Sugar Free Vines

With only 90 calories and 0 grams of fat per serving, Sugar Free Vines are a very strawberry and tasty sugar free alternative to Twizzlers.

Pros:

• Strong strawberry flavor
• Each bite seems heartier than with Twizzlers
• Fat free

Cons:

• Not as smooth as Twizzlers
• Slightly muddled flavor
• May create a laxative effect in people with sensitive stomachs

Description:

• Sugar alcohol sweetened strawberry licorice twists
• About 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 26 grams of total carbs, and 17 grams of sugar alcohol per serving of 7 pieces
• About $2.15 per 5 ounce bag

A short while ago, I reviewed Sugar Free Twizzlers and was satisfied with the product. The Twizzlers were very close to the sugared version and were really only different in terms of the per piece size of the candy and the packaging. Since the Twizzlers were a solid product, I wanted to review Twizzlers' red licorice competitor, RedVines, and its Sugar Free Vines product.

For those that have never heard of RedVines, they are a red licorice product made by the American Licorice Company since the early 1900's. They are a sister product to Sour Punch candy often found in movie theaters and cashier aisles. While Vines are not necessarily expected to be the same thing as Twizzlers, since they are a direct competitor I will be reviewing them against what Twizzlers offer to red licorice fans.

A few things I noticed about the Sugar Free Vines are that they are slightly deeper red and do not have the same smooth, shiny exterior that Twizzlers have. I also noticed that the Vines are a little shorter but wider than Twizzlers. The width of the Vines I believe help to distinguish them a bit from Twizzlers because, once bitten into, the Vines feel a little heartier and more substantial in your mouth than Twizzlers. Vines are also a little softer to bite into and are a little chewier as well.

Flavor-wise, the Sugar Free Vines have a sweeter strawberry flavor than Twizzlers. However, I would not necessarily say it is better because the flavor is not quite as clean and neither one really does taste like a real strawberry. Regardless, I found the strawberry flavor pleasant and found no artificial aftertaste.

Overall, I think the Sugar Free Vines are a solid product worthy of being compared to Twizzlers. However, while they are a red licorice product that look kind of like Twizzlers, they are relatively different in my eyes. Vines have more of a chewy candy texture with a sweeter flavor and scent. Twizzlers, on the other hand, have a more finished quality and seem like a better packaged product. However, both are very good and I do not think you would go wrong choosing either product if you like red licorice.