Is Candy Keto?

If you have a sweet tooth, you may be worried about how switching to a keto diet will impact your dessert options. Many people crave a small piece of candy at the end of the day, and eating sweets like this can sometimes help people avoid overindulging in ice cream, cake, and other sweets. But is candy keto or should you steer clear of it? 

The bad news is that traditional candy is not keto-friendly. The good news is that you can likely find several keto candies on the shelves of your grocery store if you keep an eye out for sugar-free varieties. You can also make your own sweets at home that can be eaten in small quantities to help satisfy your sweet tooth without pushing you out of ketosis. 

Is Candy Keto?  

Even if you are relatively new to the keto diet, you likely know that adding sugar to your diet is a no-no if you want to lose weight. Keto is no exception to this general rule. Since keto requires cutting your consumption of carbs to a very low level and sugar is considered a simple carbohydrate, the keto lifestyle doesn’t allow for many sweets. 

This means that candy is going to have to go on the forbidden list–unless you look for varieties that are made sugar-free. You can still consume some types of sweeteners while adhering to the keto lifestyle, such as monk fruit, stevia, and even erythritol. All of these are permitted and will not kick your body out of ketosis, but you should still consume them only in moderation. Studies suggest that erythritol, in particular, does not impact blood glucose levels, which makes it safe even for those who have diabetes. [1] However, it’s a good idea to test ketones (and possibly blood glucose) before and after trying any of these sweeteners to see how they affect you. 

While you may be able to eat a very small amount of candy containing traditional sweeteners like sugar, candies are considered foods of minimal nutritional value by the USDA. [2] If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s best to save those carbs for heartier foods that leave you satisfied instead of wanting more.

One option is to indulge in sugar-free chocolate-covered nuts that at least grant you some protein and fiber while catering to your sweet tooth. If you can find sugar-free candies, just make sure to check the label to see how many carbs they have and what the serving size is. You will likely find that some of these candies can indeed fit into a keto diet, even if they aren’t the best for you.