Vegan Gummy Candy: Goody Good Stuff

Every once and awhile those following a vegan diet need a sweet treat, right?

Unfortunately, gummy bears, sour patch kids and the like have been off the menu because they usually contain gelatin, an animal derived product.

Until now.. Good Good Stuff is a line of vegan or vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and all natural gummy type candy.

I’m not a regular candy eater, but I do love a few gummy bears or gummy worms from time to time, so when Goody Good Stuff offered to send me a few samples to try out, I politely accepted.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, am trying to portray this product as healthy. Like all candy, it’s full of sugar and really shouldn’t be a regular part of the diet for those who are trying to to eat healthy. But, as an occasional treat, it is wise to choose natural candy like Goody Good Stuff.

How Does This Vegan Candy Taste?

Pretty darn good. You know the perfect gummy bear? Not too chewy, but not too soft? Goody Good Stuff has achieved this nicely with their Koala Gummy Bears. The flavors were vibrant and it was nice to know that I wasn’t eating artificial flavors or dyes.

Their Sour Mix & Match (similar to sour patch kids) could be a tad more sour, but the flavors and gumminess are again done perfectly.

I’ve never been a big fan of cola bottles and their version is flavorful, but I honestly can’t remember too much about the traditional version to compare.

Lastly, I sampled their Tropical Fruit Gummies. Again, great flavor and perfect gumminess.

Flavors I didn’t sample:

• Cherry Cherries
• Strawberry Cream
• Summer Peaches
• Sour Fruit Salad

Goody Good Stuff Ingredients

Glucose syrup; sugar; modified corn starch; Acidulant: malic acid, citric acid; Gelling agent: gellan; flavours; Acidity regulator: trisodium citrate; concentrates of fruits and plants (orange, elderberry, lemon, aronia, blackcurrant, apple, kiwi, spinach, nettle); caramelized sugar syrup; elderberry extract, fructose, invert sugar syrup.

What’s gellan? This is the vegan form of gelatin.  It is basically a polysaccaride (gum) made using bacteria.

What is invert sugar? It is a sugar made by splitting sucrose (table sugar) into glucose and fructose. This type of sugar resists forming crystals and retains moisture well.

What is aronia? This is also called the chokeberry and is used for its dark, rich colored pigments.

Oh stink, I just realized that I’ve been sampling candy and forgot to eat the rest of my oatmeal, which won’t be near as enjoyable now…

All in all, Goody Good Stuff is a great candy choice for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet as well as for anyone on a healthy diet, but wants that occasional gummy treat.