What is the difference between vegan and vegetarian?

Vegan is a diet consisting of only plant-based products and ingredients. No animal products are consumed, including honey, beeswax, and gelatin. Vegetarians include some animal products such as dairy, eggs, and seafood in their diets.

What are the benefits of a vegan diet?

A vegan diet can have a wide range of health benefits. Due to their reliance on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, vegan diets are richer in nutrients and provide more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than non-vegan diets. Vegan diets may also be protective against cancer due their high level of antioxidants and lack of animal products. Research also shows a link between vegan diets and a decreased risk of heart disease.

Is vegan candy nutritious?

Vegan candy is low in fat and cholesterol. It typically contains added sugar, which should be consumed in moderation.

The 7 Best Vegan Candy, According to a Dietitian

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Enjoying candy on a vegan or plant-based diet is now easier (and more delicious) than ever before. Before the boom in vegan products and candies, some old-school sweets were accidentally vegan, including Dum Dums Lollipops, Super Bubble Bubble Gum, Sour Patch Kids, and Jujubes. On shelves today, consumers can find vegan candies that have better quality ingredients than some of the more conventional candies.

A common misconception about foods labeled as vegan is that they are healthier than nonvegan choices. The vegan label simply means that there were no animal products, such as cow’s milk, honey, beeswax, and gelatin, used in the making of the candy. Vegan candy still contains sugar, and it's important to moderate consumption of sugary foods whether they are plant-based or not.

We reviewed over ten different vegan candy brands and considered ingredient quality, price, customer reviews, amount of sugar, and third-party certifications when choosing our top candy picks.

Here, the best vegan candy to indulge your sweet tooth while avoiding animal products.

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
What Experts Say
Why Trust Verywell Fit?

UnReal Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Gems

UnReal candies were created by two brothers on a mission to make indulgent snacks with real ingredients. Using organic, fair-trade, certified non-GMO ingredients, this brand has exploded in popularity due to its highly transparent, quality products that don’t skimp on taste.

Made in small batches, the Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems are certified vegan. UnReal uses vegetable extracts from beets, turmeric, and carrots to naturally color the chocolate-covered peanuts and uses carnauba wax instead of beeswax. Shoppers can opt for a five-ounce bag or a box of 12 individual snack packs. Individually-portioned snack packs may be better for those that need support with portion control or who are looking to have something sweet while on the go.

Candy is a sweet treat enjoyed by adults and kids alike, but the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend that added sugars make up less than 10% of calories per day starting at age 2. Added sugars should be avoided for those younger than 2, so save candy for a special treat for older children and adults.

YumEarth was created by families for families and offers a variety of organic, allergy-friendly sweets. Free of the top eight allergens, these sour jelly beans are also vegan, organic, and non-GMO. This budget-friendly candy comes in a bulk bag, with each packet costing a fraction of the normal price for a vegan candy.

Free from peanuts, gluten, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, and soy, these candies are safe for the classroom, soccer field, or as a party favor. Unlike traditional jelly beans, these sour beans contain no high fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes. They're colored with carrot, apple, blackcurrant, pumpkin, and radish.

In general, avoid candy and products that contain artificial colors and dyes, as they can cause unpleasant side effects like gastrointestinal distress or headaches.

Endangered Species Panther Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Bar

Narrowing down our top choice for the best vegan chocolate was a difficult task. There are many great vegan chocolate brands and products out there, but Endangered Species Panther Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Bar, 88% Cocoa, is our top pick. This bar is for the true chocolate lover. Made from pure 88 percent cocoa dark chocolate, it packs a rich chocolatey flavor.

In addition to flavor, this bar was also reviewed by ConsumerLab.com, an independent third-party testing company that examines products for purity, potency, and quality. This bar stood up to its label claims, and it was found to be within the accepted limits of cadmium, a heavy metal present in varying amounts in cocoa and cacao. This bar is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and made from fair trade cocoa that can be traced back to Fairtrade farms in West Africa.

You can feel good about enjoying this bar as it only has three grams of sugar per serving, and Endangered Species gives 10% of its net profits to save wildlife. It's a good treat all around.

There is nothing like a yummy, gummy candy! Unfortunately, many gummy candies are made with gelatin derived from pork or cow products. Fortunately, Organic DelishFish is made with organic, vegan ingredients.

Sweetened with Wholesome! Brand Fair Trade Organic Cane Sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, these gummy fishes are also free of all artificial colors and flavors. In addition to being vegan and free of potentially harmful artificial colors and flavors, this sweet treat is Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, and Kosher.

