HF-Safe Candy

[fred]

Over the years on this Board, there has been much confusion regarding safe "Candy" for HFIers. There is a product called "Sweetarts" that were safe for HFIers, that were also mainly sweetened with dextrose. However, the location where this product was made changed a few times and currently they contain sugars that we cannot metabolize.

However, there is a candy made in Canada and the U.S that is safe for us. In Canada they are called "Rockets" and in the US they are called "Smarties". A different kind of "Smarties" are available in Canada that are candy covered chocolate and therefore not safe for HFI. So be carefull

You can read about Rockets and Smarties and the Company's complete history and the ingredients at:

Rockets Candy:

Be cautious however, as only the small cellophane wrapped candy called "Rockets" (or "Smarties" in the US) are HFI safe. Remember, we cannot metabolize Sucrose, Fructose or Sorbitol.

[flanagan]

I've noticed that the sweetarts seemed to have changed in the last several years and now generally avoid them. The Chicks, Ducks and Bunnies for Easter used to be my favorite but they changed and I am very suspicious of them. What about Pixystix? Are they still straight dextrose (or what counts as straight dextrose, I'm not interested in restarting the dextrose purity debate)?

[colormist]

I'm uncertain about pixy stix. They have listed "natural flavors" on the ingredients. Everything makes me suspicious anymore.

I also loved Chicks, Ducks, and Bunnies. Now I'm sad.

[ukbill]

I do not believe there is any sweet flavoured foods that are HFI safe.

The worst thing you can do for an HFI child is get them eating sweet flavoured foods..

Recently one 3 year old nearly died as a direct result of his mum thinking "smarties" were safe!

She had been concerned his liver was showing signs of problems even though he was on a 100% safe diet.. err no he was not he was being give "smarties" and the contamination of the glucose they are made of was enough to make him bad..

On top of that he went to an relatives where they had "smarties" for him to eat.. only they were not the same and he ate so many he made himself critically ill!

The Hospital he was rushed into made things much worse by pumping him full of contaminated IV glucose as well.

It was only after they stopped trying to help him that he started to recover.

He is now back to his old self although I worry about him a lot because his mother still believes, I think, that sweet tasting foods like Diet Coke is safe for him and might still be giving him "smarties" and other glucose based sweets.

So be careful and please realise SWEET flavoured foods are and can NEVER be HFI safe!

[Tammy]

Regina still eats smarties quite often. The only pixie stix she likes are the blue ones - and she's not a big fan of them. I don't know if it is the fruity taste she doesn't like or something else. We also generally avoid the swee-tarts as its getting harder and harder to find ones that the label reads ok. So I really don't trust them anymore either. Other than her sugar-free chocolate, smarties are her favorite candy.

[charlie]

For those in America, can you tell me what makes are safe and where you can get them. I have some friends going to New York soon and thought I might send them shopping.... Just to give Meg a treat.

[colormist]

Smarties are just about the only things anymore, Charlie. However, you can find them in a variety of sizes. I, personally, like the larger sizes.

[Tammy]

I still find the sugar-free chocolate but it's a local company that makes it. I don't think they would find it in New York. Gertrude Hawke makes a sugar free chocolate but I haven't checked it in awhile to see if it's still safe. The next time I get to the mall I'll check it out.

The chocolate and the smarties are about the only kind Regina eats anymore too.

[charlie]

Thank you Ladies, will put my order in and see how it goes ........

Won't worry about chocolate as we make our own now, will post recipe soon, needs a little tweaking still.........