Sugar free candies have become increasingly popular over the past few years as more people look to reduce their sugar intake for health reasons. Jolly Rancher, one of America’s most iconic candy brands, jumped on board this trend by introducing a line of “sugar free” versions of their classic fruit-flavored hard candies. But are these new sugar free Jolly Ranchers really free of sugar, or is it all just clever marketing? In this in-depth article, we’ll take a close look at the ingredients in sugar free Jolly Ranchers to find out if they live up to their name.
What are Jolly Ranchers?
Jolly Ranchers are a type of hard candy produced by The Hershey Company. The original Jolly Ranchers were introduced in 1949 and came in fruit flavors like cherry, lemon, apple, grape, and watermelon. They are known for their bold fruit flavors and hard, crunchy texture that takes a while to dissolve in your mouth.
Jolly Ranchers were an instant hit, becoming one of Hershey’s top selling candies through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Over the years, new fruit and candy flavors were added to the lineup, including pineapple, blue raspberry, and candy cane.
Today, regular Jolly Ranchers contain sugar, corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, citric acid, and other additives. A single Jolly Rancher candy contains about 3.5 grams of sugar.
The introduction of sugar free Jolly Ranchers
In 2004, Hershey began offering a “sugar free” version of Jolly Ranchers, ostensibly for people who wanted to reduce their sugar intake but didn’t want to give up their favorite candy.
According to the nutritional information on the sugar free Jolly Ranchers packaging, these candies contain 0g of sugar per piece. The ingredients list cites maltitol syrup as the primary sweetener instead of sugar. They also contain citric acid, artificial colors & flavors, magnesium stearate, and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K).
So with no sugar in the ingredients, does this mean sugar free Jolly Ranchers contain no sugar at all? Not exactly. To understand why, we need to take a closer look at the main sweetener used – maltitol syrup.
What is maltitol syrup?
Maltitol syrup is a sugar alcohol (also known as a polyol) that’s commonly used as a sugar substitute in processed foods like candy, ice cream, baked goods, and protein bars. Chemically speaking, it is very similar to the sugar alcohol malitol.
Sugar alcohols are produced from the hydrogenation of simple sugars. They are about 90% as sweet as regular sugar but contain fewer calories. Sugar alcohols are also more slowly absorbed by the body, causing less of spike in blood sugar levels compared to regular sugar.
For these reasons, maltitol syrup has become popular for use in so-called “sugar free” and reduced sugar products. It provides sweetness similar to sugar, but with a lower calorie count.
However, while sugar alcohols like maltitol have fewer calories than regular sugar, they are not completely calorie-free. Maltitol syrup contains about 2.1 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram in sugar.
Sugar alcohols can still raise blood sugar levels slightly, though not as dramatically as regular sugar. And in some people, consuming large amounts of sugar alcohols like maltitol can lead to unpleasant digestive side effects like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
So while maltitol syrup has some advantages over regular sugar, it is by no means a true zero-calorie, sugar-free sweetener.
Calories and carbohydrates in sugar free Jolly Ranchers
Now that we understand what maltitol syrup is, let’s take a detailed look at the nutrition facts for sugar free Jolly Ranchers:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 piece (12g)
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 8
Total Fat: 0g
Total Carbohydrate: 2g
– Dietary Fiber: 0g
– Total Sugars: 0g
Protein: 0g
At first glance, 8 calories per candy doesn’t seem too bad. But let’s make some calculations to get the full picture.
There are 2 grams of total carbohydrate per Jolly Rancher, which all comes from the maltitol syrup sweetener. Since maltitol syrup has 2.1 calories per gram, 2 grams of carbs x 2.1 calories/gram comes out to 4.2 calories.
This means that out of the 8 calories in a sugar free Jolly Rancher, over half (4.2 calories) comes just from the maltitol syrup.
The remaining approximately 3.8 calories likely comes from tiny amounts of fat, protein, and possibly enzymes or flavorings.
While 8 calories is significantly less than the 22 calories in a regular Jolly Rancher, sugar free Jolly Ranchers clearly do contain calories and carbohydrates, mainly from the maltitol.
Sugar free vs sugarless
At this point, you may be wondering how Jolly Ranchers can be labeled as “sugar free” when they plainly contain calories and carbs from sugar alcohol sweeteners.
The answer comes down to how the FDA defines and regulates nutritional labeling.
