If you’re looking to have a gluten-free diet, you should consider avoiding wheat and its products. Instead, you should eat natural, wholesome foods, including meat, dairy, vegetables and fruits. But what about when you fancy something sweet and delicious for dessert? Everyone loves candy, right? So, what candy is gluten-free, then?
Well, believe it or not most candy is gluten-free. However, you should be aware that gluten is sometimes a needed addition in processed goods and these may include candy, too. So, you should always read the label of desserts you buyif you're gluten-intolerant, in case gluten has been added during the manufacturing process.
This article will explain which candies have gluten and which don’t. It will also provide useful tips to help you buy gluten-free candy or make some for yourself.
Key Takeaways
Gluten is a class of proteins that naturally occurs in grains. For example, you’ll find it in rye, durum, khorasan wheat, semolina, barley, triticale, and emmer.
One reason why it’s widely used, especially in processed foods, is because of its structural benefits. It helps some foods like bread hold their shape during and after preparation. Gluten also has culinary benefits, like improving food texture and moisture retention.
As a result, manufacturers make some types of candy using gluten. However, candy full of gluten can be a health risk for people with certain medical conditions like celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, and irritable bowel syndrome.
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Do you love candy, but the doctor’s recommendation is to stay away from gluten? Here is a list of natural and processed sweets you can enjoy because they contain no gluten.
Pure chocolate has no gluten. However, be on the lookout for additional ingredients that introduce gluten to the chocolate. For example, some emulsifiers or flavorings may contain wheat.
Though most gummies contain glucose syrup, a wheat product, some manufacturers make gluten-free gummies. For example, all Ferrara gummies and Bob’s Sweet Stripes.
While some hard candies rely on the structural advantages of gluten to stay chewy, gluten-free hard candies are also available. They include: mint and butterscotch.
Hershey's makes the popular candy with wheat, so it's almost impossible to make a gluten-free version. However, other popular alternatives like Clif Strawberry Fruit Ropes and Yum Earth Organic Licorice exist.
The Wrigley company makes skittles gluten-free. They indicate this on the back of each skittle box because none of the ingredients used in making skittles has gluten.
Most of them have no gluten though some varieties in their lineup have gluten. Gluten-free M&Ms include Milk chocolate, Caramel, Peanut, Almond, Hazelnut Spread, Fudge Brownie, and Coffee Nut M&Ms.
They’re gluten-free apart from those that Hershey makes for a particular season, like Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. You can identify them by their different shapes.
Related: What Cereals Are Gluten Free? From Oatmeal to Cornflakes
You can choose from different types and varieties of candy, and knowing the right one can benefit your health. So here are some tips for implementing the next time you go candy shopping for yourself or the young one.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that manufacturers disclose whether any food contains gluten as a compliance measure. Yet, so often, you see gluten-free labeling on the package of candy brands in the US. As a consumer, you can check for this labeling on the package to ensure your product won’t cause adverse health effects.
Sometimes, manufacturers who produce several types of candy may contaminate gluten-free candy with gluten. It’s rare, but it can happen if the manufacturer manages its lines poorly. One way of checking for cross-contamination of your favorite gluten-free candy is through a compliance test in a laboratory.
Manufacturers are always trying new flavors and methods of producing better or cheaper candy. As a result, they may change or add ingredients overnight, leaving you with an allergic reaction from a brand you previously used without incident.
Always check ingredient changes on the candy packaging to note any additions of wheat-related products that may induce a gluten allergic reaction.
If your favorite candy suddenly stops offering gluten-free option, you can always look for alternatives, as there are thousands of alternative candy options in the US market.
Related: How Long Does Gluten Stay in Your System?
Did you know that you can make your own candy? Yes, you can, and it’s a good way of ensuring there’s no trace of gluten in your candy. Here are a few recipes you can use to be a candy chef.
Here are the steps to make gluten-free candy:
Making gummy candy is straightforward if you follow these steps. First, you’ll need a gummy bear mold or any other shaped mold to shape your candy.
Here are the steps to make hard candy at home:
To make gluten-free candy bars, follow these steps:
Hershey is well known as a confectionery brand, especially in producing chocolate products. The company encourages consumers to read through the packaging to determine if any of its products have gluten.
You can also visit the Hershey website to view a catalog of all gluten-free products in its lineup.
Related: The Ultimate Guide on How to Go Dairy and Gluten Free
A: Some individuals suffer adverse effects from exposure to gluten and dairy products. Here are some candies that are free of either of the compounds.
Candy | Candy | Candy |
---|---|---|
Starburst | Necco Wafers | No Whey chocolates |
Surf sweets | Sour Patch Kids | Mike and Ike's |
Life Savers | Welch’s fruit snacks | Zollipops |
Jolly Rancher | Skittles | YumEarth Lollipops |
Jelly Belly | Enjoy Life | YumEarth Sour Beans |
Smarties | Swedish Fish | SweeTARTS |
A: Tootsie Roll Industries don’t utilize wheat and other related components to make tootsie rolls. The company also states that its production line is up to standard; therefore, no accidental contamination of the tootsie rolls to gluten happens.
A: Starbursts are gluten-free and, therefore, safe for consumption by people with Celiac disease in the US. However, if you’re in Australia, Mars Wrigley lists the Starburst candy as having gluten.
Related: What Chips Are Gluten-Free? Make Your Own at Home
Almost everyone, from children to adults, enjoys an occasional treat in the form of candy. Eating candy is one of the simple pleasures of life. But, ironically, this simple pleasure can have adverse effects if you have a celiac condition. Therefore, it's important to utilize an article such as this one to learn about gluten-free candy you can safely consume. However, it’s also upon you to do due diligence and be on the lookout for contaminated “gluten-free” sweets.
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