Halloween has come and gone, but it’s never a bad time for candy! Both kids and adults love to use characterized or unique Pez dispensers to pop some of the titular candy into our mouths while watching a movie or working on homework. But is Pez gluten-free, or is it a no-go for folks with gluten sensitivities?
Pez is considered gluten-free. All Pez candies are made from sugar, corn syrup, palm oil, and artificial colors and flavors. There aren’t any gluten derivatives or wheat-based ingredients in Pez. Nonetheless, Pez is heavily processed and far from healthy. Healthier alternatives to Pez that are also gluten-free are Project 7 Golly Lolli and Lovely Candy Hard Candies.
Still want to know more, or want to see for yourself what’s contained in each delicious Pez candy? In that case, let’s take a deep dive into Pez, its formula, and check out some semi-healthier alternatives to classic Pez if you want something gluten-free and a little better for your body as a whole.
Contents
No Need for Gluten
As a basic candy product, we would be more surprised if Pez did have gluten in its formula. Pez and other candies like it are essentially just sugar, corn syrup, and a few other ingredients like natural and artificial flavors and colors. That’s it.
There’s simply no room for gluten in Pez or similar candy products. Take Candy Corn, for example. We’ve broken down how Candy Corn is generally considered to be gluten-free since it doesn’t contain gluten, wheat, or other gluten related ingredients. (However, Candy Corn does sometimes contain flavorings or additives that include gluten; read this page for more information).
Because of this, you can rest assured that any Pez you consume will be gluten-free, unless otherwise stated. It doesn’t matter what flavor you choose or where you purchase the Pez. Though these candies are sold internationally, the formula does not change from country to country.
That said, it’s still always a good idea to check the back of a candy’s package for a specific ingredient breakdown. Nothing replaces the research you do yourself. On top of that, some types of candy do contain wheat as a binding agent, like certain varieties of gum.
Bottom line: Pez is gluten-free as far as we can tell, and the manufacturer itself also certifies this. But there’s nothing wrong with checking the ingredients yourself just to be sure.
Pez Nutritional Facts
All Pez candies, while seemingly different, share essentially the same ingredient composition and nutritional information. That’s because most Pez candies are only differentiated by their color and slight flavor changes. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Pez candy flavors and break down their ingredients to see how gluten-free they really are.
Pez Candy Assorted Fruit
Pez Candy Assorted Fruit is the brand’s most common and popular flavor, as it includes a handful of assorted fruit flavors and forms the core ingredient formula for the other types. Like other Pez candies, it’s gluten-free – you’ll notice a distinct lack of wheat-based ingredients anywhere below.
Its ingredients are:
- Sugar
- Corn syrup
- Adipic acid
- Hydrogenated palm kernel and palm oils
- Mono and diglycerides
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Artificial colors FD&C Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 2
Pez Cotton Candy, Candy Corn and Banana
Pez’s mixed cotton candy and candy corn flavor is great for the Halloween season, and the addition of the banana flavor rounds out this type’s flavor profile nicely. It’s also gluten-free, as you’ll notice from the ingredients below.
Its ingredients are:
- Sugar
- Corn syrup
- Adipic acid
- Hydrogenated palm kernel and palm oils
- Mono and diglycerides
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Artificial colors FD&C Red 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 6
Pez Candy Mystery Flavor
Pez Mystery Flavored candies are also popular, as they include a few select flavors from every other Pez type. Its ingredients are virtually identical to the ingredient compositions of the above flavors.
Its ingredients are:
- Sugar
- Corn syrup
- Adipic acid
- Hydrogenated palm kernel and palm oils
- Mono and diglycerides
- Natural and artificial flavors
Because each Pez candy flavor is virtually identical to the others with the exception of a couple of artificial colors and flavors, the nutritional information is also fairly standard and shared between candy types.
Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional info for all Pez candy flavors (per 1 roll of candy):
- 35 cal
- 9 g carbohydrates or 3% DV
- 9 g sugar
Gluten-Free, But Not Vegan-Friendly
As you can see from the above breakdown, Pez doesn’t contain any gluten. Other Pez flavors have very similar formulas and nutritional breakdowns. But each Pez candy also contains some problematic ingredients, namely:
- Sugar, which may be filtered using a bone charring process. If you’re a vegan and want something gluten-free, that strikes Pez off immediately. Most sugar for candy companies is made using charred cattle bones, which makes the resulting candy no longer vegan friendly
- Artificial flavors and colors. Some artificial colors are harvested from insects like beetles, and many artificial colors and flavors alike are tested on animals before being used in finished products
Both of these issues mean that Pez are not the overall best candy to purchase for the environment.