According to the FDA Guidelines:
“Sugar free” – Contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per labeled serving
“Reduced sugar” or “Less sugar” – Contains at least 25% less sugar per serving compared to a regular product
“Low sugar” – Contains 5 grams of sugar or less per serving
“No added sugars” – Contains no sugars or sugar-containing ingredients added during processing or packaging
Therefore, sugar free Jolly Ranchers can contain other carbohydrate sweeteners like maltitol as long as the total sugar content remains under 0.5 grams per piece.
This is quite different from claiming a product is “sugarless” – that would mean it contained absolutely no sugars of any kind, including sugar alcohols.
So sugar free Jolly Ranchers are not truly sugarless. The name just means they meet the legal definition of “sugar free” due to the very low amount of actual sugar.
Glycemic impact
Another health consideration with sugar free candy is its glycemic impact – that is, how quickly it raises your blood sugar levels.
High glycemic foods cause faster, more drastic spikes in blood sugar compared to low glycemic foods. For people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, limiting high glycemic foods can help maintain steady blood sugar control.
Most sugar alcohols like maltitol have a lower glycemic impact than regular sugar. However, among sugar alcohols, maltitol has one of the highest glycemic indexes at 35 (glucose is 100).
In comparison, other sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol have very low glycemic impact, close to 0. So they have less effect on blood sugar.
While sugar free Jolly Ranchers won’t spike blood sugar as high as the regular ones, the maltitol can still cause a moderate rise in blood glucose. This is something diabetics need to account for if enjoying sugar free Jolly Ranchers.
Gastrointestinal effects
The other health consideration with sugar alcohols involves gastrointestinal side effects like gas, bloating and diarrhea when consumed in large amounts.
Why does this happen? Our bodies do not completely absorb sugar alcohols like maltitol. A portion stays in the intestines, which can pull water into the colon and potentially cause diarrhea. The gut bacteria also ferment the undigested maltitol, releasing hydrogen gas that leads to bloating.
The laxative threshold for maltitol is around 20-30 grams. For reference, a whole bag (5.5 oz) of sugar free Jolly Ranchers contains about 56 grams of maltitol.
So while a few sugar free Jolly Ranchers are unlikely to cause issues, going overboard could lead to some unpleasant digestive effects in sugar sensitive people. Those with IBS or other gut issues may be more likely to experience symptoms.
If you do overindulge in sugar free candy and experience gas or bloating, some over the counter products like Gas-X or Beano can provide relief by breaking up the trapped gas bubbles.
Ingredient safety and additives
Beyond the maltitol, sugar free Jolly Ranchers contain other artificial ingredients like citric acid, artificial colors, and natural and artificial flavors.
Citric acid gives the candies their tart, fruity taste. Though it occurs naturally in citrus fruits, most citric acid in processed foods is produced synthetically. It is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.
The artificial colors provide the bright colors of the different fruit flavors – ingredients like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1. There has been some controversy around artificial food dyes causing hyperactivity in children, though nothing conclusively proven. Some parents still prefer to avoid artificial food colors when possible.
Natural and artificial flavorings are also added to mimic the fruit flavors. Natural flavors can come from fruit or plant extracts, while artificial flavors are formulated in labs. Due to the proprietary nature of flavors, companies are not required to disclose the source or chemical structure.
While the various additives used in sugar free Jolly Ranchers are FDA-approved and unlikely to cause harm for most people, some health-conscious consumers prefer to limit consumption of artificial ingredients when possible.
Taste comparison to regular Jolly Ranchers
So we’ve established that sugar free Jolly Ranchers, while not completely sugarless, can be a slightly better option than the original version for people watching their sugar and carb intake.
But how do they compare taste and texture-wise to their full sugar counterparts?
Overall, many fans of Jolly Ranchers seem to agree that the sugar free versions are similar but not quite identical to the original candy.
The sugar free Jolly Ranchers maintain the classic hard candy texture – it still takes a while for them to dissolve in your mouth. However, some people notice the texture feeling a bit more chalky or not quite as smooth.
The flavors come close but tend to be slightly less bold and vibrant than the regular Jolly Ranchers. The sweetness from the maltitol also has a mild aftertaste.
That said, while the sugar free version may be a small step down in taste and texture from the original, many find it an acceptable sacrifice in order to reduce the sugar and carb content. For the most part, sugar free Jolly Ranchers offer a pretty good approximation of the classic Jolly Rancher flavor.
