Confession: I’m a nutritionist and I love candy (pass the peach rings, please). I love the nostalgia of candy (Twizzlers always remind me of middle school sleepovers) and duh, it’s delicious. But it isn’t something I’d ever claim as “healthy” from a purely nutritional standpoint. However, there’s been a slew of sweet stuff hitting the market lately which is turning that notion on its head: low-sugar, nutrient-packed confections–healthy candy, if you will.
Yep, the candy of 2019 is free from artificial colors and flavors, sky-high sugar levels and high-fructose corn syrup. From beauty chocolates to organic gummies, your fave treats are getting a wellness makeover (and yes—they’re actually kinda good for you!).
UnReal’s dark chocolate gems with crispy quinoa are the non-GMO, vegetable-dyed answer to the chocolate candy you want to eat by the handful. The difference: A handful of these babies means you’ll be getting in a little fiber (2 grams), a little protein (2 grams), and a lot less sugar (15 grams—half the amount in M&M’s).
Shop It: Unreal Dark Chocolate Crispy Gems, getunreal.com
A zit on my chin is usually a dead giveaway that I’ve been eating too much sugar. But what if you could nosh on candy—and it could actually help your skin? That’s the angle behind Reserveage’s Collagen Candy, a sweet stick that dissolves on the tongue while delivering a dose of skin-boosting collagen. The sugar-free, gluten-free formula contains collagen peptides, which are clinically proven to reduce eye wrinkles by 20% in just eight short weeks. I’ll take it.
Shop It: Reserveage Collagen Candy, reserveage.tlcchealth.com
Eating Evolved centers all their products around the statement “it’s food, not candy,” which I wholeheartedly support. Their paleo, gluten-free, vegan dark chocolate cups are made with creamy, good-for-you coconut butter (technically a superfood in some cultures) and contain just 5 ingredients. Even better? They contain just 4 grams of sugar per piece (the equivalent to one teaspoon).
Shop It: Evolved Caramel Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups, eatingevolved.com
YumEarth’s gummies and jelly beans are non-GMO-certified, gluten-free, and vegan–and also made in an allergen-free facility, so you can grab a handful (or three), guilt-free. They’re also flavored and colored with actual fruit juice, too, which just feels right.
Shop It: YumEarth Gummy Bears Assorted Flavors, yumearth.com
Sakara’s gemstone-shaped beauty chocolates live up to their name. Packed full of plant-sourced collagen boosters (phytoceramides), dark cacao, and only one tiny gram of coconut sugar (how?), they’re clinically shown to improve skin moisture, texture, and elasticity in just two short weeks. Just think of these as the best kind of vitamin: Take 1 or 2 daily.
Shop It: Sakara Beauty Chocolates, sakara.com
Jessica Waller is a clinical nutritionist and health and wellness writer with a passion for science-backed self-care. She’s always on the lookout for healthyish comfort-food recipes, statement shoes, and new wellness trends to obsess over (earthing, anyone?). Find her most recent musings on nutrition and self-care at WELLTRIBE.
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