Is Hershey’s Kisses Bad For You? Is It Unhealthy? Explained

Hershey's Kisses

In general, Hershey’s Kisses isn’t considered healthy, but consuming small amounts of it won’t do any harm.

Calories are one of the primary factors that should be considered when you’re deciding whether to include chocolate in your diet. Nutrition is another.

Hershey’s Kisses are high in sugar and saturated fat. Apart from that, they don’t contain significant amounts of nutrients like proteins or vitamins. 

How Many Flavors Of Hershey’s Kisses Are There?

Apart from the milk chocolate, there is a whole world of delicious 14 flavors of Hershey’s Kisses in the market.

  1. Giant Christmas Kiss: An original Hershey chocolate bar in a different shape.
  2. Cherry Cordial: Cherry cream-filled milk chocolate.
  3. Solid Milk Chocolate
  4. Hot Cocoa
  5. Cookies ‘n’ Cream
  6. Kisses Delux: Similar to Ferrero Rocher, with crunchy rice and hazelnut-filled center.
  7. Chocolate Lava Cake
  8. Special Dark
  9. Candy Cane
  10. Mint Truffle
  11. Hugs: Milk chocolate filled with white cream.
  12. Caramel
  13. Milk Chocolate
  14. Almond

Hershey’s never failed in giving the buyers more diversified choices when it comes to flavors. They know the perfect recipe no matter what the flavor is. Let your taste buds be the guide when selecting a Hershey’s Kiss.

How Many Calories Are In Hershey’s Kisses?

Hershey’s Kisses come in many flavors and the calorie count varies depending on the flavors you choose. For example, milk chocolate has 160 calories per serving of seven pieces, which means, it has approximately 22.86 calories per piece.

While the Cookies ‘n’ Creme flavor is vaguely lower in calories. It has 150 calories per serving of seven pieces, which works out to 21.43 calories per piece.

Similarly, the Almond flavored Hershey’s Kisses also have 22.86 calories per candy. And the Special Dark candies, which are less sweet also amount to 150 calories per pack.

The Caramel flavored Hershey’s Kisses are the lowest in calories, with 18.57 calories per candy.

How Many Carbs In Hershey’s Kisses?

Hershey’s Kisses have two to three grams of carbohydrates per piece while adding 19-21 gms per serving (pack of 7 pieces). If you’re on a diet and trying to cut down on added carbs, you can limit your consumption to one or two pieces of this candy. This will help you satisfy your sweet craving without ruining your diet.

What Is The Serving Size For Hershey’s Kisses?

Hershey’s Kisses serving size is seven pieces, or 32 grams, as listed on the packaging. One pack of Hershey’s Kisses has almost 160-170 calories so you can limit your consumption depending on your dietary goals. 

Do Hershey’s Kisses Make You Fat?

Yes, Hershey’s Kisses can make you fat just like calories from any other food will. Overeating these candies may often lead you to gain weight, owing to their high content of sugar and saturated fats. But, if consumed in moderation, Hershey’s Kisses won’t make you fat. 

Having a piece or two can reduce stress and help avoid binge eating throughout the day. 

Can Diabetics Eat Hershey’s Kisses?

Hershey’s Kisses can be a part of diabetic people with a healthy diet. Again, limited consumption is the key. The dark chocolate variant is a better pick if you suffer from diabetes, as it has the lowest amount of sugar.

If you don’t like dark chocolates, pick a milk chocolate variant that has the least amount of sugar. 

Can I eat Hershey’s Kisses While Pregnant?

The short answer is yes. Hershey’s Kisses is safe for you and the little human you are carrying inside you. Not to forget, we are talking here about eating 2-3 pieces and not a full-pack candy bag. Moderation is a good rule to follow rather than loading yourself with unsaturated fats, sugar, and cholesterol.

Are Hershey’s Kisses Gluten-Free?

According to Hershey’s website, not all the flavors of Hershey’s Kisses are gluten-free. The following Hershey’s Kisses are gluten-free: 

  1. Milk Chocolate Candy Cane 
  2. Milk Chocolate with Almond
  3. Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate
  4. Hugs Chocolate
  5. Milk Chocolate Filled with Caramel
  6. Milk Chocolate Cherry Cordial Candy
  7. Mint Truffle

This information may change as their website gets updated, so it is always a good idea to check their page and read the ingredients.

Are Hershey’s Kisses Peanut-Free?

Hershey’s Kisses are peanut-free, but a few variants may contain other nuts like almonds or hazelnuts in some amounts. 

Are Hershey’s Kisses Made In A Peanut Free Facility?

Yes, the variants of Hershey’s Kisses that are nut-free, are formulated on a manufacturing line that doesn’t manufacture peanuts or any other tree nut items. They are even produced in a plant that doesn’t manufacture nut items. 