Evolved Chocolate Coconut Butter Keto Cups

With the popularity of low-carb and ketogenic diets, there is plenty of low sugar or zero sugar candies to choose from these days. The important thing to consider when choosing an ideal low sugar candy is the type of sweetener used. EVOLVED Chocolate Coconut Butter Keto Cups are sweetened with monk fruit, a sweetener is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar and contributes sweetness to foods and beverages without adding calories.

Suitable for those following a low sugar, diabetic, or ketogenic diet, these coconut-filled cups contain 10 grams of fat, 1 gram of net carbs, and no added sugar. Each cup has cacao on the outside and lightly sweetened coconut butter with MCT oil on the inside. EVOLVED contains cacao that is Rainforest Alliance Certified, and the cups are certified organic, paleo, and vegan-friendly.

Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Justin's Organic Dark chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are made with USDA Organic peanut butter and Rainforest Alliance Certified chocolate. The Rainforest Alliance certification seal means that the certified product or ingredient was produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental.

One pack contains two certified gluten-free, kosher, and of course, vegan peanut butter cups. One serving includes both cups and contains 4 grams of plant-based protein and 16 grams of sugar. For your convenience, the cups come in individual packages with one serving or bulk bags with 12 cups.

YumEarth’s organic lollipops are not only vegan: they're also free of the top eight allergens as well as artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup. One lollipop contains four grams of sugar which is equivalent to one teaspoon or one pack of sugar and the serving size is listed as two lollipops.

The lollipops come in various interesting flavors, such as strawberry smash, googly grape, very very cherry, perfectly peach, razzmatazz berry, mango tango, pomegranate pucker, and wet-face watermelon.

A special bonus: these lollipops contain Vitamin C, which can support a healthy immune system.

Final Verdict

UnReal Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems (view at Amazon) are our top pick among vegan candy because of their focus on quality ingredients. Using vegetable extracts for coloring and organic, non-GMO ingredients, these certified vegan candies are a great choice for plant-based shoppers and omnivores alike.

What to Look for in a Vegan Candy

Ingredients

Select a vegan candy made without artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Artificial colors can make candies look more appealing, but artificial food coloring and dyes may be harmful, especially for children.

In addition, just because candy is labeled as vegan does not mean it is free of other ingredients that may be problematic for those with allergies or food sensitivities. Always look at the product packaging to ensure you know exactly what is in the vegan candy. Many vegan products have a "vegan" label on the packaging to help you easily identify that all ingredients are vegan.

Labels

Third-party certifications such as certified vegan, certified non-GMO, USDA organic, kosher, and fair trade allow shoppers to feel confident about their product choices. Whether you follow a specific dietary pattern for health or moral reasons, certifications save time and energy when shopping and deciding between a myriad of different products.

Sugar

Just because a candy has a special label does not mean it is healthier than conventional products. Candy is still candy. However, some products are made with higher quality ingredients than others. Vegan candy still contains sugar, and it should be enjoyed mindfully and in moderation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between vegan and vegetarian?

Vegan is a diet consisting of only plant-based products and ingredients. No animal products are consumed, including honey, beeswax, and gelatin. Vegetarians include some animal products such as dairy, eggs, and seafood in their diets.
What are the benefits of a vegan diet?

A vegan diet can have a wide range of health benefits. Due to their reliance on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, vegan diets are richer in nutrients and provide more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than non-vegan diets.
Vegan diets may also be protective against cancer due their high level of antioxidants and lack of animal products. Research also shows a link between vegan diets and a decreased risk of heart disease.
Is vegan candy nutritious?

Vegan candy is low in fat and cholesterol. It typically contains added sugar, which should be consumed in moderation.

What Experts Say

"Candy should be considered an indulgence—not a snack—and should be consumed moderately and with mindfulness. It's easy to reach for candy—even 'healthier' vegan candy—to boost energy quickly, but at the end of the day it's still candy."
—Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN

Why Trust Verywell Fit?

As a Registered Dietitian, Sydney Greene takes food recommendations seriously. Every product has been researched and vetted by her against product reviews and third-party testing websites. These are products she would not only feel comfortable recommending to clients, but would snack on herself if craving something sweet.

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6 Sources

Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for American 2020-2025.
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The 7 Best Vegan Candy of 2022, According to a Dietitian

Enjoy sweet treats that are free of animal products

Best Overall: UnReal Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Gems

Best Budget: YumEarth Organic Sour Beans Snack Packs

Best Chocolate: Endangered Species Panther Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Bar

Best Gummy: Wholesome Organic DelishFish

Best Low Sugar: Evolved Chocolate Coconut Butter Keto Cups

Best Peanut Butter Cups: Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Best Lollipop: YumEarth Organic Lollipops