Sugar-free sweets are available in abundance and range from pies and cakes to gelatin and ice cream. A variety of candies are offered in sugar-free recipes, with hard candy in both the sweet and sour versions being duly represented. Chocolates and caramels are both offered in packages of sugar-free sweets marketed for diabetics and dieters alike. Other items, such as sugar-free gum and lollipops, make good between-meal snacks as well as sugar-free desserts.
With the obesity epidemic sweeping across all age groups, sugar-free sweets are a healthier option to sugar-laden candy and confections. Other reasons to jump aboard the sugar-free sweets band wagon are the additional benefits that eating the sugar-free treats offer for teeth, better complexion and boosted energy level. Many sugary sweets will cause the body to crash shortly after consuming the goodies, requiring a short nap or the loss of energy throughout the evening. Many manufacturers of sugar-filled snack foods have began to switch over to the sugar-free sweets and are now offering snacks and treats comparable to the sugar-filled varieties they once offered.
In many cases, children and adults who are offered sugar-free gelatin or pudding will consume it without noting a difference in taste. Often, in the case of diet and sugar-free sodas, the consumer will soon begin to prefer the sugar-free version of their favorite beverage over that of the sugary type. Desserts, such as sugar-free rice pudding, rely on the sweetness of raisins to sweeten the treat, and placing a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping directly on the top of the bowl can add the often required visual appeal to have hungry diners wanting to sample the creation.
Many dentists urge their patients to chew sugar-free gum to aid in the prevention of tooth decay. This is also the case for eating sugar-free hard candy. Nearly every flavor of hard candy can be duplicated using a sugar-free recipe. Sugar-free sweets now include after-dinner mints, and breath-freshening mints are also becoming available in more sugar-free versions, offering fresh breath without the fear of added calories and cavities. Fruit drinks are also readily available as sugar-free sweets, with some varieties even combining vegetable juices in the mix to offer a sweet and healthy treat for bedtime drinks as well as breakfast pick-me-ups.