Starburst vs Lovely Fruit Chews

At a recent theater show during intermission, the refreshment stand had a stack of Starburst – the square-shaped fruit flavored soft chewy taffy-like candy – sitting on the counter. Although tempted to purchase a stick of this childhood favorite, one look at the ingredients list made me change my mind and wish there was an alternative.

My search led to the Lovely Candy Company which makes Lovely Fruit Chews – square-shaped fruit flavored soft chewy taffy-like candy made with real fruit and no corn syrup, gelatin (from animal bones), artificial flavors or colors.

A comparison between the two products is as follows:

Starburst:  corn syrup, sugar, apple juice from concentrate, gelatin, food starch modified, citric cid, less than 1.5% – pectin, natural and artificial flavors, coloring (Red 40, Yellow 5).

Lovely Fruit Chews: brown rice syrup, dried cane syrup, palm oil, freeze-dried blueberry, freeze-dried cranberry, freeze-dried raspberry, (or freeze-dried cherry, freeze-dried apple, freeze-dried blackberry) citric acid, natural flavors, and sunflower lecithin.

                                                        Starburst                              Lovely Fruit Chews

Serving Size                            40 grams (8 pieces)                         43 grams (7 pieces)

Calories                                   160                                                   160

Total Fat                                   3 grams                                            2 grams

Total Protein                             0                                                        0

Total Sodium                            0                                                        0

Total Carbohydrates                34 grams                                           36 grams

Cost                                         2 ounces $0.79                                2 ounces $1.29

As illustrated above, both candies are nutritionally similar except for the ingredients. Lovely Fruit Chews cost more primarily because the ingredients include real fruit and because no corn syrup (a very inexpensive sweetener) is used to sweeten the candy. But the second best reason to choose Lovely Fruit Chews over Starburst is the taste. Lovely Fruit Chews are fruitier, chewier, and slightly less tangy, which is just the way fruit-flavored taffy-like candy should taste.

Lovely Fruit Chews come in 2 ounce and 6 ounce packets in Superfruit (Blueberry, cranberry, and raspberry) or Fruit (apple, cherry, and blackberry).

Lovely Fruit Chews can be purchased at Whole Foods Markets in the Southwest and Florida regions and The Fresh Market nationwide or on-line directly from the company (www.lovelycandyco.com) or www.vitacost.com.