Do you prefer the sweetness of a Hershey’s kiss, or maybe you like the spice of a cinnamon heart? For most of us, we can grab a handful of Valentine’s Day candy without thinking about it. But for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) every snack, every meal, every piece of food eaten must first be calculated for carbs and sugar against the insulin they need to take – just to stay alive.
For newly diagnosed families, learning the calculations of carbs against insulin needs can be challenging at first, but with practice and consistency this should become easier over time. And even for people who have been living with T1D for decades, the sugar or carb counts of certain foods can vary, either by brand or a change to the product.
Always make sure to check the label carefully, and consider downloading an app, like Roche’s mySugr app, Diabetes M, Quin, which can be connected to a flash glucose sensor (Quin is free but only available on IOS) or apps from your device manufacturers. Visit the website of the manufacturer of your device to find out more.
Carbs and Cals lets you take a photo of your meal, and the app searches its library of over 19,000 foods to give you the nutritional information you need.
MyFitnessPal app includes a database of over 14 million foods so you can find out nutritional information about what you’re eating, including the amount of carbs. It has a handy barcode scanner for ready-made products, and you can also add your own foods.
There is a free version and a paid version which has more features. The app is compatible with iOS and Android.
We always want the holidays to be fun for you, or a loved one with T1D, knowing that treats can still safely be enjoyed. It just requires a little extra work and knowing the carb levels of favourite candies.
Remember also to factor in the portion of candy or chocolate you or your child eats to get a more accurate carb count.
- Great Value Cinnamon Hearts (25 pieces) contains 15g total carbs, 15g net carbs, 0g fat, 0g protein, and 60 calories.
- Hershey Kiss (1 piece) contains 3g total carbs, 2.8g net carbs, 1.5g fat, 0.4g protein, and 27 calories.
- Hershey’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (1 package – each 1.5 OZ – 2 cups – 2 1/8″ diameter per cup) contains 23g total carbs, 21.7g net carbs, 12.8g fat, 4.3g protein, and 216 calories.
- Jellybeans (10 piece) contains 28g total carbs, 28g net carbs, 0g fat, 0g protein, and 113 calories
- Compliments Jujubes (8 candies) contains 33g total carbs, 33g net carbs, 0g fat, 0g protein, and 130 calories.
(values found at https://www.carbmanager.com/)
For a more detailed list of Valentine’s candies and their carb counts, thank you to our friends at Waltzing the Dragon for this Valentine Treat Carb Guide (https://waltzingthedragon.ca/diabetes/nutrition-excercise/valentines-day-candy-chocolate-carb-counting-tips/)
| Item (weight in grams) | Grams of Carbs |
|---|---|
| CHOCOLATE | |
| Hershey’s Kiss, Milk Chocolate (4.6g) | 2.6g |
| Hershey’s Hug (4.4g) | 2.7g |
| Hershey’s Kiss Chocolate Truffle (4.6g) | 2.6g |
| Hershey’s Kiss Lava Cake (4.7g) | 2.9g |
| M&M Valentine Cupid’s Mix (8 candies = 9g) | 5g |
| Kinder Love Mini Chocolate Heart (4.3g) | 2.3g |
| Kinder Surprise Egg (20g) | 10g |
| Reese’s Peanut Butter Heart (10g) | 5.8g |
| KitKat Mini Valentine Bar (12g) | 7.7g |
| Smarties Mini Valentine Box – contains 10 pces (10g) | 7.8g |
| Assorted Chocolates, Merci (12.7g) | 6.7g |
| Milk Chocolate Strawberry Truffle, Jelly Belly (8.6g) | 4.6g |
| Milk Chocolate Truffle, Aero (9g) | 4.8g |
| Milk Chocolate Rose (18g) | 10g |
| Milk Chocolate Heart, Laura Secord (7.6g) | 3.8g |
| Dark Chocolate Heart, Laura Secord (7.6g) | 2.8g |
| Chocolate Heart, Lindt Lindor (14g) | 7g |
| Chocolate, Ferraro Rocher (12.7g) | 5g |
| Dark Chocolate Ganache Heart, Godiva Masterpieces (7.8g) | 3.2g |
| Caramel-filled Chocolate Heart, Freddo (10g) | 6g |
| Milk Chocolate Caramel Heart, Carnaby Sweet (7g) | 4.3g |
| Chocolate-covered Cherry, Cella’s (14g) | 10g |
| Cream-filled Chocolate, Elmer (11.3g): – Caramel – Strawberry Crème – Orange Crème – Cocoa truffle – Chocolate Caramel | 7.3g |
| Cream-filled Chocolate Heart, Palmer: – Cookies and Cream (9.5g) – Peanut Butter (9.5g) – Fudge (9.5g) – Caramel (9.5g) – Double Crisp (8.2g) | 6g 5.3g 6.3g 6g 5.4g |
| CANDY | |
| Candy Hearts, Brach’s Heart 2 Heart Tiny Conversation Hearts, (12 hearts, 15g) | 15g |
| Candy Hearts, Rockets (1 roll = 11 candies, 18g) | 16g |
| Candy Hearts, Cherubin Chit Chats (19 candies, 20g) | 18.5g |
| Cinnamon Hearts, McCormicks (10 candies, 5g) | 4g |
| Candy powder, Fun Dip Valentine Pouch (12g) | 11g |
| Jelly Bean Heart, Compliments (2.7g) | 2.5g |
| Gummy Heart, Compliments (4.6g) | 3.7g |
| Gummy Heart, Cherubin (8g) | 5.8g |
| Gummy Candy, Disney #MicMin (50g pkg) | 36g |
| Popping Candy, Cherubin (1g pouch) | 1g |
| Lollipop, Carnaby Sweet, Cherry (6g) | 6g |
| BAKING | |
| Mini Cupcake with Icing (25g) | 14g |
