I gave the kids in my neighbourhood a trick and treat this Halloween! The treat: SurfSweets’ jellybeans and gummy worms. The trick: they’re made from natural organic ingredients and contain no gluten or casein or any of the most common food allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, soy, wheat, sulphites, sesame seeds and mustard). And guess what - the kids loved them!
Taste Test
While I’m not a fan of candies because they traditionally have an artificial taste, SurfSweets’ jellybeans are changing my mind! What really surprised me was that SurfSweets’ jellybeans had a somewhat grapey and fruity taste. The texture was also nice and chewy and not hard on the good old jaw…SurfSweets certainly gets some extra points for not sending me to the dentist.
My only complaint is that the jellybeans were a little too sweet for my candy-hating palette (yes, I don’t like candy!). I should also mention that I don’t eat jellybeans because, unlike SurfSweets’ jellybeans, they are not vegetarian. So, to make this review fair, I made sure to get some unbiased opinions - the kids in the neighbourhood who actually have food allergies and who actually love candy! According to these experts, my “too sweet” opinion is “totally wrong”. These ghoulish-experts loved the jellybeans and told me that they couldn’t tell the difference between SurfSweets’ jellybeans and the traditional version…of course, I didn’t tell them that they contain vitamins and are vegetarian-friendly and corn-syrup-free.
The Verdict: While the great texture and the fruity taste (without the artificial flavouring) make SurfSweets’ jellybeans a great treat, this product is still slightly too sweet for my liking. However, since I have to take into consideration the opinion of the true taste experts (the kids!), SurfSweets gets a really high score of 4 out of 5.
The Nutritional Test
Thank you SurfSweets for making a product that is not only organic and natural ingredients, but also free from corn syrup and a variety of allergens. From this perspective alone, if you or your children are having a craving for candy, then SurfSweets’ jellybeans are the better option. While SurfSweets’ jelly beans are slighter higher in sodium than the traditional brand, it isn’t by a lot and it isn’t that much of a concern: a serving of 31 of SurfSweets’ jelly beans accounts for only 1% of your daily sodium intake. SurfSweets also beats out the competition because it is slightly lower in carbohydrates and has the added nutritional benefit of naturally occurring Vitamin C. Still not convinced? Well, it gets better.
Most jellybeans are made form artificial colours and flavours (e.g. yellow 5, red 40) that may cause bad food reactions. Not so with SurfSweets’ jelly beans - they’re made with natural ingredients like annatto, turmeric and carrot juices. However, it is important to note a few things about the colouring agent annatto, a derivative of the achiote trees. First, it can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Second, it has an affect on blood sugar levels and, third, there is limited scientific research on this natural colouring. This brings me to a related and common ingredient and label reading mistake: just because a product uses organic or natural ingredients, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for you or that it’s low in some of the “bad stuff”…like sugar! In fact, sugar, as with traditional jellybeans, makes up the majority of the calories in SurfSweets’ jellybeans.
The Verdict: If Halloween treats reignited your love for candy (but not your love for corn syrup, artificial flavours or the fear of having an allergic reaction) then SurfSweets is your answer! However, make sure to limit the amount that you eat because it still contains lots of sugar. But, since SurfSweets’ jellybeans are allergy-free and are made from natural non-GMO and (97%) organic ingredients, this product gets a very high 3.75 out of 5.
Overall Verdict
This is an excellent product for those that are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, soy, wheat, gluten, sulphites, sesame seeds, mustard and artificial dyes. SurfSweets’ organic and natural philosophy also makes its jellybeans tastier than the competition, earning these jellybeans a lot of points. However, these jellybeans are still candies and shouldn’t be substituted for natural whole fruits as the “go to” snack. But, since it is a healthier candy, Surfsweets gets a high score of 7.75 out of 10. Way to go SurfSweets for giving the experience of Halloween back to “allergic” and health conscious people!