22 Best Healthy Candies You Can Eat

When it comes to enjoying sweets, some of the scariest ingredients are often hidden in plain sight. Many popular candy brands pack their treats with added sugars, saturated fats, and artificial dyes. While it's perfectly fine to indulge occasionally—especially with many chocolate brands offering healthier options—constant snacking can lead to overconsumption of these ingredients. To keep things balanced, you might be on the lookout for better-for-you candy options that still satisfy your sweet tooth.

How To Choose Healthier Candy Brands

When looking for healthy candy, there are a few factors to consider:

• Watch the added sugars: Most mainstream candies are packed with added sugars, sometimes nearing the recommended daily limit in a single serving. Children and teens should consume no more than 25 grams per day, and adults should stick to 25-36 grams. For perspective, just 12 Sour Patch Kids contain 24 grams of added sugar.
• Avoid artificial dyes: Popular candies like Skittles, Starburst, and Twizzlers use dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, which have been associated with allergic reactions and developmental concerns. Many consumers are now opting for treats made without these artificial colors.
• Keep saturated fat in check: Some chocolate candies are higher in saturated fat, which is fine in moderation but can increase the risk of heart disease when consumed in excess. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 13 grams per day.

The goal isn't to eliminate the joy of treats—indulging is part of the fun. But if you're looking to make smarter choices, check out our list of 22 healthy candy brands that will satisfy your cravings.

Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Some candies may not be low in sugar, but they're made with ingredients you can feel better about. Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups contain 16 grams of sugar per serving—comparable to Reese's—but feature a shorter ingredient list with everything certified organic. If you prioritize cleaner ingredients over sugar content, Justin's is a great choice.

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Smart Sweets Gummy Worms

You've likely seen Smart Sweets on store shelves, as it's one of the better-known "healthy" candy brands. With a variety of options like lollipops, gummy bears, red vines, Swedish fish, sour gummies, and gummy worms they provide a better alternative to traditional candies. Unlike Haribo gummy worms, which have 14 grams of sugar per serving, Smart Sweets gummy worms contain just 4 grams. Plus, each serving packs 9 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

SkinnyDipped Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter

As you can see from our list, there are plenty of healthier alternatives to the classic Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and choosing the best one for you depends on what your personal goals are. The SkinnyDipped Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups have only four grams of sugar per serving, and those who want to avoid sugar alcohols and Stevia will be happy to know these don't contain either.

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Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Unreal's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups offer a great alternative to traditional peanut butter cups, with just 5 grams of sugar per serving. They're a delicious way to indulge in moderation without the high sugar content found in similar candies like Reese's Cups, which have 16 grams of sugar per serving.

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Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Snack-Size Bar

With only four simple ingredients—organic cacao, coconut sugar, cocoa butter, and sea salt—Hu Snack-Size Chocolate Bar is a clean, healthier option for chocolate lovers. We love that you'll also get 3 grams of fiber and protein per bar. You can find these snack-sized treats at your local Whole Foods and Wawa.

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Chocolove Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

Even though these still contain nine grams of sugar, it's better than the 17 grams you'd get with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Not only that, but you'll be avoiding the artificial flavors found in Reese's as well.

Snack Owl Sour Novas

You may be a fan of Sour Patch Kids, but we can bet you're not a fan of the 27 grams of sugar inside. To get that same sour and sweet kick in a healthier form, try Snack Owl Sour Novas. These cute sour stars contain only 4 grams of sugar, but we will warn you that the candies do contain Blue #1 and Yellow #5, something you won't see in other candies on the list. If that's a concern of yours, you can try the BEHAVE Sour Bears or JoyRide Sour Gummies.

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Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Truffles

Alter Eco Classic Dark Truffles are soy-free, gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, and free of additives and artificial sweeteners. These truffles pack in a ton of delicious flavor for only four grams of sugar. They're also individually wrapped and perfect for portion control.

Magic Spoon Treats Chocolatey PB

Magic Spoon Treats bring a nostalgic taste with less sugar, featuring just 1 gram of sugar, 7 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of protein per bar. Available in flavors like Chocolatey PB, these treats offer a healthier alternative to classic rice crispy snacks.

