York Peppermint Patties have to be one of my all-time favorite chocolate candies. It’s crisp, refreshing, a real “cooling sensation,” as the Hershey’s marketing claims. York Peppermint Patties were first introduced by the York Cone Company in York, Pennsylvania in 1940. The company merged with The Hershey Company in 1988. A cute little-known fact about the candy is that each patty had to pass the “snap test” in order to be packaged for sale. If it didn’t break down the middle, it didn’t pass the test! York Peppermint Patties may taste fresh and cool, but are they gluten free?
Yes, traditional York Pepper Patties are Gluten Free. According to the company’s website, York Peppermint Patties are gluten-free. Containing a short list of acceptable ingredients, like chocolate, milk fat, and egg whites, this candy is acceptable for a gluten-free diet. Some other gluten free alternatives are No Whey! Foods Peppermint No No’s and Free2b Dark Chocolate Mint Cups.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the ingredients and nutritional content of York Peppermint Patties. There is one variety of the York Peppermint Patties which is not considered gluten-free, and we’ll look at that one. We’ll also dive into reasons why some of the ingredients in York Peppermint Patties are not necessarily healthy for you. Finally, we’ll offer some gluten-free, minty chocolate candies you can try instead.
Contents
York Peppermint Patties Nutritional Information
York Peppermint Patties
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa, Milk Fat, Lecithin, Cocoa Butter, PGPR, Natural Flavor, Milk)
- Invert Sugar
- Egg Whites
- Oil of Peppermint
Nutritional information (1 serving = 1.4 oz. piece):
- Calories 150
- Total Fat 2.5g
- Saturated Fat 1.5g
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 0mg
- Sodium 10mg
- Total Carbohydrates 32g
- Dietary Fiber 1g
- Total Sugars 26g
- Protein 1g
- Calcium 4.9mg
- Iron 1.1mg
- Potassium 45.4mg
The list of ingredients in the York Peppermint Patties is one of the smallest lists I’ve seen in a chocolate candy. It almost makes you think this could be a healthy product, considering you can pronounce all the ingredients! But, this is not the case. Let’s take a look at why.
York Minis Unwrapped Mini Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patties
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Milk Ingredients, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Artificial Flavor)
- Corn Syrup
- Egg Whites
- Peppermint Oil
- Corn Starch
Nutritional information (1 serving = 10 pieces/40 grams):
- Calories 150
- Total Fat 3.5g
- Saturated Fat 2.5g
- Trans Fat 0.1g
- Cholesterol 5mg
- Sodium 10mg
- Total Carbohydrates 31g
- Dietary Fiber 12g
- Total Sugars 25g
- Protein 1g
- Iron 10%
The questionable ingredient in the York Minis, which can make it not friendly to a gluten-free diet, is the corn starch. Corn starch itself is a non-gluten containing ingredient made from grain-free corn. However, many food manufacturers produce corn starch in facilities which are not certified as gluten-free, so products can be cross-contaminated.
Why York Peppermint Patties are not a Healthy Food
- Sugar: the first on the list of ingredients is sugar. And this is not cane sugar, in its pure form. Rather this is processed, white sugar, which has been filtered by using bone char. This bone char is derived from animal bones and is what gives the sugar its white color.
- Corn Syrup: can create a lot of health risks for people. In order for your body to utilize the corn syrup, it has to go through a whole process to convert the fructose into glucose so you can use it as energy. This glucose that your body then uses for the energy is in carbohydrate form, and your body needs this for your cells. Corn syrup is a vegan-friendly food, it is just a food that goes through a lot of processing, with enzymes involved in the process, and enzymes can be a red flag in the vegan community. Some enzymes are vegan-friendly, but others can be derived from animals.
- Milk and Milk Fat: semi-sweet chocolate milk and milk fat are definite no-no’s on the vegan-friendly list of ingredients. Since vegans do not consume any animal products, and the type of milk contained in the York Peppermint Patties is milk from cows, it contributes to the candy not being acceptable to vegans.
- PGPR: Another ingredient within the semi-sweet chocolate is PGPR. This ingredient, (not even the full ingredient name listed is a red flag for me,) is polyglycerol polyricinoleate, a thickening agent. This is made from the fatty acids of castor oil, and is used to make chocolate thick. Food manufacturers choose to use this instead of cocoa butter because cocoa butter is more expensive. This product has been known to cause liver damage in the animals it is tested on. It is interesting that the Hershey’s company uses both PGPR and cocoa butter in the York Peppermint Patties, because without the PGPR, it could help it be considered a vegan-friendly product.
- Invert sugar: this sugar is made when the sucrose is split into glucose and fructose. This type of sugar may or may not be vegan, depending on how the sugar is filtered and processed. Without knowing the manufacturer of the invert sugar, it would be hard to say whether or not it is produced in a vegan-friendly way.
- Eggs: there is also an allergen warning on the York Peppermint Patties label which says that it contains eggs. This is another reason why it is not a vegan-friendly food.
