Jessica Else, Author at Choosing Nutrition

Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix packets come to mind when most people think of hot chocolate mixes. It’s one of the most popular hot chocolate mix brands and carries a huge line of warm, cozy and delectable hot chocolate drinks. Many of the hot chocolate mixes that Swiss Miss offers are labeled as gluten-free. However, many gluten-intolerant people are sensitive to Swiss Miss because there is often a small amount of gluten in some of their mixes. This happens because they don’t test for gluten in parts-per-million so there is always a chance that there are traces of gluten. Many gluten-sensitive people are suspicious of drink mixes because they often contain additives. You don’t have to be worried about Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate mix packets, though, which makes the popular mix an easy gluten-free treat. In this article, we'll discuss the nutritional value of Swiss Miss, as well as other healthier gluten-free alternatives. Let's dig in! Swiss Miss Nutritional Value by Product Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Ingredients: Sugar Corn Syrup Modified Whey Nonfat Milk Cocoa Hydrogenated Coconut Oil Calcium Carbonate Salt Dipotassium Phosphate Mono- and Diglycerides Natural Flavor Below are nutrition facts and percentage of recommended daily value for 1 individual package / 39 g of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix: Calories – 160 Total Carbohydrates – 0.7 g Total Fat – 2 g / 3% Sodium – 170 mg / 7% Potassium – 320 mg / 7% Dietary Fiber – 0.5 g / 0% Sugars – 28 g Protein – 1 g What is the Gluten-Free Label Law? The FDA regulates gluten-related labeling. To carry a label that says “gluten-free”, “free of gluten”, or “without gluten”, the product has to contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. Because that number is not 0 ppm, there could still be trace amounts of gluten particles in products labeled “gluten-free”. Is Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix Healthy? There are fewer calories in Swiss Miss hot cocoa mixes than in other hot, sweet drinks you would get from your neighborhood coffee shop. But Swiss Miss hot cocoa is high in sugar and contains some artificial flavorings and preservatives. It also contains milk in many of the flavor mixes. Are All Swiss Miss Flavors Gluten-Free? All the flavors of Swiss Miss were certified gluten-free in 2012, but many of them do contain natural flavorings. Natural flavorings are sometimes made with grain ingredients and could contain trace amounts of gluten-free. Are there harmful chemicals in Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix? Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate packets contain carrageenan, which some studies link to heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as inflammation in the body. Carrageenan is derived from red seaweed and is found in whey powder to help create texture and good mouthfeel in drinks. How does Swiss Miss Compare with Other Hot Cocoa Brands? Swiss Miss is one of the most popular hot chocolate mix brands because of how it is packaged and because of the huge variety of flavors. It has a milky and malted chocolate flavor that is unique and distinct. There are other hot chocolate brands that have a more chocolatey flavor, but it’s hard to find better packaging than the Swiss Miss convenient individual packets. If you want to make your own hot chocolate, check out Is Hershey's Cocoa Powder Vegan? and find out how you can use cocoa in all sorts of delicious foods. Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Mix Brands Castle Kitchen Double Dutch Dark Chocolate Mix This hot chocolate mix is dairy-free and vegan, labeled gluten-free, certified by the Non-GMO project and labeled plant-based. Just add hot water to the mix and enjoy. It comes in a 400 g cannister. Ingredients: Cane Sugar Tapioca Maltodextrin Natural Flavor Sea Salt Guar Gum Nutrition facts for Castle Kitchen Double Dutch Dark Chocolate Mix (2 tbsp./28 g per serving): Calories – 110 Total Carbohydrates – 25 g Total Fat – 0.5 g /1% Sodium – 95 mg / 4% Dietary Fiber – 2 g / 8% Sugars – 19 g Protein – 1 g Coconut Cloud Vegan Instant Hot Cocoa Mix This hot cocoa mix is certified gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free, Non-GMO, soy-free and is made in the USA. It makes a rich and chocolatey hot cocoa drink. Ingredients: Coconut Cream Powder (coconut cream, tapioca syrup, dipotassium phosphate, vegetable fiber) Organic Cane Sugar Cocoa Rice Starch Acacia Fiber Mct Oil Powder (mct oil, tapioca maltodextrin) Sea salt Nutrition facts for Coconut Cloud Vegan Instant Hot Cocoa Mix (2 tbsp./16 g per serving): Calories – 70 Total Carbohydrates – 11 g Total Fat – 2.5 g / 3% Sodium – 20 mg / 1% Dietary Fiber –< 1 g / 0% Sugars – 6 g Protein – < 1 g Mrs. Bryant’s Dutch Colony Hot Cocoa Mix This company makes only one flavor of hot cocoa mix, which makes a delicious and chocolatey drink. It is certified gluten-free, vegan, and kosher. Ingredients: Cocoa Sugar Natural flavors. Nutrition facts for Mrs. Bryant’s Dutch Colony Hot Cocoa Mix (1.15 oz. per serving): Calories – 110 Total Carbohydrates – 25 g Total Fat – 0 g / 0% Sodium – 30 mg / 1% Dietary Fiber – < 1 g / 0% Sugars – 25 g Protein – 1 g Bare Life Coconut Hot Cocoa Mix This chocolatey drink is smooth and sweet, and is labeled gluten-free, diary-free and vegan, non-gmo and organic. Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk Powder Organic Coconut Sugar Unsweetened Cacao Organic Ground Vanilla Beans Himalayan Salt. Nutrition facts for Bare Life Coconut Hot Cocoa Mix (3 tbsp./27 g per serving): Calories – 120 Total Carbohydrates – 20 g Total Fat – 4 g / 5% Sodium – 110 mg / 5% Dietary Fiber – 2 g / 0% Sugars – 12 g Protein – 1 g Giant Sports International Keto Cocoa Mix This chocolate drink mix is labeled as gluten-free, low-carb and sugar free and has 6g of MCT per serving. It contains no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. Ingredients: MCT Powder Dutch Process Cocoa Milk (sodium caseinate) Natural French Vanilla Flavor Stevia Nutrition facts for Giant Sports International Keto Cocoa Mix (1 scoop/12 g per serving): Calories – 70 Total Carbohydrates – 2 g Total Fat – 6 g / 8% Sodium – 125 mg / 5% Dietary Fiber – 1 g / 0% Sugars – 0 g Healthy Hot Chocolate Substitutes Laird Hot Chocolate With Functional Mushrooms Mix This drink mix gives you a chocolatey flavor with the added bonus of functional mushrooms in every serving. Ingredients: Coconut Milk Powder Organic Coconut Sugar Organic Cacao Powder Seaweed-dried Calcium Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Organic Reishi Mushroom Extract Organic Chaga Mushroom Extract Organic Maitake Mushroom Extract Organic Cinnamon Powder Nutrition facts for Laird Hot Chocolate Mix (3.5 tbsp./28 g per serving): Calories – 150 Total Carbohydrates – 15 g Total Fat – 9 g / 12% Sodium – 35 mg / 2% Dietary Fiber – 1 g / 0% Sugars – 10 g Protein – 2 g Landish 5 Mushroom Hot Chocolate Mix This is a full-flavored plant-based chocolate beverage that is labeled gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free and peanut-free. Ingredients: Cocoa Powder Coconut Milk Powder Mushroom Extracts (reishi, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane, turkey tail) Soluble Tapioca Fiber Acacia Gum Natural Vanilla Flavor. Nutrition facts for Landish 5 Mushroom Hot Chocolate Mix (1 tbsp./5 g per serving): Calories – 20 Total Carbohydrates – 2 g Total Fat – 1 g / 1% Sodium – 1 mg / 0% Dietary Fiber – 1 g / 0% Sugars – 0 g Protein – 2 g Navitas Organic Turmeric Latte Drink Mix Turmeric has been shown to boost health and wellness, and this drink mix combines it with your choice of milk to create a sweet, creamy hot drink. Nativas Organic Turmeric Latte drink mix is labeled gluten-free and dairy-free. Ingredients: Coconut Oil Powder (acacia fiber, MCT oil) Coconut Palm Sugar Turmeric Powder Guar Gum Cinnamon Ginger Sea Salt Black Pepper Monk Fruit Extract Nutrition facts for Nativas Organic Turmeric Latte drink mix (1 scoop/9 g per serving): Calories – 40 Total Carbohydrates – 6 g Total Fat – 2 g / 3% Sodium – 65 mg / 3% Dietary Fiber – 2 g / 7% Sugars – 3 g Protein – 0 g Ka’Chava Chocolate Drink Mix This drink mix is labeled gluten-free, is marketed as a meal in a cup, and has a huge ingredient list. Ingredients: Plant Protein Blend (yellow pea, sacha inchi, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa) Adaptogen Blend (maca root, shitake mushroom, maitake mushroom, reishi mushroom, ginger, cordyceps mushroom) Anti-oxidant Blend (coconut flower nectar, acai berry, camu camu, blueberry, tart cherry, blackberry, strawberry, mazui berry, raspberry) Omega EFA Blend (chia, flax, acacia gum) Super-Greens Blend (beetroot, chlorella, kale, broccoli, parsley leaf, celery, cauliflower, spinach, brussels sprouts, asparagus, green pepper, garlic, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, green onion, tomato) Cocoa Coconut Milk Soluble Vegetable Fiber Natural Vanilla Flavors Xanthan Gum Lo Han Fruit Extract Nutrition facts for Chocolate Ka’Chava Drink Mix (2 scoops/62 g serving): Calories – 240 Total Carbohydrates – 25 g Total Fat – 7 g / 9% Sodium – 20 mg / 1% Dietary Fiber – 9 g / 32 % Protein – 25 g Botanica Lavender Moon Mylk This is a sweet and floral drink mix that is labeled gluten-free, non-gmo and vegan. Combined with your choice of milk, it is a relaxing and wellness-boosting beverage that contains organic ingredients. Ingredients: Coconut Milk Date Powder Lavender Tea Organic Beet Juice Powder Tart Cherry Powder Vanilla Flavor Lavender Flavor Monk Fruit Extract Nutrition facts for Botanica Lavender Moon Mylk (1 teaspoon/ 5.5 g serving): Calories – 25 Total Carbohydrates – 3 g Total Fat – 1 g / 3% Sodium – 3 mg / < 1% Dietary Fiber – 2 g / 4% Sugars – 2 g Protein – < 1 g Related Questions Is Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix vegan? No, most Swiss Miss hot cocoa mixes contain milk or whey powder. The company does have a dedicated line of non-dairy hot chocolate mixes that use coconut milk instead of animal milk. Is Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix kosher? No, Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix is not all kosher and is only certified by the OK Kosher Certification agency as kosher for three sizes – the 28.5 oz canister, a 2 lbs. bag for vending machines and a 28 oz container for a vending machine. Are there allergens in Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix? Most Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate mixes contain dairy products like whey and nonfat milk. Hydrogenated coconut oil is also on the list of ingredients, which could be a problem for those with high levels of sensitivity to coconut. How much caffeine is in Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix? Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate mixes are all 99.9% caffeine free. One packet of the Swiss Miss standard hot chocolate mix contains 5 mg of caffeine. Related Guides Is Yoo-Hoo Gluten Free? Is Ovaltine Gluten Free? Are Premier Protein Shakes Gluten Free?