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How much sugar is in candy canes and are any sugar free? Candy Canes. They are those cane-shaped, usually red and white striped candies that make the perfect stocking fillers and that get everybody in the Holiday mood. But exactly how much sugar do candy canes contain and do any sugar free candy canes exist? To answer this question, I have randomly selected some of the biggest candy canes brands and examined their sugar content. I made sure to look at both peppermint and other flavored candy canes to see if the flavor impacts sugar content. I also managed to find a sugar free candy cane as well as another sneaky way to enjoy a candy cane without consuming too much sugar. So, make sure to read to the end to find out what these are!
So, let’s dig in – How much sugar is in candy canes and are any sugar free?
How Much Sugar is in Candy Canes?
As a general rule, most full-sized candy canes contain 11g of sugar and are sweetened with sugar and cane sugar. One way to enjoy a candy cane with less sugar is to opt for a mini candy cane – these tend to contain around 3g of sugar. Although rare, it is also possible to buy sugar free candy canes.
1. Brach’s Peppermint Candy Canes – 11g of Sugar
The first brand of candy cane I examined the sugar content of is from Brach’s. Brach’s candy canes are sweetened with sugar and corn syrup and contain 11g of sugar per candy cane.
If you are interested, I have talked about Brach’s before in several articles examining the sugar content of various candies. You can read these posts here:
- How Much Sugar are in Mints? Plus the Best Sugar Free Mints!
- How Much Sugar is in Candy Corn?
- How Much Sugar is in Gummy Bears? You Will Be Surprised!
2. Brach’s Original Cherry Rainbow Candy Canes – 11g of Sugar
So, I have established that Brach’s peppermint candy canes contain 11g of sugar in a candy cane – but how about Brach’s non-peppermint flavored candy canes? How much sugar do they contain?
Well, let’s look at the sugar situation in Brach’s cherry rainbow candy canes. The news is that they contain the same sugar content – they all contain 11g of sugar per cane and the sweeteners used are sugar and corn syrup.
This means it looks like flavor does not impact the sugar content (at least for Brach’s), but let’s dig deeper.
3. Jelly Belly Candy Canes – 11g of Sugar
Next up are candy canes from Jelly Belly. I have talked about Jelly Belly before, not unsurprisingly in the post I wrote about the sugar content of jelly beans, which you can read here – Are Jelly Beans High in Sugar?
But back to candy canes – Jelly Belly’s candy canes come in watermelon, tutti-frutti, and blueberry flavors. There are you guessed it…11g of sugar per candy cane and the sweeteners used are…you guessed it – corn syrup and sugar.
4. Starburst Assorted Candy Canes – 9g of Sugar
Starburst also makes fruity candy canes. What do you think the sugar content is? If you guessed 11g you would be wrong.
There are actually 9g of sugar in a candy cane. Woah – not 11g of sugar in a candy cane. What is going on here?
Well, it’s simple. Starburst candy canes weigh 12g whereas the other candy canes I have examined so far weigh 14g. This explains the difference in sugar content. And if you guessed that the sweeteners used are sugar and corn syrup, you would be correct.
5. Spangler Peppermint Mini Canes – 3.2g of Sugar
Okay, so say come the Holiday Season you want to get in the festive spirit with a peppermint candy cane but you don’t want to consume 11g of sugar per candy cane. Well, one great solution is to just opt for a mini candy cane.
These mini peppermint candy canes from Spangler only contain 3.2g of sugar per cane. The sweetened used are still sugar and corn syrup but usually just much less of them. All the candy canes vibes, a fraction of the sugar.
You can find these cute candy canes on Amazon here.
6. Brach’s Mini Peppermint Candy Canes – 3g of Sugar
Brach’s also makes mini candy cane and they are even lower in sugar at 3g of sugar per mini cane. The sweetened used of course are sugar and corn syrup.
These cute little candy canes are also perfect for satiating kiddo’s candy cane cravings without letting them bounce off the walls from sugar.
You can find Brach’s mini peppermint candy canes on Amazon here.
7. DiabeticFriendly’s Sugar-free Peppermint Candy Canes – 0g of Sugar
Now for the part of the article you are here for – sugar free candy canes. Well, sugar free candy canes are pretty much a rarity, but I did manage to come across one, which is available on Amazon.
These sugar free candy canes are from DiabeticFriendly.
These candy canes contain 0g of sugar and instead are sweetened with isomalt. This means there are 15g of sugar alcohol in one of these candy canes.
You can find DiabeticFriendly sugar free candy canes on Amazon here.
Sugar In Candy Canes F&Q
How Many Spoons of Sugar Are In A Candy Cane?
As a general rule, there are 2.75 level teaspoons of sugar in a candy cane.
Are Peppermint Candy Canes High in Sugar?
There are usually 11g of sugar in a peppermint candy cane.
How Much Sugar is in a Green Candy Cane?
Most candy canes contain 11g of sugar per cane. The flavors of the candy cane do not tend to impact the sugar content, so a green candy cane tends to contain 11g of sugar.
Do Sugar Free Candy Canes Exist?
DiabeticFriendly make sugar free candy canes that are instead sweetened with isomalt. You can find these sugar free candy canes on Amazon here.
How Much Sugar is in Candy Canes and Are Any Sugar Free? – The Final Bite
How much sugar is in candy canes and are any sugar free? Well, let me answer this question directly. (1) there tends to be around 11g of sugar in a candy cane; and (2) yes, there is one brand I found that offers a sugar-free candy cane (DiabeticFriendly Candy Canes). If you are watching your sugar content then yes, of course, the sugar free candy canes available from DiabeticFriendly will be your best option. If you cannot find these in your local grocery stores or online and are just really, really, really craving a candy cane come Holiday Season I recommend opting for a mini candy cane. These come out at half the sugar content per cane (3.5g of sugar per cane).
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below:
