Candies, fruit snacks, with high vitamin C
Whole food · Sweets
Photo: Wikipedia
These are chewy, brightly colored fruit-flavored snacks, often shaped like animals or stars, designed to deliver a potent vitamin C boost. Their texture is soft and slightly gummy, with a sweet, tangy, and often intensely fruity taste profile. Nutritionally, they are almost entirely carbohydrates, with a very high sugar content and negligible protein or fat.
Calorie split: 0% protein · 100% carbs · 0% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love them for their fun, playful shapes and the burst of sweet, tangy fruit flavor that makes them a nostalgic and convenient treat. Their portability and mess-free nature make them a popular choice for lunchboxes, on-the-go snacking, and quick energy boosts.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The extremely high sugar content (over 68g per 100g) can contribute to blood sugar spikes and dental concerns, making them a poor choice for individuals managing diabetes or seeking low-sugar diets. To counteract this, practice strict portion control and pair them with a source of protein or healthy fat (like a handful of nuts) to help blunt the glycemic response.
Key benefits
- Provides a significant dose of vitamin C per serving.
- Offers a quick source of energy from carbohydrates.
- Convenient, shelf-stable, and portable snack.
- Appealing format for children to consume fruit-flavored nutrients.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The vivid colors in many fruit snacks are derived not from fruit juice, but from concentrated fruit and vegetable juices (like apple, carrot, and elderberry) or added colorants to achieve an appealing, consistent hue.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 11.8 g |
| Energy | 352 kcal |
| Energy | 1474 kj |
| Protein | 0.08 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.00 g |
| Ash | 0.11 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 88.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 68.2 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 0.00 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.00 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 1.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 3.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 8.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 23.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.19 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.01 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.01 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.1 ug |
| Fluoride, F | 0.50 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 136 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.03 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.01 mg |
| Niacin | 0.01 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 1.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 1.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 0.30 mg |
| Betaine | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 1.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 3.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.00 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Candies, honey-combed, with peanut butter — USDA does not publish this profile for Candies.
| Tryptophan | 0.09 g |
| Threonine | 0.21 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.24 g |
| Leucine | 0.61 g |
| Lysine | 0.27 g |
| Methionine | 0.10 g |
| Cystine | 0.09 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.47 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.33 g |
| Valine | 0.31 g |
| Arginine | 1.1 g |
| Histidine | 0.22 g |
| Alanine | 0.36 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.2 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.0 g |
| Glycine | 0.56 g |
| Proline | 0.55 g |
| Serine | 0.58 g |
FAQ
Are these snacks a good source of real fruit?
Typically, no. While some brands use fruit juice concentrates, the primary ingredients are usually corn syrup, sugar, and modified starches. The nutritional profile lacks the fiber, volume, and phytonutrient diversity of whole fruit.
Why is the protein content so low?
These snacks are formulated from refined carbohydrates and sugars for taste and texture. Protein-rich ingredients like nuts, seeds, or dairy are not part of their standard composition, resulting in a negligible protein content.
Can they be part of a healthy diet?
In very small portions, as an occasional treat. Their high sugar and low nutrient density mean they should not be a regular snack. Prioritizing whole fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich snacks is far more beneficial for sustained energy and overall health.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.52 kcal/g · 0% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 68.2 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 2.88 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.