Whether you're buying confectionery for an event, stocking up for your personal collection, or are a confectionery store owner, you may think that diabetic sweets and sugar-free sweets are interchangeable.
In some cases you'd be right, but not all the time. Some sugar-free sweets may not be suitable for individuals with diabetes, and many confectionery brands don't market their no-sugar options as "diabetic sweets".
In this post, we'll compare diabetic sweets vs sugar-free sweets in detail, so you can make the right decision for your personal or business needs.
What Are Diabetic Sweets?
Individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have to limit their sugar intake to prevent symptoms. While some sugary foods are allowed with both conditions, moderation is key.
Because so many foods contain sugar or variants, this often means that people with diabetes have to reduce their intake of chocolate, sweets, and carbohydrates.
Diabetic sweets avoid sugars like glucose and sucrose because they can raise blood sugar levels.
Instead, manufacturers would use sweeteners and ingredients with a lower impact on blood glucose.
UK Guidance on “Diabetic Foods”
Up until the early 2000s, diabetic foods were popular and frequently featured in supermarkets and health food stores. However, following a consultation with Diabetes UK, these foods are no longer available.
Specialists note that the foods had no real value for diabetic people with diabetes and were an unnecessary expense.
Instead, guidance for both type 1 and 2 diabetes focuses on maintaining a healthy diet through balanced nutrition and moderating sugar/carbohydrates.
Today’s labelling regulations prohibit manufacturers and retailers from labelling foods as “diabetic friendly”.
What are Sugar-Free Sweets?
Sugar-free sweets are popular options for consumers in the UK, as they contain zero or a tiny amount of sugar.
The law states that sweets can only be classed as sugar-free if there's no more than 0.5 grams of sugar per 100g (Bryant Research).
Instead of using traditional sugar, manufacturers will use alternatives such as:
- Polyols: Sugar alcohols like maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, and xylitol.
- Intense sweeteners: These include steviol glycosides, sucralose, and acesulfame K.
- Combinations: Some manufacturers will also combine different sweeteners to achieve the flavour and texture they want.
There’s a diverse selection of sugar-free sweets, including chocolate, gummy sweets, boiled sweets, chewing gum, and many more options.
But sugar-free doesn't necessarily mean the confectionery is carbohydrate-free or low-calorie.
Can People With Diabetes Have Sugar-Free Candy?
It really depends on the sugar-free sweet, as individuals with diabetes have to consider carbohydrates too, and some sugar alternatives can still impact blood glucose levels.
For example, while polyols have a lower effect than standard sugar, they can still interfere with blood glucose levels.
The amount of sweets a person eats can also cause problems. A handful of sugar-free sweets might be fine for someone with diabetes, but eating a whole bag can have a negative impact.
Over the years, specialists have increasingly understood that there's no set diet to manage diabetes symptoms. Everyone is different, and one person's recommended sugar and carb intake may differ from another's.
No Added Sugar Sweets
Another thing to be aware of is the difference between sugar-free and no-added-sugar confectionery.
While sugar-free options use sweeteners, when a sweet says it has no added sugar, it means the manufacturers haven't added sugar.
But that doesn't mean the confectionery doesn't have naturally occurring sugars from its ingredients.
So, a sweet that contains real fruit juice will have natural sugars. But a fruit-flavoured sugar-free sweet won't.
Are Sugar-Free Sweets the Healthier Option?
When it comes to sugar-free sweets vs traditional confectionery, there are definitely some health benefits.
- Weight Management: With people more weight-conscious today and more aware of the long-term effects of a high-sugar diet, opting for sugar-free confectionery can support weight management.
- Dental Health: Also, parents tend to choose no-sugar confectionery as sugar can rot the teeth. However, there’s an important caveat to know about: sugar-free sweets can cause digestive issues.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Depending on the ingredients, sugar-free sweets can potentially offer better blood sugar control than traditional confectionery.
The Downsides:
- Laxative Effects: Sweeteners such as polyols can also have a laxative effect when consumed in large quantities. For diabetics, this can be dangerous due to potential dehydration, which impacts blood glucose levels.
- Carbohydrates: Even if sweets don’t have sugar, they may still contain carbohydrates. These can be dangerous for individuals with diabetes, as consuming carbs requires a balancing act with insulin dosages.
What to Look for When Choosing No Sugar Sweets
Individuals with diabetes are skilled at managing the condition and understand how to moderate their diet properly.
If you’re a confectionery store owner, it’s essential to look for confectionery with clear ingredient labels and nutritional information.
Finding alternatives to sweets that contain polyols can be beneficial because of the potential risk of an upset stomach.
If you’re stocking up to cater for health-conscious shoppers or those looking to lose weight, clear product information is still important.
Letting your customers know that high quantities of sugar-free sweets can cause an upset stomach ensures they understand the importance of moderation.
Discover No Sugar Confectionery
When it comes to sugar-free sweets, UK consumers have plenty of options to explore, and choosing the right ones for your store can boost sales. Appleton’s specialises in providing high-quality confectionery at low prices.
Whether you’re looking for Sugar-Free Lollipops, Cola Bottles, Gummy Bears, or boiled sweets like Fruit Drops and Mint Humbugs, we have plenty of delicious options available.
Our customers can enjoy shopping without minimum order amounts, making it easy to stock up. If you need advice, we’re here to help.