Keto Candy, What Makes it Sweet

Hey Beautiful Keto People!

We all know why we’re here on a Keto Candy post.Having a little bit of something sweet after a long day is medicinal…it’s SELF CARE.

And, the way I see it you have four choices when it comes to candy and sweets on the Keto Diet.

1.  Give in to cravings and eat whatever you want.
2.  Make your own Keto Desserts  and Candy (Planning ahead of cravings is the only way to accomplish this.)
3.  Deny yourself any candy and end up binging at some point.
4.  Find some candy that you can buy and that aligns with your health and weight loss goals.

Since you are here I am guessing that you choosing the fourth option at least some of the time.

On the Keto Diet we all know that it’s about cutting out sugar and lowering the carbs so that your blood sugar doesn’t spike and cause your body to store fat (along with a host of other nasty side effects).

I am a sweet treat loving woman and Keto has not changed that. Nothing will change that.

Pre-Packaged Low Carb Candy

There are a ton of choices…

Just look at these… This is the big selection of everything Keto. But are they good?

I haven’t tried every single Keto Candy out there but I do have some favorites. After a couple of years around the Keto scene I can tell you what are the best that I have tried.

You really can find a substitute for just about any candy out there. I found Sugar Free Gummy Bears, Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers, Lifesavers, caramels, Jelly Belly’s and a ton of sugar free chocolate candy bars.

One of my favorites are these dark chocolate covered almonds. They are sweetened with monk fruit so you shouldn’t have any digestive issues. But don’t choose them if you have ANY allergies to gourds.

Plus, they contain just 2 NET carbs per serving so they are super easy to squeeze in if you are in the strict, low carb mode. Ah-mazing!

And I have to add that a friend of mine recently gave me some Sugar Free Russel Stover’s Pecan Delights and they were fantastic! They didn’t taste like low carb candy at all!

These are IT…if you like turtles. The link above is connected to the best deal per ounce because these are a little bit pricey. (WORTH IT!!!!)

When it comes to Keto Candy I really sort of prefer homemade Keto Bark.

But Russel Stover knows about candy and these Chocolate Covered Peppermints are amazing.

Looking for the best deals on Keto Chocolate?

You will not beat this price. The reviews were mixed but I had a great experience with this order so I am not sure what the problem was with some reviewers orders.

(No I do not have some special affiliate deal with Russel Stover. I am only recommending candy that I have tried & paid for and would pay money for again. I’m cool like that.)

What if you don’t like chocolate?

Well then you’re….different. I was going to say weird but I don’t want to exclude anyone. One of my favorite people doesn’t like chocolate.

I have tried these and they are pretty close to the real thing. This is the best deal on Amazon.

And if fruity candy is your thing than look at these choices!

Keto Candy that You Can Make

This is definitely the choice that I prefer when it comes to low carb candy. This recipe is a go to in my house. It only takes a few minutes to make your own Keto Bark and it is soooo much less expensive than store bought.

Or you can check out this Keto Peanut Butter Cup recipe (OMG). Or, it you need something you can make in a flash, this Keto Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie.

Truffle Bites are an easy to make treat…

I hate the term “fatbomb”. You know a man named them because a woman would have called them Low Carb Truffles. It just sounds more appealing right? Plus, that’s what they are.

These are so easy to make and if you have been Keto for any time at all you probably have a lot of these ingredients in your kitchen already. Here are a couple to get you started.

Keto Holiday’s don’t have to be hard….

I was worried about the holidays on the Keto Diet. Our teen is growing up fast and I want to hang onto the few holiday traditions that we have. Besides the decorating, there is the food.

I understand. But making new traditions and finding substitutes is going to be a must or you will find yourself starting over as a sugar burner.

I won’t lie and say “It’s easy”. It’s not. But try to think of it as a challenge instead of a chore.

As Keto Bloggers a lot of people tend to think that we are just pillars of self control. We’re not. We are regular people.

Even when we know the answer to the “Keto Cravings” problem…we are still people who have the same cravings as everyone else.

