National Sour Candy Day will be celebrated on July 18, and our taste buds are excited! This is the day for sour candy to shine, so get ready to let go of sweet treats and dive into zesty, tangy candies. These fun candies come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors, from chewy twists and ropes to small hard candies, each delivering a big punch of sourness to your taste buds.
Known The History of National Sour Candy Day
Throughout history, people have enjoyed sour fruits and foods, but sour candy is a relatively recent development compared to regular candy.
According to NPR, this is partly because mass-produced candy had a poor reputation in the 19th century due to concerns about unclean production conditions and harmful chemicals in colorful treats.
Most early candy manufacturers avoided experimenting with sour candies, though a few used acidic ingredients like vinegar to create a sweet-tart flavor by converting cane sugar into glucose.
Over time, candy makers sought to boost their appeal and saw a big opportunity in Halloween. They created Halloween-themed advertising that strongly connected the holiday and candy. This association allowed candy makers to experiment with new flavors, leading to the rise of the sour candy market.
For instance, around the same time as the U.S. military’s first hydrogen bomb test, Ferrara Pan Candy Company introduced the Atomic Fireball. This sour candy, filled with capsaicin and cinnamaldehyde, was so intense it could leave your mouth feeling numb.
By the end of the 19th century, the sour candy craze had spread across the U.S. A key factor in this was the introduction of Warheads by the Foreign Candy Company. Their founder, Peter De Yager, traveled throughout East Asia epicenter of sour candy- to discover the sourest candy available, and he found it in Taiwan.
The American Licorice Company, which has its line of sour candies, founded National Sour Candy Day. They created this day to celebrate sour candy and encourage more people to explore and enjoy the wide range of flavors that sour candy offers.
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| 19th Century (Candy Has a Bad Reputation) | Mass-produced candy is looked upon with trepidation by most consumers and candy makers don’t want to risk experimenting with tastes for fear of losing credibility. |
| 1950s (Candy + Halloween) | Candy makers create ad campaigns that forever link candy to Halloween — doing this also allows them the freedom to slowly introduce new flavors and types of candy. |
| 1954 (Sour Candy is Here) | The Atomic Fireball leaves a tart taste, and the sour candy market slowly begins to erupt. |
| 1962 (Sour Candy Comes into the Spotlight) | Lemonhead candy — which utilizes citric acid to mimic the sour flavor — is introduced and it is a hit. |
| 1993 (The Sour Candy Craze Explodes) | Peter De Yager — founder of the Foreign Candy Co. — brings Warheads to U.S. shores from Thailand, which has a huge impact on the sour candy market. |
| 2015 (Our Day is Founded) | The American Licorice Company establishes National Sour Candy Day. |
5 Interesting Facts About Sour Candy You Should Know
- One type of sour candy, Sour Flush Candy Toilets, features a candy-toilets plunger that you dip into a plastic “toilet” filled with sour sugar.
- Candy makers carefully select ingredients to create the perfect sour candy recipe because different acids-such as citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and fumaric acid — vary in their levels of sourness.
- Sour candies like Sour Skittles can help relieve blocked salivary glands, though they should be eaten in moderation.
- Over the past 20 years, candy makers have increasingly marketed sour and fruity candies to kids.
- Lactic acid, the same ingredient used in ‘sour’ beer, is also used in some types of sour candy.
Frequently Ask Question
Is Sour Candy Good for You?
While sour candy is a popular treat, eating too much of it can lead to dental problems. The high acid content in sour candies can erode tooth enamel, so it’s best to enjoy them in moderation.
What Are the Benefits of Sour Candy?
Sour candy might help relieve anxiety and panic attacks based on anecdotal reports. The intense sour flavor can serve as a distraction from anxious thoughts and help bring focus back to the present moment. However, more quality research is needed to confirm these potential benefits.
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