Seen by many as a practical alternative to sugared confectionery, sugar-free sweets are undoubtedly the ultimate solution for anyone obliged to avoid certain foods. With this new generation of sugar-free sweets, you will be able to enjoy freely and, most importantly, without risk of weight gain caused by sugar.
This is because a sugar-free sweet, as you know, contains nothing that makes you consume empty calories. Numerous shops and online boutiques are now supplying these little marvels for people hooked on being slim and eating sugar-free foods. Beautifully presented in a gourmet hamper, these new-generation sweets are truly delicious diet treats for the enjoyment of both young and old.
Sugar-free confectionery is just as good as traditional sweets.
Sugar-free sweets: the secret to keeping trim
As we already know, sweets help us to relax while giving us a bit of energy. In fact, their components, particularly the fast sugars they contain, act by stimulating the metabolism. The consumption of confectionery should not, however, be excessive, as the sugars contained in these foods can be dangerous at high levels. Besides this, sweets are the primary cause of unwanted weight gain in the body. For this reason sweets should be limited to 2 or 3 per day. Going over that amount puts us at risk of upsetting our nutritional balance and seeing unwanted fat build up.
Different types of sugar-free sweets
These days sugar-free sweets vary as much in appearance as in flavour. Many confectionery companies are offering sweets for all tastes and palates. So it’s up to you to select the type that suits you best in terms of preferred softness and flavour. All sugar-free sweets, though, consist mainly of a formula derived from maltitol or aspartame (substitutes for sucrose sugar), as well as several flavourings that serve to achieve the desired taste.
Lozenges
Lozenges originally contained food supplements intended for patients suffering from excess weight or diabetes (read more). According to their main indications, they possess a variety of calming or antiseptic virtues for the relief of certain pains and inflammations. Today, sugar-free lozenges are the type of confectionery especially noted for their low calorie count and minimal effect on dental health.
Fruity sweets
Fruity sweets are sweets with fruit flavours (mint, strawberry, lemon, etc.), which contain sweeteners – aspartame or sorbitol. Developed according to the desired flavours, they feature a less sugary taste than classic fruity sweets. Moreover, apart from flavouring agents, the majority of sweets on the market are made up of natural calorie-free sweeteners. This uniquely fresh composition allows sugar to be reduced and weight gain limited.
Everyone loves sugar-free fruity sweets.
Advantages of sugar-free sweets
In contrast to classic confectionery, sugar-free sweets contain mostly “sugar alcohol“, which has a greater sweetening power than glucose or sucrose. The term “sugar alcohols” is an abuse of language. In fact, contrary to their name, these components contain neither sugar nor alcohol. Their main advantage lies in their low calorie count. Moreover, “sugar alcohols” are not metabolised by the body and so have no effect on metabolism or glycaemia (the amount of sugar in the blood). Nutritionists therefore advise diabetics and overweight persons to consume sugar-free sweets in moderation.
To substitute for natural sugar, the manufacturers of sugar-free confectionery have opted for maltitol, xylitol or aspartame. Normally present in syrups, maltitol is a starch-based sweetener noted for having little effect on the teeth. Xylitol, on the other hand, is a component derived from birchbark. It is found to be lower in calories and glycaemic value and also poses no danger to dental health. Whatever its components, sugar-free confectionery tastes just as sweet as its traditional counterpart.
It does, however, differ in having fewer calories and little effect on nutritional balance. There is also certain sugar-free confectionery containing isomalt, which has proved lower in calories and sugar than the classic ingredients of sweets. Long used for its sweetening power, stevia is a plant that provides a sweet flavour without affecting metabolism.
Are you a fan of sugar-free sweets?