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Harken The Gooey One

Like a classic candy bar with a caramel and nougat center, these candies from Harken are a healthy alternative to many other varieties. With only 9 grams of sugar and zero grams of saturated fat, this brand is an excellent choice for a healthy candy.

Realsy Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates

Say goodbye to chocolates filled with overly processed peanut butter and hello to Realsy. With just four ingredients—dates, peanuts, cacao, and sea salt—it's hard to get a healthy candy that's as simple as these peanut butter-stuffed dates.

Gigantic Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar

It's hard to believe that you could have a chocolate bar that tastes delicious while also providing more grams of fiber than sugar. Well, with Gigantic's Salted Peanut Candy Bar,  you'll be eating nine grams of fiber and seven grams of sugar, meaning you'll be treating yourself to a chocolatey treat without breaking the sugar bank.

YumEarth

YumEarth offers a variety of organic, allergy-friendly candies, including lollipops, gummy bears, sour gummies, and more. Their products are free from the top 9 allergens, artificial dyes, and GMOs, making them a safer choice for those with dietary restrictions. For instance, their Organic Gummy Fruits contain 9 grams of sugar per serving and are made with simple, organic ingredients. YumEarth's commitment to quality ingredients provides a cleaner option for satisfying your sweet tooth.

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Theo Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

When you're craving chocolate, Theo products are a great choice. While many of their bars contain a moderate amount of sugar—including their Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate—the simple, trustworthy ingredient list (cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, salt) makes it a more reliable sweet treat. Plus, this bar is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and soy-free.

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JoyRide Sour Strawberry Strips

It seems too good to be true, but JoyRide is truly as it says on the bag: an uncommon candy. With only 4 grams of sugar and 8 grams of fiber, the Sour Strawberry Strips from JoyRide are the perfect healthy candy. Are these strips not your thing? You can try any of their candy options, like their Cherry Ropes or Watermelon Wedges.

Tazzy Watermelon Lollipops

Tazzy Watermelon Lollipops have only five grams of sugar, have two grams of fiber, and are completely void of sugar alcohols, stevia, and corn syrup. The company also avoids the use of artificial dyes and instead uses vegetable juice for coloring.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

BEHAVE Sweet Stars

Whether you're in the mood for something sweet or something a bit more sour, BEHAVE has you covered. Not only are BEHAVE gummies delicious, but they're low in sugar and calories and extremely high in fiber, meaning they have low net carbs. Because of this, these candies are diabetic-friendly and won't spike your blood sugar after eating them, and they accomplish this without using any artificial flavorings at all!

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Fruit-tella Strawberry/Raspberry Soft Gummies

The truth is, these Fruit-tella gummies won't be for everyone. They're still pretty high in sugar with 16 grams, but what puts them on our list is the fact that they're made with real fruit purees and without high fructose corn syrup.

Tony's Chocoloney Lil' Bits

The sugar and fat content in a bag of Tony's Chocoloney Lil' Bits is rather high, but these treats are a great choice if you just want a few pieces to satisfy a chocolate craving. These are also ideal for those trying to avoid palm oil (a type of oil high in saturated fat) because Tony's is made without any palm oil at all.

Chocxo Cookies & Creme Cups

With cookies & cream flavors reminiscent of the classic Hershey's Cookies & Creme bar, these cups from Chocxo are a healthier, lower-sugar alternative.

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Beyond Good Salted Caramel Chocolate

Beyond Good chocolate bars are exactly that—they're beyond just a tasty treat. They still contain eight grams of sugar, but parents will love the short six-item ingredient list: organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, caramel, organic cocoa butter, sea salt, and vanilla extract.

Blobs Gummy Candy

Low-sugar gummy candy that is still delicious? Yes, please! Blobs candies deliver the fruity flavors you love from traditional gummies but with only 2 grams of sugar per entire bag. Flavors include Pomegranate-Apple, Passionfruit-Pineapple, and Orange-Peach, or you can try them all by ordering a variety pack.

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