Ten Amazing Facts About Gummy Bears You Won’t Believe Are Real

Do you love dipping your hand into a bag of Gummy bears? These little fruit gum candies can be so morish, but they are also pretty interesting. Here are ten facts about Gummy Bear sweets that you might find more amazing than the taste of them…

FACT 1: Their Name Is What They… Were Made From!

You might think they got their name from the gelatin they are made from, but they got the name because originally they were made with Gum arabic which is a natural gum consisting of the hardened sap of various species of the acacia tree.

FACT 2: They Were Original Called Dancing Bear Treats!

How did they get this name? It was because they were inspired by the trained bears that were often seen at street festivities and markets in Europe through to the 19th century.

FACT 3: They Are Considered Good For Your Teeth!

They might be a sweet snack, but they are made with xylitol which is known to help fight cavities. I still wouldn’t eat too many of them as all the sugar they contain might do more damage than they repair.

FACT 4: The Worlds Largest Gummy Bear Weighed 512 KGs (512,000 Grams)

It was made by Elisabeth Windisch in Germany Duesseldorf in 2014. It took a total of 6 days to set and was made in cold storage. It’s a big bear that is for sure!

FACT 5: They Were Not Invented by Haribo!

They were invented by Hans Riegel of Bonn from Germany, but He didn’t start the Haribo company, It was his son that did in 1920. That makes Gummy Bear almost 100 years old!

FACT 6: Bears are Not The Best Selling Gummy!

It is in fact Gummy Worms that sell the most as that is what Europe consumes the most of. These days there are lots of different things like frogs, snakes, hamburgers, cherries, sharks, penguins, hippos, lobsters and even Gummy spiders!

FACT 7: The Colour Doesn’t Represent the Flavour!

To mix things up some colours are not the flavour you might expect. The green ones are often strawberry flavoured and the clear ones are pineapple flavour!

FACT 8: You Can Swap Nuts For Gummy Bears at Haribo’s Bonn HQ

This is a tradition that started almost as early as the company was formed. Once a year children can come to the factory with acorns and chestnuts and exchange them for some sweets. While this was originally used in the ingredients for other foods these days all the acorns and chestnuts and donated to wildlife sanctuaries.

FACT 9: Gummy Bears Are Good Post-Workout Food!

Research done by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition says you could eat a pack of gummy bears post-workout as it helps digest carbs and they replenish the glycogen you used during your workout!

FACT 10: Gummy Bears Are Made in a Machine Called The Starch Mogul

It might not sound like an appetising name, but it does have meaning. The mould with all the bear shapes on is filled with cornstarch and this is what is called a starch mogul. But it just means a mould to stamp the starch into.

Do you know of any other amazing facts relating to Gummy Bears? If you do why not leave them in the comments below.