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When people think of candy, they usually imagine a sugary explosion happening inside their mouths. In some parts of the world, however, candy doesn’t just translate to saccharine creations meant to satisfy our sweet tooth.
We should know! Chamoy is the most popular candy among Mexicans. That sweet, yet tangy, but also sour and spicy flavor just makes our taste buds tingle with anticipation. You might be so confused by the idea of candy being hot, but did you know weird candy can be found all over the world?
Today, we bring you the weirdest candy flavors you’ve probably never even heard of before, starting with our favorite, of course: chamoy.
Here at Sophia’s Spicy Treats, we’re candy lovers at heart. Whenever someone asks us about our favorite candy, it might feel like they’re asking who our favorite child is (it’s Sophia, of course). Thankfully, candy has no ears and we can confidently say that our favorite candy is chamoy candy—we’re Mexican after all!
There is nothing more addictive than chamoy candy, one of Mexico’s most popular treats. This national culinary staple is characterized by its tasty versatility and the craft behind its unique spike: a mix of sweet, sour, tangy and spicy flavors made with only natural ingredients.
Chamoy candy is also found in different consistencies, from liquid or chamoy sauce, to chamoy paste, and even in powder form.
Since it’s not too spicy, nor too sweet, chamoy was naturally added to practically any candy. In Mexico you can find chamoy flavored lollipops, but also chamoy powder and chamoy sauce to dip your sucker in, for example.
By far, most international candy connoisseurs are very intrigued by Lucas Salsaghetti Chamoy: watermelon, mango or sour flavored gummy noodles, sprinkled with chamoy powder and tamarind sauce.
Japanese are famous for proudly adding their unique regional flavors to all foreign candy that comes into their country. Such is the case for Kit Kat, the chocolate-covered wafer bar confection with unimaginable varieties exclusive to Japan.
Wasabi Kit Kats might be a weird candy choice for us abroad but it’s actually a favorite snack among locals and curious tourists. Here, high-quality wasabi powder is sprinkled onto white chocolate wafers, covered in pale-green white chocolate.
Who would’ve thought that the spicy, sinus-clearing that comes with your sushi would pair perfectly with chocolate?
The American tradition of barbecuing is strong. In fact, Food & Wine’s top three BBQ destinations are here in Texas, where Sophia’s Spicy Treats is from.
Nothing could possibly stop some good patriotic pride from creating the quintessential American candy bar: PayDay “Flavor of Texas BBQ.” Usually made with a caramel-nougat center surrounded by salted peanuts, this weird candy bar is also coated with a barbecue seasoning blend.
Spicy, smoky and sweet, this bar surprisingly tastes awesome, despite the grill it received when it was first introduced to the market in 2017.
Creativity didn’t stop there. In fact, that same year the Hershey Company rolled out special editions of their most popular candy under the theme “Taste of America”: Kit Kat (California; strawberry), Reese’s (Georgia; honey roasted), Hershey’s Kisses (Hawaii; coconut almond), Hershey’s (New York; cherry cheesecake) and Twizzlers (Florida, key lime pie and orange cream pop).
If you ever come across one in the gas station, buy it—we promise it won’t disappoint you!
If you’re anything like us, you love everything pickle-flavored: spicy pickles, chamoy pickles, thinly sliced on our burger, even eating them plain as a healthy snack. You can imagine our surprise and excitement when we found out that pickle candy canes exist.
Food and treats are the first thing everyone thinks of when it comes to the holidays. There is always someone who wants to add a new spin to something good, especially when it comes to food or candy, and candy canes are no exception.
Candy canes are one of the most iconic winter treats and, without a doubt, this weird candy flavor definitely puts a fun twist on a holiday treat!
In recent years, bubble gum flavors have adopted unusual flavors, but we have yet to see anything quite like Thrills. This retro Canadian gum has a distinctive floral rosewater flavor that tastes like… soap?!
Just like the packaging of this weird candy confirms that every purple nugget in this packet “still tastes like soap!” in case anyone forgot. Actually, the Thrills manufacturer, O-Pee-Chee Gum Company, supplied Canadians with all sorts of perfumed sweets back in the 50s and 60s.
Thrills is still available and has its distinct flavor to thank for its unusual fanbase. If you happen to convert from mint to the acquired taste of soap, at least you won’t have to worry about sharing with others anymore.
A 2022 study found that chocolate is the preferred candy in America. And who doesn’t love the feeling of a chocolate milk bar melting in their mouths, the bold taste of dark chocolate or the buttery texture of white chocolate?
Back in 2015, the Australian branch of the British multinational confectionery company, Cadbury, announced a limited edition flavor exclusive to Aussies: Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar with Vegemite.
Vegemite is a thick, dark brown Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives that’s usually spread over toast. In essence, vegemite has a flavor that you either love or hate.
To many people’s surprise, the novel chocolate bar flavor was received with mixed reviews. A Twitter (aka X) user described the bar tasting like “filled with caramel with a hint of Vegemite taste, similar to salted caramel, rather than filled entirely with the salty, yeasty spread.”