Sometimes we give into them. AND IT IS OKAY TO INDULGE ONCE IN A WHILE. We try to get back on track as soon as we can and we try not to make a habit of it.

And on that note I just want to say not to beat yourself up if you blow your carb count on Christmas…or on Tuesday. It’s okay. Get back on track as soon as you can and let it go.

You are not living to do Keto. Your are doing Keto live a better, healthier, happier life. If that includes having some of your Mom’s chocolate silk pie once in a while at a holiday party or whatever gathering then do it.

Keto Sweeteners and Your Health:

There are a few things that you really should know about “Low Carb/ Sugar Free” candy before you gobble a bunch down. Trust me, at the very least the info below will save you some gastronomic distress….

The Keto Diet is taking the world by storm but sometimes we still want a piece of candy…right? Well, I know that I do.

All it takes is a quick search to find low carb, Keto Friendly candy and dessert recipes on Pinterest. I have collected a lot of them over the last few years…

But the problem is that not everyone has time to make them right when you need/want them.

One of my biggest cravings is peanut butter and chocolate. Not Reese’s but real peanut butter and chocolate.

If you like the peanut butter chocolate chip snack,  you should check out these low carb Chocolate chips. Don’t go nuts with them though…it’s easy to over do it.

Not all Keto Candy is created equally so take a closer look at look at the ingredients before you buy…

Some no-cal sweeteners are not healthy and others can be downright dangerous.

I mean curl your toenails dangerous.

We all know that that zero sugar means there will be no insulin response and that is what we’re going for for.

But there are other considerations.

Bad Sweeteners – IMPORTANT

If you are only here to scan this post for candy recommendations please read this section too!

There are some very common artificial sweeteners that you should absolutely avoid. While they are not metabolized and do not cause an insulin response, they can cause a host of other problems.

Sucralose (Splenda)

This can cause insulin resistance which is a risk factor for diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. (Good short video about Sucralose)

Aspartame (Equal and NutraSweet)

is converted into formaldehyde by an enzyme in the liver. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen.  It may also have a bad effect on serotonin and dopamine in your brain.  This means trouble sleeping and feeling good.

There are studies linking this to all manners of terrible things.  I would definitely avoid eating any of this.  (Good short video about Aspartame)

I have also heard that aspartame can affect your vision and especially depth perception, but I was not able to find any studies or actual science to support that.

All the proof I have is a pilot friend of mines word that he was told to avoid it because it could be a career-ender for him. (Pilots need their depth perception)

Decent Sweetener with fewer side effects:

Stevia:

Stevia is everywhere and it is a decent sugar replacement. But as dangerous as being over weight is there are also some pretty serious issues with Stevia.

But read on and check out the video so you can make a conscientious decision for yourself.

Stevia, if used in moderation is safe.

Moderation is less than 1.8 mg per pound of body weight according to the WHO (World Heath Organization).

That means if you take your weight and multiply it by 1.8 that will be the amount in milligrams of Stevia you can safely consume in a day.

For the average person that is 2 Stevia sweetened drinks per day.

What happens if you get too much?  In your gut, Stevia turns into steviol which is toxic in higher quantities because it can actually cause DNA damage. (Good short video on Stevia)

DNA damage sounds horrific and if you are in your child bearing years you should definitely avoid this sweetener in any amount.

Imagine the consequences. It just isn’t worth it.

Good Sweeteners

Erythritol

Happily there is one no-cal sweetener that can be a wonderful compliment to the Keto lifestyle.

Erythritol (Swerve is the most popular brand) is a sugar alcohol that has few metabolic effects.

It just tastes sweet. And now there is some data that says that erythritol may actually be a beneficial antioxidant. And, in a diabetic mouse study it was shown to offer vascular benefits.

With that being said…in large doses it has been reported to cause an upset stomach.

And, there is a catch….

Erythritol is made from cornstarch meaning that if it is made in the U.S. it is most likely coming from a GMO Cornstarch.

If you have issues with GMO, you should definitely choose an Erythritol product like the Swerve or Zsweet brands.

They are made in France and are certified GMO FREE. (I love France)

France has banned Monsanto’s GMO’s, High Fructose, Corn Syrup and titanium dioxide.

I don’t have a clue why the United States can’t get on board with this…oh, I remember now, it’s because these products are super cheap and make a lot of money for big manufacturers (Short rant over).

The good news…

Scientists started looking at erythritol for antioxidant properties because other “no calorie” sweeteners like xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol were already known as antioxidants.

The advantage of erythritol is that it’s absorbed and does not cause as much digestive distress/laxative effects as  xylitol, sorbitol or mannitol IF you consume under 50 grams a day.  (Good short video erythritol)

So, unless you like that laxative effect check the ingredients and watch how much you eat.

Xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol are used in candy that is labeled as sugar free.  Nutrition information info will have them listed as a sugar alcohol – the same as erythritol.

With all of this info it seems like Erythritol is the clear choice for me but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t remind you that the studies on the effect of any of these sweeteners are young.

Read the facts, do due diligence and make your choices

Monk Fruit

Candy Made with Monk fruit is popular among those Keto and Low Carb Dieters that dislike sugar alcohol. But there are just a few things to consider with this one as well.

• It’s expensive. Monk fruit is hard to grow, difficult to harvest, goes rancid quickly thereafter and is hard to dry. So if you use it you will pay a premium.
• It has a strange aftertaste. (To me anyway).
• It can cause some serious allergic reactions if you have problems with other gourds.

But it is a “whole” alternative to artificial sweeteners. I really like the Lankanto Erythritol/Monk Fruit Blend. It has less of a “cooling” effect than straight erythritol.

Monk fruit candy is definitively a healthier alternative to aspartame, just look at all of the choices on this low carb candy list that you can have delivered to your door!

Allulose

This is the latest addition to the no-carb carb sweetener options, and all indications are that it is a good one.

It tastes like sugar (about 70% as sweet) without any aftertaste or even cooling sensation that comes with erythritol.

The reason that allulose tastes like sugar is that it is actually a sugar  – a rare sugar that is.

Also known as D-psicose Allulose is a monosaccharide just like glucose and fructose, but molecule is arranged differently.

Allulose occurs naturally in small amounts in wheat figs and a couple of other foods, but recently manufacturers have found that adding some enzymes to fructose will rearrange the molecule into allulose.

The shape of the allulose molecule makes it so that 70-90% of allulose is absorbed into your blood but it doesn’t affect blood sugar because it is passed in urine.

The rest of it just goes through your digestive tract where some of the calories are absorbed (0.2-0.4 calories/gram – 1/10th the amount of sugar)

Allulose resists fermentation by gut bacteria so the risk of gas or bloating is tremendously reduced.

And it has shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Allulose cost a little more than erythritol.

The only downside is Allulsose’s newness –  there are studies but there are not any long term studies.

All that being said, if you crave something sweet and Keto friendly reasonable use of allulose might be just the thing. I haven’t found any chocolate bars made with just allulose but these “chocolate morsels” are amazing and don’t cause me the slightest bit of stomach issue.

Now that you know more abut sweeteners than you ever wanted to, you can make your choices about prepackaged candy with a clear idea of what these ingredients actually are….

How to cheat on Keto and get away with it.

This will help you keep your progress and enjoy a night off. Just don’t make it a habit or it won’t work…just trust me on this. Days turn into weeks all too quickly.

If you are looking for easy Keto Dessert recipes:

These are a few of my favorites….

There are a whole bunch of Keto Sweets recipes here.

But if after all that you really just want to unwrap a piece of candy they are available too.

Cheers,

Brenna

New to Keto?

Check out these helpful posts…

• 11 sure signs of Ketosis
• Keto Alcohol
• How to Master Holiday Stress on the Keto Diet
• 9 Grocery Essentials for the Keto Diet

Warmest Wishes to every single one of you!

And if you need any help I hope you hit us up in the comments or on our Facebook Page!

Cheers!

Brenna