I was at a friend’s house and he offered me some candy. “They aren’t your regular jelly beans, Al. They’re pumped full of vitamins and they give you energy.”
This was a new one on me … so I started researching… I think you’re likely going to see a lot more of this sort of product.
So today, I’ll give you a heads up about this trendy new fad rapidly becoming popular with gym goers and fitness gurus.
Get Your Instant Energy?
Candy makers around the country are setting their sights on a new market. They’re targeting health-conscious people who want to boost their athletic performance or get a quick jolt of energy.
The $25 billion candy industry wants to tap into the $3 billion people are spending on energy bars and sports drinks. To attract buyers, they’re adding vitamins, nutrients and other stimulants to make their candy seem healthier and in line with their customer’s fitness and energy goals.
The Jelly Belly Candy Co. has introduced “Sports Beans.” Each serving has Vitamins C and E plus 120 milligrams of electrolytes intended to “boost energy and prevent dehydration.”
Another company sells what they call, “Energy Chews.” Three of these taffy-looking candies provide a caffeine kick-in-the-butt equal to two cups of coffee.
My take? I think those with an active lifestyle, bouncing from work to the gym, will be tempted by their convenience, caffeine and sugar. I suspect they will also become popular with the same high school and college crowd that drinks 5 Mountain Dews a day.
But of course, that’s not you right?
Yet you don’t have to live like a monk to be healthy. (If you haven’t tried the new popcorn jelly beans, they’ll really surprise you.) But see candy for what it is – a fun occasional splurge.
Now for the Real Candy
You can add whatever you want to a jellybean. But at the end of the day, it’s still, well … a jellybean. Full of sugar and artificial ingredients.
For energy without the side effects, make your snacks real food. Once you reacquaint your palate back to what nature designed it to love, real food tastes just as good and also makes you feel good instead of paying for it later.
And, added sugar won’t help you at the gym. In fact, it will work against you by promoting weight gain and fat production.
Here’s a list of some of my favorite real foods that make tasty snacks:
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Peaches
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Home-grown tomatoes
• Grass-fed beef jerky
• Sashimi
• Oysters
And here’s my lifelong sentimental favorite – Any fruit, nut or vegetable that I grow myself.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD