Sugar-free snacks anyone? Here’s my review

With the new year in full swing, and many many resolutions to lose weight or to be healthier, cut out sugar and other similar ones making the rounds, I thought now would be a good time to discuss sugar-free snacks and my feedback on them.

So the best snack is always something healthier, unprocessed and natural – such as nuts, fruits, honey etc. But sometimes, especially when you are trying to completely cut something out, you may get a craving for something sweet, chocolatey or processed! I have found these snacks to answer my craving without adding excessive calories or refined sugar to my day – meaning I can get my sweet tooth satisfied and still stick to my calorie goals for the day (Yupp – I am trying to lose weight and stay healthy at the moment, so any help is needed!)

First up – Simply Delish Zero jelly (I picked these up for R11.95 at Dischem). Do you like jelly? If so, this one’s for you! This jelly is as sweet as other sugar alternatives, but contains sweeteners, so no sugar and no fat. Its classified as a free food, so you can “technically” eat as much as you want, but I wouldn’t advise this – sweeteners are not the best for you but if you are craving sweet, then you may want to try this. I’ve found that when I get a munchie day (do any of you suffer from these??) and all i want to do is eat, this jelly can be a life saver.

Next, also from the Simply Delish range, is their pudding (These retail for R16.50 at Dischem). My personal favourite is the chocolate one (hands up who loves chocolate?!), but there are others such as vanilla (not a fan, bit bland for me!), strawberry (personally a touch artificial, but if you like strawberry nesquik then this one’s for you!) and cheesecake. I honestly love this one, its not calorie free so you shouldn’t eat the whole box. It’s great if you are attending a braai or dinner at a friends and you know there will be dessert. Its quick to whip up and I can almost guarantee that no one will know its sugar free and a healthier alternative. One thing I have found though – if you use a hand whisk, you may get a few lumps. You can prevent this by using an electric beater (but be sure not to over do the beating!)

Future life has a range of health focused foods, but the one I have fallen in love with is the High protein Light bar (retailing at R14.95 each at Dischem). My favourite is the chocolate crunch, although, if you love peanuts, then you should try the peanut crunch as well! It still has calories and will count towards your carbohydrate tally, but if you are craving something or are out and about hungry, this one is a great add to your handbag. The light version is definitely the one to get though as the high protein bar does contain a higher calorie count (which can be great as an after workout calorie boost). If you like bars similar to Energy Bars or alternatives, this one has a similar texture and feel, just less sugar and more protein.

So when I was shopping, I came across these bad boys. Sugarless is newly imported into SA and offers a range of sugar free sweeties. I tried the chewable chocolate and vanilla chews as well as the strawberry jellies. I have to admit, both are quite artificial in taste and texture, but I’m thinking it’s personal preference. I was a fan but my mom was not. The strawberry jellies didn’t get any thumbs up in our taste test challenge – we all felt they were a bit sour, artificial and didn’t really get strawberry from them, however, the chocolate and vanilla chews drew good reviews and the packet finished rather quickly! Again, these aren’t calorie free, so as with all sugar free alternatives, be careful with how many you consume! The chews were R36.95 and the strawberry jellies R36.95, both from Dischem.

Hope you liked this review – let me know if there are other things you’d like me to check out. Also leave a comment if there are sugar free treats you like and would recommend!