What are the ingredients in fruit chews?

If you’ve ever reached for one of those brightly-colored fruit chews, you may have wondered what exactly is inside. While the ingredients used to make these chewy candies vary by brand, most fruit chews contain a blend of sugar, corn syrup, and natural flavors that come together to create their signature taste. Let's take a look at the ingredients inside this tasty fruit chews candy.

The Base

Most fruit chews start with a base made from sugar, corn syrup, and water. This mixture is boiled until it reaches the desired consistency, usually about 270 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, other ingredients such as flavoring extracts and coloring are added to create the unique flavors and colors of each chew.

Fruit Juices

Fruit juices are often used to add natural sweetness to chews. Apple juice concentrate is often used because it has a mild flavor that can be easily blended with other ingredients. Other popular juices include orange juice concentrate, pineapple juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, and grape juice concentrate. Additionally, some manufacturers use real pieces of fruit in their recipes to add texture and natural flavor to their products.

Gums & Starches

Another common ingredient in the formulation of many fruit chews is gelatin or pectin, which acts as a thickening or gelling agent. Gelatin gives the fruit chews their signature chewiness, while pectin makes them more jelly-like. These gums help thicken the mixture and also help it hold its shape better as it cools. Starch is also used as an additive in many fruit chew formulations to help them have a firmer bite and to keep them from sticking together when they are packaged for sale.

If you are a vegetarian, try to choose fruit chews with the halal logo or check if the ingredient list contains gelatin. The main component of gelatin is protein, which is extracted from the skin and bones of animals. Like the very popular fruit chews brand "starburst", their products contain gelatin and candy glaze, both of which are derived from animal sources.

Are There Any Health Benefits to Eating Fruit Chews?

Fruit chews are certainly not healthy food! They contain almost no nutrition. However, some brands of fruit chews have vitamin C added to them, which helps boost your immune system, although not very much. There are also some potential benefits: some studies suggest that gelatin may help prevent gum disease by strengthening teeth and gums. However, these benefits should be weighed against the risks associated with consuming too much sugar.

Conclusion

Each brand of fruit chews has different ingredients, but they all have one thing in common: they all contain sugar, corn syrup and water as a base, along with a variety of fruit juices to add flavor and sweetness. If you are a vegetarian, you need to pay attention to whether the product contains gelatin in the ingredients