Are Twizzlers Gluten-Free?
Twizzlers are the sweet, chewy candy of choice for many people. While the candy doesn’t contain any actual licorice, most people associate it with a licorice flavor. However, you can also find Twizzlers flavored with strawberry, cherry, and other seasonal or specialty flavors.
Twizzlers first came to the masses in 1845, and the recipe has changed very little over the years. But, those with gluten sensitivities or anyone wanting to cut gluten from their diet might wonder – are Twizzlers gluten-free?
Unfortunately, no. All Twizzler varieties contain wheat, so none of the flavors are gluten-free.
Is There a Lot of Gluten in Twizzlers?
The Twizzlers nutrition label does not specifically show how much wheat flour is in a serving. However, even if it's not a large amount, it's safe to avoid Twizzlers altogether if you're allergic or have Celiac disease.
A lot of candies that are gummy or chewy tend to contain gluten. The gluten acts as a glue or binder, helping to hold the candy together. In the case of Twizzlers, gluten helps to give the candy that recognizable stretchy consistency.
While it can be disappointing if Twizzlers don’t fit into your diet, there are plenty of other fruity/gummy candies you can enjoy instead. We’ll talk more about those later.
What Licorice Is Gluten-Free?
Several gluten-free licorice brands provide lots of flavor options. Gluten-free licorice is made with rice flour or corn starch instead of enriched wheat flour. The great thing about rice flour is it offers some additional health benefits.
Because rice flour contains lots of fiber, it can help to keep your cholesterol low, aid in digestion, and help improve your blood sugar levels. Additionally, the fiber in rice flour helps keep away diabetes, colon disease, and hypertension. It's also loaded with vitamins and proteins.
Perhaps the best benefit is that rice flour contains choline. Choline is an essential nutrient since it helps bring triglycerides and cholesterol to other parts of the body, from the liver.
A few top brands of licorice that are gluten-free include Yum Earth, Smart Sweets, Swedish Premium Licorice, Cuckoo Luckoo, and Licorice Dutch.
What Popular Candy Is Gluten-Free?
Believe it or not, many well-known candy brands are gluten-free. These are brands we frequently eat and see at the grocery store or even the movie theater. Candy, in general, tends to have a reputation of being super unhealthy. However, these brands may pleasantly surprise you. Here are some popular candy brands that make gluten-free sweets.
Smarties
Hershey's
Jelly Belly
Tootsie
Mars Wrigley
Ferrara
3 Musketeers
Snickers
Butterfinger
Sour Patch
Brach's
Trolli
You should always check the labels on any candy you buy to make sure it doesn’t contain gluten. Keeping an eye out for certain ingredients like glucose syrup, flour, and barley malt can help you spot whether an item contains gluten or not. Another way to check the label for gluten is to check for the term gluten-free.
If a label has “gluten-free” on it, the packaging only has less than 20ppm of gluten. Although candy can be labeled gluten-free, sometimes the machinery it's produced on can have traces of gluten. Therefore, a label may allude to potential cross-contamination of gluten in candy by stating the processing location may manufacture wheat. It's also written as "may contain traces of gluten" on the label.
It's also important to note other ingredients in popular gluten-free candies that provide excellent health benefits. For example, Brach's candy corn is gluten-free and contains turmeric, beta carotene, and honey. Honey is a natural sweetener, rich in antioxidants, and helps enhance heart health.
Beta carotene helps provide orange & yellow foods with their color and supplies the body with Vitamin A, which is imperative for a robust immune system and good vision. Turmeric also enhances heart health and aids in cancer prevention.
Hershey's is another gluten-free brand that contains beneficial ingredients. Many of their products contain soy lecithin, which helps lower cholesterol. That aids in the prevention of heart disease. Soy lecithin is also suitable for keeping skin healthy and moisturized.
Is There Flour in Twizzlers?
Enriched wheat flour is what causes Twizzlers to contain gluten. Its purpose is to help bind the other ingredients together and to form the stretchy texture Twizzlers are known for.
Gluten is a protein found in grain. The more common gluten grains include barley, wheat, and rye. Other grains that gluten comes from have semolina, farina, emmer, durum, einkorn, and spelt.
Flour is enriched by adding in nutrients that were initially removed when the flour was first milled. The process of milling is the way the flour we use in baking and cooking is created. Wheat is first cleaned, and water is used to temper it. Germ and bran are then removed from the kernel of wheat, leaving the endosperm, which is then processed. All nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are removed.
Why Does the Flour in Twizzlers Contain Gluten?
Two proteins are in wheat that create gluten when mixed with water – gliadin, and glutenin. Once water is added to the wheat, these proteins bond, ultimately forming gluten. Without the presence of water, gluten can't be formed.
Gluten is something that should be avoided if you have Celiac or an allergy. However, as previously mentioned, there is a safe amount you can consume. According to nationalceliac.org, the safest amount is 20 ppm (parts per million.)
However, if you're consuming gluten with Celiac disease you must understand this measurement only applies to the concentration of gluten in foods and not the amount.
Also, keep in mind that the parts per million should be calculated across the number of foods eaten throughout a day. For example, if you were to consume gluten-free bread, it would take approximately 17 slices that amount to 20ppm collectively. This amount would total the safe 10 mg threshold.
It's better to eat filling foods and have a low ppm. Doing so helps to avoid making any mistakes by wanting to eat foods you may crave because you didn't get full. Despite this, it's best to ensure you carefully begin this journey of consuming safe amounts of gluten by consulting with your doctor.
When it comes to enjoying Twizzlers, it’s probably safe to have one or two, even with gluten sensitivities. But, be aware of other things you’re eating that day so you can stay within your gluten threshold. When eaten responsibly, you can likely still enjoy this sweet treat in moderation, even if you have issues with gluten.