Just don’t expect it to taste exactly the same as you remember from childhood – the formula has changed, for better or worse. But they can help satisfy a candy craving in a healthier way.
Cost comparison
One last factor to consider – how do sugar free Jolly Ranchers compare cost-wise to regular Jolly Ranchers?
Sugar free Jolly Ranchers typically come in 3.5 oz or 5.5 oz resealable pouches. On Amazon, a 5.5 ounce bag costs around $11-12.
In comparison, you can get a 1 lb bag of original Jolly Ranchers for around $8-10 on Amazon.
So per ounce, the sugar free Jolly Ranchers are about 2-3 times more expensive than the regular ones.
However, many fans would argue this premium price is worthwhile to reduce the sugar and carb content. Considering movie theater box candy can cost almost $5 for like 3 regular Jolly Ranchers, the sugar free version may be less overpriced in comparison.
You are paying more upfront for the sugar free convenience. But you also tend to eat less of them in one sitting due to the lower sugar content, so a bag stretches further.
If cost is your main concern, original Jolly Ranchers remain the more budget-friendly option. But sugar free Jolly Ranchers can be a smart splurge for candy lovers focused on reducing sugar.
Are sugar free Jolly Ranchers keto-friendly?
Over the past few years, low-carb high-fat diets like the ketogenic diet have surged in popularity for weight loss. So an obvious question is – can keto dieters enjoy sugar free Jolly Ranchers?
The basic guideline on keto is to limit net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to 20-50g per day.
Sugar free Jolly Ranchers contain 2g net carbs per piece. Unwrapped, ten pieces would total 20g net carbs – approaching the upper daily limit on keto.
While an occasional sugar free Jolly Rancher may theoretically fit into a keto diet, they are still a processed candy with artificial ingredients. Most keto experts would consider them more of a treat than a regular part of a ultra low-carb eating plan.
Some smarter keto-friendly candy options include:
– 90% dark chocolate – Lower in sugar with very high cacao content
– Chocolate-covered nuts or coconut
– Low carb gummy bears made with sugar alcohols
So while sugar free Jolly Ranchers are a better choice than regular ones for keto dieters, there are probably better options for low carb candy lovers. Moderation and accounting for the carb count is key.
Sugar free Jolly Rancher flavors
Sugar free Jolly Ranchers come in a variety of fan favorite fruity flavors:
Cherry
Classically tart cherry flavor
Watermelon
Sweet watermelon taste
Green Apple
Tangy granny smith apple flavor
Lemon
Sour lemon candy taste
Orange
Sweet and tangy orange
Grape
Grape jelly flavor
Blue Raspberry
Sweet, creamy blue raspberry
Fruit Punch
Tropical fruit punch blend
The most popular flavors tend to be Cherry, Green Apple, and Blue Raspberry. Fans love being able to enjoy these classic candy flavors without all the sugar.
Some people do miss flavors like Pineapple or Watermelon that are not offered in the sugar free lineup. But overall the selection covers most of the classic Jolly Rancher flavors.
Are sugar free Jolly Ranchers vegan?
Jolly Ranchers have never contained animal ingredients, making them automatically vegan. But what about the sugar free versions?
After careful inspection of the ingredients, sugar free Jolly Ranchers also qualify as 100% vegan.
They contain no animal-derived ingredients like dairy, eggs, honey, or gelatin. The maltitol syrup sweetener, citric acid, colors, and flavors are all either plant-derived or synthetic.
So both vegetarians and vegans can enjoy sugar free Jolly Ranchers as an animal-product free candy option. They can help satisfy a sweet tooth without compromising dietary restrictions.
Conclusion
Sugar free Jolly Ranchers provide a lower sugar alternative to the classic fruity candy, using sugar alcohol sweeteners instead.
While the sugar free versions contain no actual sugar, they are not completely sugarless or calorie-free due to containing 2g net carbs from maltitol per piece. The maltitol also causes moderate spikes in blood sugar compared to regular sugar.
In terms of taste, sugar free Jolly Ranchers come close to the original but tend to have a slightly less bold flavor and chalkier texture according to reviews.
They cost 2-3 times more than regular Jolly Ranchers. Consuming large amounts can also cause digestive side effects in some people due to the maltitol.
Overall, sugar free Jolly Ranchers can be a good occassional treat for people looking to reduce sugar intake. But they should be enjoyed in moderation due to the artificial ingredients and maltitol content. When eaten in reasonable amounts, they provide a lower sugar way to get your Jolly Rancher fix.
