Saturday, May 2, 2009

Gummy Bears That Kid’s Classic For Everyone

Mention Gummy bears and foodies go into rhapsodies about them. Everyone loves these chewy little ursines . They’re the candy version of the fuzzy cousin Teddy. They come in almost all flavors and are fun to snack on no matter how old you are.
Gummi or gummy bears got their start in Germany in 1922 where they were christened Gummibars or rubber bears. Hans Reigel of Bonn first developed these tasty little treats where they were made from sugar ,glucose syrup and starch. Various fruit flavorings such as orange and pineapple are added along with citric acid , gelatin and food coloring. There is a vegetarian version which substitutes fruit pectin instead of gelatin (which is derived from horse or pig hooves). Most gummy bears come in orange, raspberry, pineapple, lime and strawberry The vegetarian version has more exotic flavors.
Gummy or gummi bears have spawned other gummy animals such as lobsters , octopi rings cola bottles and the like. There are even the fun but icky gummy worms and snakes along with sharks and hippos. (have yet to see these.) There is even a kid’s vitamin , called Bear Essentials, packed full of Vitamin C, that’s being offered now too (the original Gummies have no calories whatsoever and are considered empty by nutritionists).

Nothing says bliss and comfort like a handful of Gummy Bears . They’re a holdover from childhood that we all enjoy snacking on. They’re the candy version of a Teddy bear.

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