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Sugar Free Halloween Candy: What to Buy and What to Check
Sugar free Halloween candy replaces sugar with sweeteners such as maltitol, isomalt or steviol glycosides. Under FDA rules the claim means less than 0.5 g of sugars per serving, with no sugar ingredient in the recipe. Read the allergen statement on the wrapper as well, and keep every bowl out of a dog's reach.
Two of ours that suit the night:
On this page: what counts as sugar free · our candy for the night · what to check on a wrapper · candy and dogs · FAQ
What makes Halloween candy sugar free?
In the US, sugar free is a nutrient content claim defined by the FDA in 21 CFR 101.60: less than 0.5 g of sugars per serving and per reference amount, and no ingredient that is a sugar. Sugar alcohols, a family of sweeteners that includes maltitol and isomalt, are not counted as sugars, so candy sweetened with them can taste as sweet as the usual kind and stay under the limit.
The same rule asks a sugar free food that is not low calorie to say so, which is why the words "not a low calorie food" turn up on so many wrappers. No sugar added is a separate claim with its own conditions in that section. Our guide to sugar free vs no added sugar puts the two claims side by side.
Which Diablo candy suits Halloween?
For the night we would put out two of our gummies and a dark chocolate bar, compared below per 100 g (about 3.5 oz).
| Diablo candy | Sugars | Sweetened with | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gummy Bears 75 g | 0.1 g | maltitol, steviol glycosides | set with gelatin |
| Gummy Drops 75 g | 0.1 g | maltitol, steviol glycosides | set with gelatin |
| Dark Chocolate 85 g | 0.5 g | maltitol | 8.1 g of fiber; no gelatin |
Not a low calorie food. See nutrition information for sugar and calorie content.
The wrapper in your hand has the final word on allergens, so check it against anyone in the house with an allergy. Buying for a party as well? Our guide to how much candy to buy per person does the math.
What should you check before candy goes in the bowl?
Check the sugars line, the allergens, the sugar alcohol line and whether the pack is still sealed.
The sugars line
On a US Nutrition Facts label it reads Total Sugars, per serving. A sugar free food usually shows 0 g there, because labels round sugars to the nearest gram and may declare anything under 0.5 g a serving as zero. Sugar alcohols such as maltitol are not part of that figure.
The allergens
A US package must declare any of the nine major food allergens it contains, in the ingredient list or in a Contains statement, according to the FDA. Sesame, the ninth, has had to be labeled since January 1, 2023. Read any "may contain" line on the wrapper as well.
The sugar alcohol line
Sugar alcohols sit inside Total Carbohydrate and may appear on their own line. Under 21 CFR 101.9 that line is voluntary until the label makes a claim about sugars or sugar alcohols, and then it has to be there.
The whole pack
Put sealed packs in the bowl, so the ingredients and the allergen statement go wherever the candy does. A handful tipped out of a 75 g bag leaves its label behind in the kitchen.
Why keep Halloween candy away from dogs?
Xylitol and chocolate can both make a dog seriously ill. Xylitol is a sweetener the FDA says is often used in sugar free mints, chocolate bars and chewing gum. In dogs it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes, with vomiting, weakness, staggering, collapse and seizures. As for chocolate, the same FDA page reminds owners it can be dangerous to dogs.
No Diablo candy, gummy or chocolate lists xylitol among its ingredients; ours are sweetened with maltitol, isomalt, sorbitol, steviol glycosides and acesulfame K. They belong out of reach all the same: our chocolate is still chocolate. If a dog does get into something containing xylitol, the FDA's advice is to call your vet, an emergency clinic or an animal poison control center right away.
Frequently asked questions
Is sugar free candy lower in calories?
Not by definition. The claim covers sugars, and the calories depend on what replaces them. US labels can count maltitol at 2.1 calories per gram, isomalt at 2.0 and erythritol at 0, against 4 for sugar, under 21 CFR 101.9.
Why does sugar free candy carry a laxative warning?
In the US, the FDA requires "Excess consumption may have a laxative effect" on food whose reasonably foreseeable consumption may result in a daily ingestion of 50 grams of sorbitol, under 21 CFR 184.1835. Our gummies and dark chocolate carry the UK and EU wording, "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects". The warning exists because the body absorbs sugar alcohols slowly and only partly.
Does sugar free candy raise blood sugar?
Britain's register of authorized health claims allows this wording for isomalt: "Consumption of foods/drinks containing isomalt instead of sugar induces a lower blood glucose rise after their consumption compared to sugar-containing foods/drinks". The same wording is authorized there for maltitol.
Are Diablo gummies vegetarian?
No. Our gummy bears, cola bottles and gummy drops are set with gelatin, so they are not vegetarian or vegan. The Dark Chocolate 85 g contains no gelatin.
Fill the bowl from our range
Everything in our US gummy and candy collection, from gummy bears to cola bottles.