“You’re not you when you’re hungry.” This is the slogan of the Snickers candy bar, and their commercials advertising their candy brand are downright hilarious. The Snickers candy bar, filled with creamy nougat, thick caramel, pieces of peanuts, and then drenched in chocolate, has been satisfying candy cravings since the early 1900s. Considering the ingredients used in Snickers, can it be considered to be gluten-free?
Snickers are gluten-free. Made with nougat, caramel, peanuts, and covered in milk chocolate, Snickers do not contain gluten. These bars are also produced in a facility which is free from any wheat-based products. If you are looking for healthier gluten-free alternatives to Snickers, try Lily’s Sweets Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate, ChocZero Hazelnut Keto Bark, or HU Chocolate Covered Hunks.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the nutritional value of the several Snicker varieties. We’ll also take a look at why the Snickers candy bar is unhealthy, and offer you some healthier gluten-free alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth. Let’s get started!
This article covers traditional Snickers candy bars. To find out if Snickers Ice Cream is gluten-free, check out this guide!
Contents
Story of Snickers
In 1911, the founder of the Mars company, Forrest Mars, created and sold his first buttercream candy. In 1930, the first Snickers bar was made in Chicago, and sold for 5 cents. Funny enough, it was named after a horse! Now, almost 100 years later, the Mars Wrigley company is known for such iconic candy bars as KitKat, Three Musketeers, and those amazing M&M’s candies.
Are Snickers Bars Unhealthy?
Candy, by itself, is an empty calorie food, meaning it contains no essential nutritional value. Aside from this obvious flaw, what are some other ways the Snickers candy bar is unhealthy?
Sugar
The top ingredient in the candy bar is sugar. In a single Snickers candy bar, there are 26 added grams of sugar. On a 2,000 calorie a day diet, it is recommended that you don’t consume more than 50 grams of added sugars. This means that in just one Snickers Original candy bar, there is 52% of the daily recommended intake–in a single serving of an empty-calorie food.
Artificial flavors
Artificial flavors have been shown to cause allergic reactions and cause food hypersensitivities. They can also increase or worsen the symptoms of asthma, and have caused abdominal pain and gastrointestinal sensitivities.
Hydrogenated palm kernel oil
When palm oil is manufactured for the food industry, it is hydrogenated, meaning the structure of the oil is chemically altered, making the oil have more trans fats. This type of fat is an inflammatory ingredient and can raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol, two major contributing factors to developing heart disease.
tBHQ
An additive to preserve foods, tBHQ has caused vision disturbances, enlarged livers, convulsions, and even paralysis in laboratory animals.
If you’re looking to still be able to enjoy a candy bar, every now and then, take a look at some of these alternative brands.
Do Snickers Have Health Benefits?
Although I wouldn’t recommend swapping out natural, fresh snacks with a Snickers bar, there are a few upsides to this sweet treat comparatively to others. For one, the original Snickers bar contains 4 grams of protein, which makes the snack about 45% fat, 50% carb and 5% protein, and there are even some fruits that cannot boast more than 4 grams of protein. Also, nuts found within the bars contain heart-healthy monosaturated fats and who doesn’t get a little serotonin boost from chocolate?
What Allergens Should I be Aware of When Eating Snickers?
Snickers contain the following ingredients that could product negative effects on your body: soy lecithin, partially hydrogenate soybean oil, dairy, sugar, and palm oil. They also contain some known common allergens including peanuts, eggs, dairy and soy. So, if you are allergic to dairy, peanuts, soy, eggs or gluten, I highly recommend steering clear of a Snickers Bar.
Snickers Nutritional Information
Snickers Original Candy Bar
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Chocolate
- Skim Milk
- Lactose
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
- Artificial Flavor
- Peanuts
- Corn Syrup
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Egg Whites
Nutrition Facts (for 1 bar / 57 gram serving):
- 250 Calories
- 12 g – Total Fat
- 4.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- <5 mg – Cholesterol
- 125 mg – Sodium
- 32 g – Total Carbohydrates
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 28 g – Sugars – Includes 26 grams added sugars
- 4 g – Protein
Snickers Dark Chocolate Almond Brownie
The Snickers Dark bar is covered in dark chocolate. The dark chocolate makes this an “upgraded” Snickers bar — with almonds and nougat, and the dark chocolate adds a unique flavor. This flavor variety is also certified as gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Semisweet Chocolate
- Sugar
- Chocolate Processed With Alkali
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Almonds
- Chocolate
- Milkfat
- Invert Sugar
- Less Than 2% – Cocoa Powder Processed With Alkali
- Palm Oil
- Skim Milk
- Lactose
- Salt
- Egg Whites
- Artificial Flavor
- tBHQ To Maintain Freshness
Nutrition Facts (for 1 pack / 2 squares serving):
- 180 Calories
- 9 g – Total Fat
- 4.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- <5 mg – Cholesterol
- 90 mg – Sodium
- 23 g – Total Carbohydrates
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 18 g – Sugars – Included 17 grams added sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Snickers Peanut Butter
The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is always a winner. Add in real peanuts, and the Snickers Peanut Butter bar is a gluten-free choice in candy bar flavor.
