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Good Housekeeping published a tested roundup of 10 lower-sugar candy alternatives, including date-sweetened bars, fruit-only gummies and reduced-sugar chocolate, with per-serving nutrition data. Dietitians reviewing the picks flagged portion guidance for high-fiber options.
Good Housekeeping has published a tested roundup of 10 lower-sugar candy alternatives, spotlighting products sweetened with dates, fruit and reduced added sugar that the magazine’s nutrition experts say can replace conventional candy without sacrificing flavor. The list includes per-serving nutrition data for each pick, along with taste-tester feedback from the outlet’s food editors, giving consumers a documented starting point as interest in reduced-sugar treats grows.
The roundup’s top pick is a date-sweetened mini bar line made with plant-based, non-GMO and fair-trade ingredients, containing prebiotics and 4 to 7 grams of fiber per mini bar, with 0 grams of added sugar and 3 grams of total sugars in the Nutty variety reviewed. Good Housekeeping Deputy Food Editor Trish Clasen Marsanisco endorsed the salted date caramel flavor: “I like them even better than the chocolate caramel bars I’ve eaten my whole life. The date caramel layer is rich, decadent, and just the right amount of gooey.”
Other confirmed picks include Solely fruit gummies, made with just fruit and vitamin C, with no added sugar or artificial colors; each 60-calorie pouch contains 6 grams of total sugar and 0 grams of added sugar, and counts as a serving of fruit. UNREAL’s variety pack of dark chocolate coconut bars, peanut and almond butter cups and quinoa gems uses fair-trade chocolate, contains no sugar alcohols and is Non-GMO Project Verified, though its coconut bar still carries 3 grams of added sugar per 70-calorie serving.
SmartSweets reworks nostalgic gummies such as Sweet Fish and Peach Rings with no added sugar, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, colored with fruit and vegetable juices; a Sweet Fish pouch has 13 grams of fiber and 3 grams of sugar. The magazine’s dietitians advise limiting intake to no more than one bag a day and drinking plenty of water to support digestion, given the high fiber content. Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars (4 grams of added sugar per bar), stevia-free chocolate-peanut butter wafers (3 grams of added sugar per piece) and Numa taffy, which the report says has nearly half the sugar and more protein than traditional taffy, round out the confirmed selections.
Why Reduced-Sugar Swaps Matter Now
The roundup reflects continued consumer demand for confectionery with less added sugar, driven by dietary guidance recommending limits on added-sugar intake. The listed products show a pattern: sweetness sourced from dates and fruit, fiber added to improve satiety, and the removal of artificial dyes and sugar alcohols. For readers, the value is in the per-serving nutrition data, which lets direct comparisons — several picks still contain added sugars (3 to 7 grams per serving), so ‘healthier’ does not mean sugar-free. The dietitian portion guidance for SmartSweets also illustrates that reformulated candy can carry its own digestive considerations.
Top picks for "healthier sugar candy"
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How Good Housekeeping Tested the Picks
According to the report, selections were evaluated by Good Housekeeping’s nutrition professionals and taste testers, and the outlet notes that Solely has won several of its Snack Awards in recent years. Tester comments cited in the piece include praise for Solely’s chewiness, a comparison of UNREAL’s coconut bars to Almond Joy, and one tester’s remark that SmartSweets had no “fakeness” or weird aftertaste despite being sugar-free. The Numa taffy entry notes that a two-piece serving is an excellent source of iron and calcium per the magazine’s dietitians, and that the candy is dairy-free.
“Though they’re made without added sugar, each bite delivers the sweetness you’d expect (and love!) in a traditional candy bar.”
— Trish Clasen Marsanisco, Good Housekeeping Deputy Food Editor
Limits of the Product Data
Several details remain incomplete. The source material available for this article was truncated mid-list, so the specific products, brands and nutrition facts for the final entries — including the BEAR fruit snacks, which are described only as a ‘more natural take on the classic fruit roll-up’ — could not be fully verified. Taste evaluations are subjective tester impressions rather than controlled comparisons, and the claim that Numa has ‘nearly half the sugar’ of traditional taffy is the brand’s/report’s characterization without a named baseline product. Nutrition figures reflect the specific varieties cited and may differ across flavors.
What Shoppers Should Watch For
Readers can consult the full Good Housekeeping list for the complete 10-product slate and current pricing. As reduced-sugar confectionery expands, expect more launches using date paste, fruit concentrates and fiber fortification; shoppers comparing options should check labels for added sugars per serving, sugar alcohols, and fiber content — and follow portion guidance on high-fiber products like SmartSweets.
Key Questions
Are these candy swaps completely sugar-free?
No. Several picks, such as the Pure Organic fruit bars (4 g added sugar) and chocolate-peanut butter wafers (3 g added sugar), contain some added sugar. Others, like the date bars and SmartSweets, list 0 g added sugar but retain naturally occurring total sugars.
Why do dietitians recommend limiting SmartSweets to one bag a day?
According to Good Housekeeping’s dietitians, the candies are high in fiber (13 g per Sweet Fish pouch), so the magazine advises no more than one bag daily with plenty of water to support digestion.
Do the swaps taste like regular candy?
Testers quoted by Good Housekeeping said yes — one compared UNREAL’s coconut bars to Almond Joy, and another found no ‘fakeness’ in SmartSweets. These are subjective taste-test impressions, not controlled evaluations.
Which pick has the least sugar?
Among the fully documented entries, the Solely fruit gummies and the date-sweetened Nutty bar each have 0 g added sugar, with 6 g and 3 g total sugar per serving respectively.
Source: rss
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