Sugar Free Strawberry Twizzlers

With about 120 calories per serving, the Sugar Free Strawberry Twizzlers are near a perfect switch from the original!

Pros:

• Same strawberry flavor
• Similar texture to the sugared version
• No artificial aftertaste

Cons:

• Seems like you only get few Twizzlers per bag
• High in total carbs per serving
• May create a laxative effect in people with sensitive stomachs

Description:

• Sugar alcohol sweetened strawberry licorice twists
• About 120 calories, 34 grams of carbs, and 23 grams of sugar alcohol per serving (6 pieces)
• About $1.99 per 5 ounce bag

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of licorice candy is the original black root variety. Granted, to most Americans and the younger generations, they do not make this connection and rather think of the red licorice candy such as Twizzlers or Red Vines. I much prefer the red licorice variety with their sweeter profile and am glad both the aforementioned brands have released sugar free versions of their very popular products. Today, I am reviewing the sugar free version of strawberry Twizzlers. Eventually, I will also do a review of sugar free Red Vines, however, I thought I would do the more popular brand first.

The first thing I noticed about the Sugar Free Twizzlers is that you get far less than what you would normally find in your average Twizzler bag. Granted, in most sugar free packages of candy, it does seem like you get less than in the sugar versions; however, due to Twizzlers normally coming in large, 15 ounce bags, when one looks at the sugar free version with only 5 ounces, the sugar free package looks puny in comparison.

Once I got over the packaging, I opened the bag and immediately thought that the Sugar Free Twizzlers looked thinner as well. After doing a little research, I determined that the Sugar Free Twizzlers are about 4 grams smaller per piece than the sugared version. While that might not seem like much, considering I noticed the packging size difference, I thought that the thinner size was especially disappointing.

While the physical packaging and size aspects of the Sugar Free Twizzlers are not great, the most important part - the flavor - is spot on. Biting into the slightly chewy red candy was a good experience because the strawberry flavor was just like the sugared version. There was no artificial aftertaste that is often found in sugar free candy. In addition, the Sugar Free Twizzlers are also texturally spot on as they are slightly firm with a little bit of chewiness. The candy breaks down well in your mouth and they feel just like the sugared version.

Overall, I think the Sugar Free Twizzlers are a great product. Looking at the sugared version as the standard, these are very close to the original. The taste, consistency, and smell are just like the sugared version and the only real differences lie with the serving and packaging sizes. One should not be eating a lot of candy as part of a healthy diet anyways, so for those really watching their candy intake they might not care; however, I felt like pointing out the difference was important for the average consumer.