Gluten-Free Alternatives to York Peppermint Patties
No Whey! Foods Peppermint No No’s
While the Peppermint No No’s from the No Whey! Foods company may be small, bite-size chocolate candies, they pack quite a flavor burst! The interior of the candy is a vegan-friendly milk-free mint chocolate, which is all natural. It’s produced in a facility which is free from the top 8 common food allergens, another plus.
Ingredients:
- Vegan Cane Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Rice Syrup Powder
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Sunflower Lecithin (Emulsifier)
- Gum Arabic
- Carnauba Wax
- Pectin
- Spirulina Extract (Color
- Fruit and Vegetable Juice (Color)
- Natural Peppermint Oil
Nutritional information (1 serving = 46 grams):
- Calories: 220
- Total fat: 11 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 grams
- Sodium: 4 grams
- Carbohydrates: 33 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
Free2b Dark Chocolate Mint Cups
This chocolate and mint candy is a sure-fire substitute for the York Peppermint Patties. With rich dark chocolate and a kick of mint, it’s a great vegan-friendly alternative. Considering it also contains evaporated cane juice, rich cocoa butter, and unsweetened chocolate, it makes a healthy alternative, too. These chocolate mint cups provide 16% of the recommended daily allowance of iron, another boost!
Ingredients:
- Dark Chocolate (Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter)
- Sugar
- Powdered Sugar (Evaporate Cane Juice, Tapioca Starch)
- Rice Drink (Filtered Water, Brown Rice, (Partially Milled), Expeller Pressed Canola Oil and/or Safflower Oil, Sea Salt)
- Cocoa Butter
- Peppermint Flavoring (Peppermint, Sunflower Oil)
Nutritional information (1 serving = 2 pieces/40 grams):
- Calories: 210
- Total fat: 13 grams
- Saturated fat: 8 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 grams
- Sodium: 14 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 23 grams
- Dietary fiber: 4 grams
- Total sugars: 19 grams
- Added sugars: 19 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
Amrita Foods – Chocolate Mint Paleo Gluten-free Bites
The Chocolate Mint Bites from Amrita Foods are plant-based protein bites and provides a healthy, organic treat for those chocolate cravings. They also give you a boost of energy, with the same amount of protein in a single pack equal to eating 4 eggs!
Ingredients:
- Dates
- Sunflower Seed
- Shredded Coconut
- Cacao Butter
- Cacao Powder
- Maple Syrup
- Chia Seeds
- Himalayan Pink Salt
Nutritional information (1 serving = 15 grams):
- Calories: 50
- Total fat: 4 grams
- Saturated fat: 1 gram
- Cholesterol: 0 grams
- Sodium: 20 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 5 grams
- Dietary fiber: 1 gram
- Total sugars: 1 gram
- Protein: 2 grams
Righteously Raw Dark Chocolate Bites!
Just the name of this chocolate treat, and I’m interested! Certified organic, containing no refined sugars, and made with raw, natural ingredients, the Righteously Raw Dark Chocolate Bites are a chocolate lover’s dream. Check out the ingredients!
Ingredients:
- Organic Cacao Butter
- Organic Cacao Powder
- Organic Raw Agave
- Organic Raw Coconut Oil
- Organic Vanilla Bean Powder
- Essential Peppermint Oil
Nutritional information (1 serving = 10 grams):
- Calories: 60
- Total fat: 5 grams
- Saturated fat: 3 gram
- Cholesterol: 0 grams
- Sodium: 100 grams
- Total Carbohydrates: 4 grams
- Dietary fiber: 1 gram
- Total sugars: 1 gram
- Protein: 1 grams
The Righteously Raw Dark Chocolate Bites also provide 4% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron!
Key Takeaways
York Peppermint Patties, known worldwide for its cool, refreshing chocolate and mint combination, is a gluten-free treat, (with the exception of the Minis.) It contains no wheat products, and is produced in a facility which ensures no cross-contamination. Containing processed and refined sugar and invert sugar, the artificial thickener PGPR, and corn syrup, this product is better off staying on the shelf if you are following a healthy lifestyle. Opt instead for some of the equally tasty alternative choices for your chocolate and mint fix, and you’ll be glad you did!
Related Questions
Are York Peppermint Patties vegan?
York Peppermint Pattie is not a vegan-friendly treat. Containing milk, milk fat, cocoa butter, and eggs, there are animal-derived ingredients used to make the candy, making it not a good choice for those living a vegan lifestyle.
Are York Peppermint Patties keto friendly?
York Peppermint Patties cannot be considered keto friendly. A keto diet reduces carbs and increases fats, pretty drastically. This is so your body can burn more fat instead of burning carbs. With a keto diet, your body needs to go into ketosis, or when your body starts to break down proteins and fat for energy. With a high carbohydrate content of 32 grams in just a 1.4 oz. piece of the candy, this is more than half of the recommended carb intake of 50 grams on a keto diet.
Are York Peppermint Patties dairy free?
For a food product to be dairy free, it must not contain any milk products, including milk from any animal, as well as cheese, yogurt, butter and creams. The York Peppermint Patties contain milk, milk fat, and cocoa butter, all dairy ingredients. Therefore, this product cannot be considered to be dairy free.