugar-free candy is a better choice than candy made with regular sugar — at least based on the current evidence. “Having the option of sugar-free candy to satisfy a sweet tooth without causing a spike in blood glucose can be very helpful, in addition to reducing one’s daily sugar consumption and posing less of a risk to dental health,” Rizzotto says. Another possible benefit? Sugar-free candy often, though not always, contains fewer total carbohydrates, less sugar, and fewer calories than regular candy, Taylor says. That said, it’s still crucial to practice portion control, as you do with all foods in a diabetes diet. If the candy contains sugar alcohols, as sugar-free candy often does, it still has the potential to affect your blood sugar levels, Taylor notes. That’s because sugar alcohols have carbohydrates, too, just to a lesser degree than regular sugar. Plus, if you ingest too many sugar alcohols, you may experience uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea, Taylor warns. “It’s also easy to consume more candy with the justification that it is sugar-free, potentially causing you to eat more calories and more carbohydrates than if you were just eating the regular candy made with sugar,” Rizzotto adds. “Always read the nutrition facts label to see how many calories, carbohydrates, and sugar alcohols, if any, the candy contains.” Tips for Eating Regular and Sugar-Free Candy When Managing Diabetes Before popping any candy in your mouth — whether regular or sugar-free — follow this handy guide to ensure that the sweet stuff doesn’t mess with your blood sugar levels: Enjoy in Moderation When looking at regular candy, mind the carbs per serving but also the added sugar. Aim to consume no more than 25 grams (g) of added sugar per day if you’re a woman and no more than 36 g per day if you’re a man, the American Heart Association recommends . Focus on portion control and decreased frequency, regardless of whether you choose sugar-free candy or regular candy, Taylor says. That way, you’ll be able to budget for treats without exceeding the recommended sugar or carb intake, she says. Be Mindful of Sugar Alcohols If you’re budgeting for a sugar-free candy in your diet, check the nutrition label and watch out for sugar alcohols. “You’ll see sugar alcohol content listed in grams on the nutrition facts label, under the total carbohydrates section,” Taylor says. “In addition, you will see the type of sugar alcohol the product contains by reading the ingredients list.” Watch for Saturated Fat “You want to look for the lowest saturated fat content and ensure that the carbohydrate content fits into your carb budget,” Taylor says. For instance, she notes that sugar-free chocolate still contains cocoa butter, which is high in saturated fat. Consuming too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels, and it should be limited to no more than about 6 percent of your total daily calories, Taylor says. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity Ultimately, choose a treat you know will be satisfying, so you aren’t tempted to overindulge. “Treat yourself to a piece of regular candy you like, and plan for it,” Rizzotto says. “Savor it slowly, not letting guilt flaw the experience of enjoying the candy.”