Hershey’s take food allergies seriously and follow strict procedures to prevent the inclusion of allergens into other edible products that do not contain the allergen. In many instances, they clarify the concern about possible contamination of an allergen by including an allergy information statement on the product label.

They have also updated their website with a section named “Allergen” where they mention products that contain the said allergens.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Contain Nuts?

Yes, some variants of Hershey’s Kisses may contain nuts like hazelnut or almonds. These variants are produced with equipment that processes these nuts. 

Since ingredients and the processing plants can change, it is recommended to have a look at the labels before buying Hershey’s Kisses. 

Are Hershey’s Kisses Vegan?

No, Hershey’s Kisses are not vegan. They do contain dairy products like milk, milk fat, and milk solids. Hence, Hershey’s Kisses are not dairy-free. Even the dark chocolate variant also has some amount of milk solids. So none of their flavors are vegan-compatible.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have Eggs?

No, thankfully Hershey’s Kisses don’t contain eggs. According to the latest study, eggs should not be eaten with sugar and soy milk. A combination of sugar and egg releases amino acids that are harmful to the human body and can produce clots in the blood. 

Hershey’s Kisses contain both soy milk and sugar as key ingredients. A combination of soy milk and eggs obstructs protein absorption in the body.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have Caffeine?

Yes, but Hershey’s Kisses vary in caffeine content based on the flavor, the amount of cacao they contain, and from where it is sourced. 

The standard quantity of caffeine in the original Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolate is 20 mg per 100 g. This equals 0.92 mg per one candy which is not a lot. 

Hershey’s Kisses having dark chocolate are slightly higher on caffeine. Even though these are not pure dark chocolate, these kisses have 1-2 mg caffeine per piece.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have Gelatin?

No, Hershey’s Kisses don’t have gelatin in them. Gelatin is a protein derived from animals and is considered an allergen. According to Hershey’s customer support, Kisses milk chocolates are Halal-certified so they are free from animal-derived proteins and alcohols. 

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have Red Dye?

Hershey’s Kisses contain artificial red colors namely Red 40 and Red 40 Lake. Both these are used to add red color to the food and are US FDA certified. They are safe to use in food, cosmetics, and drugs. These red dyes are not animal-derived and are made from petroleum.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Contain Soy?

Yes, Hershey’s Kisses do contain soy in them. Soy is a controversial ingredient when it comes to its effect on the human body. It is known to protect against cancer and improve fertility issues, while on the other hand it is considered as an allergen and people with thyroid issues should be careful of this ingredient. 

In Hershey’s Kisses, soy lecithin is generally used to prevent the separation of cocoa butter and cocoa. It also helps give a creamy texture to the chocolates.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Hershey’s Kisses have corn syrup solids, however, they do not explicitly mention added fructose in their ingredients list. Corn syrup solids are made by eliminating most of the water from corn syrup. Corn syrup, be it in any state, is just an added sugar that leads to health ailments. 

Corn syrup is cheaper and sweeter than regular sugar and is quickly absorbed by the body. And eating food having corn syrup can contribute to obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Have Paper?

Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped in colorful foils called plumes. The only purpose of the paper plume is to recognize a genuine Hershey’s kiss from its duplicate. The other most common reason is that it makes them easier to open. It is been said that the plume is edible. 

Well, we haven’t tried it yet!

Can You Eat Expired Hershey’s Kisses?

No, not at all! Hershey’s kisses tend to go bad after their expiry date when kept open or if they are not stored properly. Once past the expiry date, they may develop white spots, their flavor fades, and they don’t smell or taste like chocolate anymore. After 12 months, all the fat starts to separate from the rest of the ingredients, giving it a moldy taste.

Expired Kisses can also nurture microbes, and consuming them can lead to stomach infections. As long as the Hershey’s Kisses are stored unopened in a refrigerated, they can last up to 11 months.

Are Hershey’s Kisses Healthy?

Hershey’s Kisses are satisfying, melt dreamily, and are good for your taste buds. It’s no wonder that they rank as one of the best candies of all time. While they do bring a smile to your face, these candies are not the healthiest for your body.

They are high in sugar, saturated fats, and calories. Saturated fats tend to increase bad cholesterol, which in turn increases the risk of heart diseases. The same goes with the high content of sugar – it promotes tooth decay and diabetes. The high-calorie content can lead to weight gain and obesity. 

If you want to add Hershey’s Kisses to your diet, make sure to limit your consumption and practice moderation.

References:

  1. https://www.hersheyland.com/kisses
  2. https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products/034000134809-HersheysKissesMilkChocolateMilkChocolate/
Anand Srinivasan
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