Ingredients:
- Milk Chocolate
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Chocolate
- Skim Milk
- Lactose
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
- Peanut Butter
- Peanuts
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Invert Sugar
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Lactose
- Palm Oil
- Less Than 2% – Dextrose
- Glycerine
- Skim Milk
- Salt
- Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil
- Calcium Carbonate
- Egg Whites
- Artificial Flavor
- tBHQ To Maintain Freshness
Nutrition Facts (for 1 pack / 26 gram serving):
- 130 Calories
- 7 g – Total Fat
- 2.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 75 mg – Sodium
- 15 g – Total Carbohydrates
- <1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 12 g – Sugars – Included 11 grams added sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Healthier Alternatives to Snickers
Lily’s Sweets Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate
Sweet and buttery, and with a touch of salt, the smoothness of this milk chocolate bar will indulge your sweet tooth. Free from any genetically-engineered milk ingredients, this is a healthier, gluten-free chocolate for you to enjoy.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Erythritol
- Chicory Root Fiber
- Dextrin
- Whole Milk Powder (rBST Free)
- Milk Fat (rBST Free)
- Natural Flavor
- Sea Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Stevia Extract
- Vanilla Extract
Nutrition Facts (for 30 gram serving):
- 130 – Calories
- 11 g – Total Fat
- 6 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5 mg – Cholesterol
- 75 mg – Sodium
- 17 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 10 g – Dietary Fiber
- <1 g – Total Sugars
- 5 g – Erythritol
- 2 g – Protein
ChocZero Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Keto Bark
Dark chocolate combined with hazelnuts is one of the smartest flavors created. Using all natural ingredients, and lightly sweetening the chocolate bark with monk fruit makes this a perfect treat for dark chocolate lovers.
Ingredients:
- Dark Chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter)
- Soluble Corn Fiber (Non-GMO Resistant Dextrin)
- Hazelnuts
- Sea Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Monk Fruit Extract
- Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
Nutrition Facts (for 28 gram serving):
- 120 – Calories
- 10 g – Total Fat
- 5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 90 mg – Sodium
- 15 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 13 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Total Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Hu Chocolate Covered Hunks Cashews and Vanilla Bean
Non-GMO, vegan, organic ingredients, paleo, and gluten-free, these little hunks have my vote. They contain no dairy, no refined sugars, no palm oil, and no sugar alcohols.
Ingredients:
- Cashews
- Organic Cacao
- Unrefined Coconut Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Vanilla Bean
- Sea Salt
- Almond
Nutrition Facts (for 28 gram serving):
- 170 – Calories
- 12 g – Total Fat
- 4.5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 75 mg – Sodium
- 10 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 4 g – Total Sugars
- 4 g – Protein
Jojo’s Goes Hawaiian
These bite-sized chocolate snacks are certified gluten-free, sugar-free, Non-GMO, paleo and keto-friendly.
Ingredients:
- Dark Chocolate
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Erythritol
- Cocoa Butter
- Stevia
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Macadamia Nuts
- Coconut
- Hemp Protein
- Coconut Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 34 g. serving):
- 150 – Calories
- 15 g – Total Fat
- 9 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 65 mg – Sodium
- 140 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 3 g – Dietary Fiber
- 0 g – Total Sugars
- 4 g – Protein
Final Thoughts
Snickers may be the candy that satisfies your hunger cravings, but it will only do so for so long. With high sugar and carbohydrate content, this is an empty-calorie food, and it will not provide you with anything but a sugar high and then a crash. While it is a gluten-free snack, opt instead for some of the alternative brands we mentioned in this article for higher quality ingredients and less food allergen issues.
Related Questions
Are Snickers vegan?
Snickers candy bars are not vegan because they contain dairy products.
Are Snickers keto?
Snickers candy bars are not keto-friendly. It is a highly-processed food which contains unhealthy ingredients like sugar and high fructose corn syrup. These sugars will cause blood sugar levels to spike and keep those on a keto diet from getting to ketosis.
Are Snickers kosher?
Snickers candy bars are certified as kosher, according to the Kosher O-U certification process.