Is Any Sort of Candy Allowed On The Medifast Diet?
I sometimes hear from people who are wondering if they are going to be able to eat a very specific comfort food on the Medifast diet. Sometimes, they are almost certain that their desired food isn’t going to be acceptable. One such example is candy.
I might hear a comment like: “I know that the answer to this is probably no, but are you allowed to eat candy on Medifast? I have a huge weakness for candy. I don’t eat tons – just a coupe of small pieces per day – and I don’t want to give this up, although I realize that my love of candy is probably one thing that is contributing to my need to be on a diet in the first place.”
You can have a very specific type of candy and still not be cheating. Medifast allows you to eat five of their prepackaged meals per day plus one meal that you make on your own. In addition to this, you are allowed to have one snack each day which consists of foods like celery, a sugar free popsicle, sugar free gelatin, pickles, or three pieces of sugar free gum or mints. (You can also have one of the Medifast crackers or chips. Examples are the cheese puffs, the apple crisps, and the vegetable crackers.
Now, by mints they are typically talking about the peppermint or spearmint flavored mint candies. And I believe that they encourage gum and mints because they know that if you have a fresh taste in your mouth, then you are less likely to cheat. Because when your mouth feels clean and fresh, you’re less likely to want to eat and interfere with that feeling. (That’s why people who have cravings will often brush their teeth when one hits.)
I know that some people extend the definition of mints to include sugar free, hard candies. I’m not sure that this would be endorsed by the company (and for that reason I’d encourage you to call and ask them,) but this practice hasn’t hurt their results any. I even know folks who will occasionally have those small snack sized sugar free chocolate candies. If you were going to go this route, you’d want to make sure that you’re choosing a very low calorie option.
Frankly people will also sometimes cheat on this diet. I know someone who allows herself one tiny piece of chocolate per day. In terms of compliance, this isn’t going to be ideal. But some people have this sort of willpower and make it work for them. And others will go all out and have a full sized candy bar or other treat on occasion. I don’t think that this is the end of the world as long as you get back on the diet as soon as you can. That’s generally want I try to do.
But to answer the question posed, you can have three sugar free mints per day and still be in full compliance. And you don’t have to have this in lieu of one of your six meals. This is on top of those meals.