Ultimately, we’d caution against Pez candy if you’re also looking for something vegan friendly, not just gluten-free for your sweet tooth snacking.
Healthy Gluten-Free Alternatives to Pez
As you can see, Pez candies are definitely gluten-free since there aren’t very many ingredients in these tiny candies to begin with. That said, we can’t exactly state that Pez is healthy, especially when there are many other healthy and gluten-free candy alternatives to Pez on the market. Sure, candy isn’t really healthy ever, but who’s to say we can’t do a little better?
Interested in pursuing some of those healthier alternatives for your kids or your personal snacking? Let’s take a look at some of these healthy gluten-free candy alternatives to Pez one by one.
Yumearth Organic Giggles Candy Bites
YumEarth offers some of the best (and healthiest) tasty treats on the market today. These “Giggles” candy bites are somewhat similar to skittles and offer a fruity, tart flavor profile with plenty of color to match. Most importantly, these are gluten-free, dairy-free, and certified organic. They’re also free of the 8 major allergens like shellfish and soy, so they’re overall a safe candy choice for anyone with a sensitive digestive system.
Its ingredients are:
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic rice syrup
- Organic palm oil
- Organic flavors
- Citric acid
- Turmeric
- Sodium citrate
- Organic sunflower lecithin
- Malic acid
- Color
- Organic carnauba wax
- Spirulina
- Pectin
Nutrition Facts (per 30 g):
- 120 cal
- 5 g fat or 2% DV
- 50 mg sodium or 2% DV
- 25 g carbohydrates or 9% DV
- 22 g sugar or 44% DV
- 3 mg calcium
- 6 mg potassium
Project 7 Golly Lolli
Project 7’s Golly Lolli’s are healthier than average lollipops made free from artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial colors, and other potentially harmful synthetic ingredients. They’re a great choice for satisfying your sweet tooth without putting anything unnecessary in your body. Plus, they are made with tapioca fiber and organic rice syrup rather than any ingredients related to wheat or gluten.
Its ingredients are:
- Organic prebiotic soluble tapioca fiber
- Organic sugar
- Organic rice syrup
- Citric acid
- Natural flavors
- Organic carrot concentrate
- Organic apple concentrate
- Organic blackcurrant concentrate
- Turmeric
- Organic annatto
Nutrition Facts (per 2 lollipops):
- 35 cal
- 5 g carbohydrates or 2% DV
- 2 g sugar or 4% DV
Lovely Candy Organic Hard Candies, Tropical
Alternatively, you might be interested in some tropical flavored candies in delightful flavors like lemon, mango, and more. Lovely Candy’s hard yet healthy candies are great choices if that’s the case! They’re made with organic ingredients, are gluten-free, and are even suitable for vegan or vegetarian eaters.
Its ingredients are:
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic brown rice syrup
- Citric acid
- Natural flavors
- Beat juice color extract
- Organic annatto
- Organic curcumin
Nutrition Facts (per 3 pieces of candy):
- 60 cal
- 16 g carbohydrates or 6% DV
- 11 g sugar
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Pez itself is a fine candy for folks with celiac disease or any type of gluten sensitivity. But even though Pez is gluten-free, there are also healthier candy alternatives you might consider to avoid consuming too much sugar or artificial flavors. There’s still no telling what many of those synthetic ingredients can really do to your system.
For our money, we think several of the gluten-free and healthier alternatives are better choices for satisfying our sweet teeth when the need arises. Those options are even better if you are vegan or vegetarian and want to do your part for the environment.
Related Questions
Is Pez vegan?
Not exactly. This is because many Pez flavors contain potentially problematic ingredients like processed sugar, as well as artificial colors or artificial flavors.
Is Pez dairy free?
Technically, yes, but Pez doesn’t have a dairy free certification because of the possibility of cross-contamination during manufacturing.