Even though this weird candy bar is now discontinued, its limited supply auctioned on eBay for hundreds of dollars between 2015 and 2017. An unopened vegemite chocolate bar could cost you a whopping $500 dollar bill!
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There’s a reason why the phrase “eat your feelings” exists. Eating food is often used as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions. Whether you’re upset, angry, or stressed, diving into something sweet and tangy like chamoy is the ultimate dopamine trigger.
You’ve always suspected chamoy could fix anything, right? Now we have the science to back you up.
May is National Mental Awareness Month and, in honor of this important health celebration, we’ll dive deep into the physical and mental benefits of eating chamoy.
Just like the World Health Organization says, “there is no health without mental health.”
Since its inception by Mental Health America (MHA) in 1949, every May in the United States we raise national awareness and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. This month-long celebration advocates for and provides support to the millions of people in the country affected by mental illness.
According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. affecting 40 million adults from the age of 18 every year and only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
It’s also important to recognize that women are twice as likely to be affected as men, while 31.9% of adolescents between 13 and 18 years old are affected. What’s more, July brings awareness to the unique struggles of racial and ethnic minority communities.
Whether you’re a kid, teen or adult, your mental health is important.
Our mental wellbeing affects how we think, feel and act. It determines how you handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices for ourselves and those around us.
The concept of mental health and mental fitness is often misunderstood, which leads to people suffering in silence and not seeking treatment. As a result, Mental Health Awareness Month aims to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness.
What we eat has an impact on our emotions. Candy and sweet treats are linked to some of life’s happiest and most memorable moments: birthdays, baby showers, Halloween, etc.
No matter what we celebrate, eating candy releases our brain’s feel-good chemicals to bring us joy.
Remember those delicious chamoyadas at your cousin’s third birthday, or the surprise lollipops your dad brought you home every day after work? Candy happiness is real!
The brain consumes 50% of our body’s sugar for energy. Because sugar releases dopamine, eating candy leads to reward, novelty and motivation.
Aside from releasing dopamine in the brain, sugar also releases endogenous opioids, which are responsible for the sudden surge of pleasure you feel from eating candy.
Bottom line, candy does wonders for your mind and mood, especially when it’s made with really good ingredients and top notch processes—just try Sophia’s Spicy Treats chamoy covered candy, dips and sauces!
Working through mental health is often a private experience but the journey does not have to be made alone. As with many kids, candy can be a powerful motivator—just ask your mom!
Chamoy candy has the same motivating benefits in adults.
Researchers also found that happy feel-good activities, such as watching a good telenovela or eating your favorite Chamoy Watermelon Gummies, improves performance in the subsequent productivity task.
In addition, studies have shown that consuming capsaicin—the molecular compound in chili peppers that causes the sensation of heat—may not only create better cognition in humans but may also prevent age-dominant diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
If your favorite candy flavors come in either pink or red colors, you’re not alone. There’s a scientific reason why pink and red candies are so irresistible!
According to Charles Spence, PhD, a University of Oxford psychologist, color has a much more substantial effect on people than they realize. That’s especially true of red, which is reported to be indicative of sweetness.
Red is often associated with feelings of happiness.
Chamoy is a quintessential bright red Mexican dipping sauce used to season anything from beverages to crunchy snacks. There are now multiple variations of chamoy, but the original one is the bright red topping made of dried fruits, like dried apricots, prunes, mango or plums.
One in ten Americans suffer from at least one panic attack a year, and around 2.7%—roughly six million people—have panic disorders. Many people describe panic attacks as feeling like having a heart attack when suddenly they experience shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, a racing heart, sweating, tingling, or numbness.
In fact, a TikTok user recently opened up about her ongoing panic attacks and said that her therapist told her to buy sour candy to eat when she feels her panic or anxiety starting to build.
As licensed trauma therapist Micheline Maalouf confirms, the cheek-squeezing, tart reaction you have from sucking on a super sour candy automatically distracts your brain from feelings of panic and can stop a panic attack.
Biting into something sour, spicy, or extremely salty can take your mind off of your shallow breathing or sweaty palms.
This is what therapists call a grounding technique, which helps people recenter themselves and live in the present as opposed to spiraling over other intrusive thoughts that cause that panic, stress, or anxiety in the first place.
There’s a saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and apparently so does a little candy. But remember: all things in moderation!
There is skepticism about the “sugar high,” but research shows that high-quality candy and natural cane sugar have a real effect on the brain and body.
Quality sweets reduce stress and improve your mood—just ask anyone with a sweet tooth. One of the things that sets Sophia’s Spicy Treats’ chamoy candy and dip sauces from others is the quality of the ingredients we use to make our candy.
Some of our ingredients include real fruit instead of extracts, quality cane sugar as opposed to high-fructose syrup, and handpicked natural spices, never artificial flavors.
Many of the fruits used in making chamoy—such as tamarind and plums—contain high levels of vitamin A and potassium, which are important for a healthy immune system, heart and lungs.
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