Sugar free candy is all the rage on a keto diet. But is there actually a keto friendly candy? Can sugar free candy raise your blood sugar? Will sugar free candy kick you out of ketosis? These are all questions we’ll answer in today’s post.
Candy, it’s the norm in a Standard American Diet. People consume candy almost every single day. Even diabetics consume candy, regular candy bars and sugar free candy.
There’s a ton of marketing ploys out there, touting candy as being “sugar free.” But what does sugar free actually mean? It definitely doesn’t mean calorie free and unfortunately it doesn’t necessarily make it okay for diabetics or other individuals that want to limit the impact on their blood sugar.
Common questions asked about Sugar Free Candy
Can you eat candy on keto diet?
You can eat low carb candy on a keto diet, but it’s not ideal. An occasional keto treat here and there is fine, but ideally your diet should be made up of whole foods.
Is there carbs in sugar free candy?
Yes! Carbs exist in most sugar free candies. Most main stream sugar free candies contain maltitol which is a sugar alcohol (and has carbs). Unfortunately maltitol is not the best for a keto diet because it can raise your blood sugar. Other sugar alcohols that may raise your blood sugar are sorbitol and xylitol.
Is sorbitol okay on keto?
Sorbitol is not an ideal sugar alcohol to consume on a keto diet because it can raise blood sugar and insulin.
Is maltitol okay on keto?
Maltitol is not an ideal sugar alcohol to consume on a keto diet because it can raise blood sugar and insulin. Also, when maltitol is consumed in large quantities it can cause gastrointestinal issues like bloating and diarrhea. So be aware when consuming sugar free candies containing maltitol.
Can sugar free candy raise your blood sugar?
Yes! Sugar free can that contains sugar alchocols especially maltitol and sorbitol can raise your blood sugar. For more information on which sweeteners are best for a keto diet, check out this post I wrote about keto sweeteners.
Can diabetics eat sugar free candy?
Yes, diabetics can eat sugar free candy. Looks for sugar free candies that do not contain maltitol, xylitol or sorbitol.
What sugar alcohols can I have on keto?
I wrote an entire post about which sugar alcohols and non-caloric sweeteners you can have on a keto diet. Check out the post I wrote about keto sweeteners here.
Do you count sugar alcohols as carbs?
Some people who follow a keto diet count total carbs, these people would count sugar alcohols as carbs. Also, others who follow a keto diet that count net carbs will subtract fiber, but will bot subtract sugar alcohols. In this case, sugar alcohols will count as carbs.
Do sugar alcohols raise blood sugar?
Yes! Well, some do at least. Maltitol and Sorbitol are two sugar alcohols that will raise blood sugar and elicit an insulin response.
Can sugar alcohol give you diarrhea?
Totally! This is something that individuals find out the hard way! This mostly happens when someone is new to keto and they go out shopping and find some sugar free candy at the grocery store. They then decide to eat half or the entire entire bag of sugar free candy and then spend the next few hours running back and forth to the bathroom.
If you have friends following a keto diet, I bet this has happened to at least one of them.
Is splenda a sugar alcohol?
No, Splenda is an artificial sweetener made from sucralose which does not contain any carbohydrates. Sugar alcohols contain carbohydrates. In it’s powdered form, Splenda is normally bound to dextrose or maltodextrin which contain carbohydrates and will cause a glucose response.
Do sugar alcohols cause bloating?
Depending on the type of sugar alcohol consumed, and individual sensitivity, sugar alcohol can cause bloating along with other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Will sugar free candy kick you out of ketosis?
It depends on which sugar free candy you eat. Sugar free candy made with maltitol, xylitol, or sorbitol will most likely kick you out of ketosis and therefor should be avoided.
Sugar Free Candy Recipes You Need to Try
Low Carb Chocolate Covered Vanilla Buttercream Truffle Candy – The Keto Queens
Almond Joy Keto Candy Bars – Healthy Sweet Eats
Keto Orange Creamsicle Gummies – Resolution Eats
Keto Muddy Buddies – Texas Granola Girl
Keto Bourbon Balls – This Mom’s Menu
Sugar Free Gummies – Low Carb Yum
Linda Cast says
Hard candy please. Instructions for root beer (or any flavor) with a healthy keto sweetener. Thank you
Connie Clanton says
monk fruit
Carol G Thompson says
any recipe for keto hard candy I have a very dry throat all the time OTC sugar free throat lozengers contain aspartame, eeek!
Kathryn Evans says
Mannitol is good for Parkinson’s Disease patients. I am looking for recipes for use with that sugar alcohol sweetener.
Do you have any recipes using mannitol?
Lara says
I’m sorry we don’t have any recipes using mannitol.
Chelsea says
Have U had experience with ethiroly or xylitol.. I want to know what suger substitute can be brought to the soft ball stage for things like fudge or halva
Lara says
I Chelsea, we actually wrote an entire post on the best sweeteners to have on a keto diet! https://theketoqueens.com/keto-sweeteners/