The Halloween Candy with the Lowest Sugar
Updated: Oct. 23, 2020
This Halloween have your treats and enjoy them too with these low and sugar-free Halloween candy options to limit your sugar intake.
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Low and sugar-free Halloween treats
When you think about Halloween, it’s impossible not to picture a big bowl of candy. Halloween is one of the many holidays that highlight America’s love of sugar. The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you get no more than 10 percent of your total calories from added sugars. That’s about 12 teaspoons each day if you’re following a 2,000-calorie diet.
But on an average day, Americans consume a whopping 17 teaspoons of added sugar. So, just imagine how high your totals get when you keep nabbing mini chocolate bars out of the treat bowl.
Cutting down on added sugars can help reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Excess sugar in your diet may also negatively impact your brain. Eating higher amounts of sugar is linked to a higher risk of depression. Eating sugar makes you want more, too: University of California San Francisco’s SugarScience researchers have found that sugar may have addictive properties.
Of course, healthy eating is more about what you eat every day rather than a one-day indulgence on a holiday like Halloween. But maybe you have a health condition like diabetes or you’re just being smart about your sugar intake.
Here are the 11 low and sugar-free candy options that have my nutritionist seal of approval this Halloween.
The Good Chocolate Squares
$27, 12 count
The Good Chocolate is a chocolate company that provides quality chocolate with zero sugar by sweetening their chocolate bars with natural sweeteners. They are also 100 percent organic and keto-friendly (only one to two net carbs per serving). They come in six different flavors, so you’ll have a variety of options to choose from. Just note that these candies—like many of the sugar-free options on this list—are sweetened with sugar alcohols. While some of these sweeteners can help prevent cavities, they may also cause tummy trouble, including diarrhea, in large amounts. A gentle reminder: Always keep portion sizes in mind.
Tom and Jenny’s Sugar-Free Caramels
$7, 1 pack
Tom and Jenny are a husband/wife duo who created their version of a sugar-free caramel because they wanted it to taste delicious, but also fit into special diets and lifestyles. Whether you have diabetes or are following a keto lifestyle, these caramels could fit into your diet plan. Each of Tom & Jenny’s five caramel flavors is sugar-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. (Keep in mind that even though they are nut-free, the package says the product is made in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts, so they may not be an option if you have allergies.) In addition, the caramels are “tooth-friendly”—they’re sweetened with xylitol—so you don’t have to worry about them being stuck in your teeth and causing cavities.
Hershey’s Sugar-Free Mini Chocolate Bars
$30, pack of 12
If you’re a fan of classic Hershey’s chocolate bars but are trying to cut back on added sugars, these Hershey’s minis are for you. They’re the perfect size for snacking or even doing Halloween baking. While they are sugar-free, Hershey’s does use sugar alcohols as a substitute. (Get more tips to help with your sugar addiction.)
Stevita Sugar-Free Hard Candies
$22, pack of 4
Stevita Hard Candies come in orange, strawberry, cherry, or grape, and each piece of candy has only 3 calories and zero carbs. Sweetened with natural stevia, Stevita Hard Candies are also organic and contain no artificial sweeteners.
SmartSweets Gummy Bears
$36, pack of 12
You can’t just have one gummy bear. SmartSweets gummy bears only have 3 grams of sugar per bag. Plus, each bag of gummy bears has only 90 calories and an impressive 28 grams of fiber—mostly from chicory root, a prebiotic that acts as fuel for the healthy bacteria in your digestive tract. (But chicory root can also cause an upset stomach when consumed in large amounts.) Smart Sweets are sweetened with stevia and are also dairy, soy, and nut-free.
SmartSweets Sweet Fish
$34, pack of 12
Similar to their gummy bears, SmartSweets sweet fish are the perfect candy to munch on when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth with less sugar. Plant-based and naturally flavored, this candy only has 3 grams of sugar and 80 calories per bag. They’re sweetened with stevia and contain some fiber. (Find out which Halloween treats nutritionists secretly love.)
Weight Watchers Chocolate Caramel Mini Bars
$18, 1 box, 12 count
Chocolate and caramel go hand in hand, and these Weight Watchers Chocolate Caramel Mini Bars offer the classic combo without extra sugar. Each bar has just 3 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein. Just keep in mind that these also contain sugar alcohols as a sweetener so don’t overdo it. Another option: These non-candy Halloween treats for trick-or-treaters.
Evolved Organic Coconut Caramel Cups
$22, 9 count
Evolved coconut caramel cups boasts just 4 grams of sugar. These cups are also vegan, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. They also have only five simple ingredients that you’ll recognize—no worrying about what they’re actually made of. (Don’t miss these other gluten-free Halloween candies that everyone can enjoy.)
Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
$23, 3 bags
Unreal is a candy brand that strives to make your favorite chocolate sweets but without the sugar. These peanut butter cups only have 5 grams of sugar per cup—that’s more than 35 percent less sugar than the traditional variety. With fair trade, non-GMO, certified gluten-free ingredients, these chocolate peanut butter cups check all of the boxes.
Skinny Dipped Almonds
$25, pack of 5
Skinny Dipped chocolate-covered espresso almonds are like eating chocolate-covered espresso beans and chocolate-covered almonds all in one bite. With just 6 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber per serving, these are a great snack for any chocolate lover. (Looking for more healthy-Halloween-treat options? Here are the healthier Halloween candy swaps.)
Numa Good-For-You Nougats
$14, 3 bags of 24 each
Numa chocolate milk nougat is a satisfyingly chewy, chocolatey, nutty, sweet candy. While Numa does have the most sugar of the candies listed here, two pieces have only 8 grams of sugar—that’s still 40 percent less than most other candy bars. The nougats are made with natural ingredients and contain essential vitamins and minerals and 4 grams of protein.
Next, find out what nutritionists do on Halloween that you don’t.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: "Looking to Reduce Your Family's Intake of Added Sugars? Here's How"
- New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services: "How Much Sugar Do You Eat?"
- University of California San Francisco SugarScience: "How Much is Too Much?"
Originally Published: October 25, 2019
