Companies such as Russell Stover and Hershey are seeing high profits on their diet candy thanks to low-carbers. A recent study shows sales in low-carb candy last year were four times what they were in 2000.

bq. Experts expect the diet candy to continue its rise in popularity, even as the low-carb craze dies out. The reason they say is that many people are looking for a low-cal way to satisfy their sweet tooth. And candy companies are able to provide that with better artificial sweeteners and sweetener blends.

Low-carb candy is coming into its own in a big way. Sales of “diet candy,” the candy industry’s term for sugar-free and reduced-carb sweets, soared 90 percent to more than $273 million last year, according to a recent AP report.

bq. From low-carb to low-cal to sugar-free to “guilt-free,” many of the estimated 1,400 new products on the market this year come with a health pitch of some kind. And the array of soon-to-be-released offerings on display at [last] week’s All Candy Expo, North America’s largest candy trade show, shows the pro-health movement is just getting rolling.

Watch CarbWire this week for a review on Jelly Belly’s new low-carb offerings, as well as news on low-carb products from Hershey.

Jelly Belly today introduced low-carb versions of several popular candies:

* Sugar-Free Jelly Belly Beans – 37 total carbs, 8 grams of fiber, 25 grams of sugar alcohols, 4 net-carbs. 80 calories. Made in 10 flavors.
* Sugar-Free Jelly Belly Sours – 37 total carbs, 8 grams of fiber, 25 grams of sugar alcohols, 4 net-carbs. 80 calories. Made in 5 flavors.
* Sugar-Free Fruit Slices – 30 total carbs, 8 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar alcohols, 1 net-carb. 60 calories.
* Fruit Drops – 32 total carbs, 12 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar alcohols, 6 net-carbs. 90 calories.
* Spice Drops – 33 total carbs, 11 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar alcohols, 6 net-carbs. 90 calories.
* Cola Bottles – 29 total carbs, 9 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar alcohols, 1 net-carb. 70 calories.
* Gummi Inchworms – 28 total carbs, 9 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar alcohols, 1 net-carb. 70 calories.
* Gummi Bears. – 28 total carbs, 9 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar alcohols, 1 net-carb. 70 calories.

All nutritional information is for a 40 gram serving.