Having recently joined the ranks of the diabetics and the good and cut sugar out of my diet (except for the stealthily consumed Cadbury’s Creme Egg when I am really desperate), the need to find a sweet alternative to chocolate seemed imperative. There are plenty of sugar-free sweets on the market, although I think glucose-free would perhaps be more accurate, but are they any good?
Dieterolle
This Italian brand seems to have boomed into the market in recent weeks with a variety of different products rather than just the boiled sweets on offer by others. Options include hard gums, somewhat akin to wine gums, soft jellies and tubes of sweets in addition to the packets that resemble cigarette boxes. Flavours include orange, strawberry and fruits of the forest. I tried two flavours and found both a bit sweet (!). I’ve never been that fond of boiled sweets but would come back to the gums. My kids seemed not to mind the lack of sugar though.
Verdict: Lots of choice but not the best product
Smint
Not only are these sugar free (a fact I was not aware of until scrutinising packets became a way of life), but they also freshen breath and fight cavities. What more could you want for something that costs around 50 cents. Their tiny size and handy dispenser make these a great choice if you need to freshen up between lunch and an important meeting when you are on the go. For the more adventurous they also now come in peach, lemon and fresh berry flavours. Although they did not make my teeth sparkle they do invigorate.
Verdict: take them anywhere
Halls Sugar Free vapour action
As luck would have it, during the time I was trying these sweets I had a cough and a sore throat. If there is one time when a boiled (although slightly medicated) sweet is going to be called for it is to soothe away a cold. And these did just the job. With a pleasant strawberry taste they did indeed release some kind of vapour. There was no overpowering sweetness and I didn’t feel an instant need to clean my teeth after eating one. Again they come in the small box that marketing executives for sugar-free sweets decided was imperative. However I suffered a bout of packaging rage when the handy top that only opens far enough for a sweet to come out didn’t have a hole large enough for the sweet to come out. However, in times of coughs and colds a great choice.
Verdict: Dependable when you need comforting
Sugar free polo
These have really come along in recent years. They used to be awful but now I would be hard pressed to differentiate between these and your standard polo. Great for taking away that ‘got to have something sweet’ craving after a meal and less likely to have you reaching for the toothbrush than other options (although, not sure if that is a good thing). Now more minty, promises the packet. I would agree.
Verdict: One for the handbag
Orbit
If you are craving a Fox’s Glacier Mint then this is about as close as you are going to get. The mints are blue and very hard although they have something of a sharp taste and, like many boiled sweets, crack in the middle of eating making it a bit of a challenge to eat without lacerating the tongue. Also available in orange and lemon flavours.
Verdict: No substitute for the real thing
Solano
Another brand that has a wide range although it seems to be more about packaging the same sweet in different ways than providing many real options. The strawberry cream flavour tastes the closest to real sweets among all those tried. It is sweet, actually tastes a bit like strawberries and has a creamy texture too. Again a sweet I ate without realising it was sugar free. Also do a pale brown version that looks like butterscotch in addition to coffee flavour.
Verdict: A sweet you can really enjoy
Hatler
Before Dieterolle came on the market, this Swiss brand pretty much had it cornered. The range of flavours is massive. I tried the coffee by way of a change and was left in no doubt that no sugar had been used in its production. The sweet, however, had a good texture and did not rip into the tongue. A brand I would return to for its variety if nothing else. The Eucalyptus flavour seems like it would be a good idea if you had a cold.
Verdict: So much to chose from that something must suit.
After tasting all these sweets there are two questions I would like to ask: why does excessive consumption produce laxative effects? And are there any decent diabetic chocolates out there? ([email protected])
