I categorized candy canes as ultra-processed if they have red dyes, natural flavor, or brown rice syrup.
I was only able to find one candy cane that is not UPF, and are probably difficult for most people to be able to purchase. Realistically, I was surprised there are any.
If your focus is really only on avoiding artificial dyes, take a look at Yum Earth Organic Candy Canes, which I did list as UPF due to the brown rice syrup.
Peppermint flavored candy canes that are UPF seem to fall into two categories, ones with artificial dyes that are made out of corn syrup, and ones with vegetable dyes that are made out of rice syrup and frequently also have natural flavors. Then there were the ones from Williams Sonoma, which also had artificial flavors, emulsifiers, and palm oil.
Categorizing something as UPF or not is of course very subjective. Sugar is Nova group 2. I would always categorize high fructose corn syrup as Nova group 4, but I think regular corn syrup becomes less clear. It has been used as a household ingredient for generations and has been a very traditional part of candy making at home. The vast majority of recipes you will find to make candy canes at home involve the use of corn syrup.
In this instance I think it comes to looking at what is the purpose of the ingredient in this product. If it is a sweetener that is being added to replace the ingredient that was traditionally used, or where a sweetener would not have been at all, then I think it would be NOVA 4. I don’t think most home cooks would have made candy canes at home using rice syrup, and that it is being used to replace corn syrup. This is why in this instance I categorized products using rice syrup as UPF.
Candy canes are a seasonal treat though, and I think there is a lot to be said about just getting the one that you enjoy the most.
Candy canes that are not UPF:
Giambri’s All Natural Handmade Peppermint Candy Canes
Ingredients: Pure Cane Sugar, Cream of Tartar, Natural Oil of Peppermint, Red Beet Powder.
Giambri’s All Natural Handmade Peppermint Candy Sticks
Ingredients: Pure Cane Sugar, Cream of Tartar, Natural Oil of Peppermint, Red Beet Powder.
Candy canes that are ultra-processed:
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Candy Canes
Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Fruit and Organic Vegetable Juice Concentrate For Color (Red Radish, Apple, Black Currant), Natural Flavor.
Brach’s Peppermint Candy Canes
Ingredients: Corn Syrup, Sugar, Peppermint Oil, Red 40, Red 40 Lake.
Favorite Day Peppermint Candy Canes (Target)
Ingredients: Corn Syrup, Sugar, Peppermint Oil, Red 40, Red 40 Lake.
Spangler Traditional Pepeprmint Candy Canes
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, natural flavor, color added (includes Red 40)
Starburst Assorted Flavor Candy Canes
Ingredients: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Fruit Juice from Concentrate (Apple, Cherry, Lemon, Orange, Strawberry), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1).
Sweet Organics Peppermint Flavored Organic Candy Canes
Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, organic brown rice syrup, natural peppermint flavor, colored with organic fruit and vegetable concentrate (radish, apple, blackcurrant).
Thrive Market Organic Candy Canes
Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Fruit and Vegetable Juice (Color), Natural Flavor
Williams Sonoma Candy Cane Poles
Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar syrup, wheat flour, cornstarch, palm fat, humectant (glycerol), malic acid, citric acid, potato starch, gelatin, natural flavor, artificial flavor, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (emulsifiers), coconut fat, vegetable oil (coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil), Red #40.
Yum Earth Organic Blue Raspberry Candy Canes
Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Spirulina (Color), Citric Acid, Organic Natural Flavor, Sodium Citrate.
Yum Earth Organic Candy Canes
Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Natural Peppermint Flavor, Colored With Organic Fruit And Vegetable Concentrate (Radish, Apple, Blackcurrant).