Gummy bears are a popular snack choice for both children and adults. These sugary snacks don’t have much protein and are not very healthy. Have a look at Gummy Bears Nutrition Facts here!
Side effects can even occur with sugar-free gummy Bears. It’s easy to make gummy bears and use them as healthy snacks.
Gummy Bears Nutrition Facts
Haribo Gold-Bears are the actual name of Haribo gummy bears. You can choose from five flavors and five colors of these gummy bears:
- Lemon-flavored, yellow
- Orange flavored, orange
- Pineapple flavored, White
- Red Raspberry flavor,
- Strawberry flavored, green
These gummy bears are made mainly of:
- Glucose syrup, which is made from wheat or corn
- Sugar
- Gelatin
- Dextrose
- Natural and artificial flavorings
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All ingredients in Haribo gummy bears are listed the same, regardless of their various flavors and colors. 13 pieces or 30g of Haribo Gold bears Gummy Bears have 100 calories, 23g of carbohydrates, and 2g of protein. Gummy bears contain 14 grams of sugar in each serving. This means there is more than 1 gram of sugar per gummy bear.
Although not all Haribo products meet the kosher requirements, Haribo sells gummy bears and other products that comply with these standards. Depending on where they were made, Haribo gummy bears can use either beef gelatin, pork, or fish gelatin. Some Haribo snacks can be made vegetarian (they use starch instead of animal gelatin), but none are suitable for vegans as they all contain beeswax.
Sugar in Gummy Bears
Gummy bears are mainly sugar. Gummy bears contain 2g of protein per serve (from gelatin), but they are mostly empty calories. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that 10 percent of your daily calories should be from added sugars. Sugars have four calories per gram, so most people should not consume more than 200 calories each day or 50 grams of sugars.
Gummy bears and junk food aren’t as bad as many other products. If you don’t consume any added sugars, you can eat multiple Haribo gummy Bears and still meet the FDA recommendation. Gummy bears have very few health benefits due to the amount of sugar they contain. A diet that includes more than 3.5 servings per day of gummy bears would be considered unhealthy.
Also, read Jollibee Nutrition Facts
Products that contain ingredients such as corn syrup or wheat syrup can be harmful even when used in moderation. A June 2015 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that corn syrup consumption is linked to cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Sugar-Free Gummy Bears
Manufacturers often produce a sugar-free product when the product’s sugar content is too high. Haribo’s sugar-free gummy bears were an example of this. These sugar-free gummy bears were made from casein, a hydrogenated syrup primarily made of maltitol. Maltitol, a sugar-alcohol — more specifically, a monool — is a type of carbohydrate. Sugar alcohols are found in many fruits and veggies, but they are also commercially available as sweeteners.
Sugar alcohols can be used in sugar-free products because they have fewer calories and react with blood glucose less. Your body can’t fully digest sugar alcohols such as maltitol like sugar. This is why they are processed differently. Unlike sugar, they don’t react to bacterial plaque in the mouth, which is another advantage. According to an April 2014 review in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, some of them are even beneficial for your dental health.
Sugar alcohols can contain a variety of ingredients such as:
- Isomalt
- Erythritol
- Lactitol
- Maltitol
- Mannitol
- Sorbitol
- Xylitol
According to a review published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology, sugar alcohols seem too good to be true.
Small amounts of sugar and alcohol are fine. Higher amounts can have gastrointestinal side effects. The Food and Drug Administration requires certain sugar alcohols to be labeled. Because the body’s intestinal system does not absorb the sugar alcohols, these side effects can occur. Side effects can include gas, cramps, and diarrhea if too many sugar alcohols pass through the body simultaneously.
You should not eat Haribo sugar-free gummy bears or any other sugar-free product made with sugar alcohols.
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Gummy Bear Recipes
Gummy bears are a familiar food for many people who grew up with them. However, if you are a healthy adult, you might not want to eat regular gummy bears. Or you may be concerned about the side effects of sugar-free gummy bears. Gummy bear recipes are easy to make. All you need is gelatin, water, and a sweetener. You can make something more like Haribo’s products by using flavored gelatin. Gummy bears can be made tarter or tangier by adding a little bit of citric acid.
Gummy bear recipes are made in the same way as Jello. You mix gelatin with cold water. You’ll need to mix these ingredients and add your favorite flavors and sweeteners. Mix all ingredients and heat until sweetener is dissolved. Pour the mixture into gelatin molds.
Like Jello, you can place the mixture in a refrigerator or other cold environment until it solidifies. Making your gummy bears is the best choice. You can make gummy bears, choose the best sweetener, or use vegan gelatin (agar).
