National Jelly Bean Day

National Jelly Bean Day is on April 22nd in the United States.

Jelly beans are small, bean shaped candies (or sweets) that consist of a gel interior surrounded by a candy shell. The main ingredient in them is sugar (or similar ingredients), and they come in a variety of, mostly bright, colours.

The Turkish dessert known as Turkish delight (or, in Greece, Greek delight) is believed to be the inspiration for jelly beans, but the modern candy didn't come into existence until during the American Civil War.

There are now gourmet jelly bean manufacturers, such as Jelly Belly, which make the beans in many more flavours than the original ones (which tended to be just fruit or spice) including drinks (some of which are "alcoholic" although the beans are not), popcorn and bubblegum. The colours of the jelly beans generally correspond to the flavour.

National Candy Day

November 4th is National Candy Day in the United States.

Candy, also known as sweets, covers a wide range of sweet confections that use sugar as one of the main ingredients. Sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners are also used in sugar-free varieties.

Sweets have been around for millennia, although the earliest forms of candy used honey as a sweetener, rather than sugar. The earliest sweet confections usually involved dipping an item in honey. Commonly used foods treated in this way were fruits and flowers, but other things such as nuts and, occasionally, insects were also covered in honey. Some candy available today is still made in this manner, but sugar is normally used nowadays. Sugar from sugar cane started being used over 2,000 years ago, and different types of sugar are now used today.

Sugar candy comes in many different types, from hard boiled sweets to brittle to soft and chewy. The amount of sugar can also vary, with some types being almost completely made from sugar. Candy can also include chewing gum and even chocolate. In sugar based candy, the sugar is dissolved in water or milk to make sugar syrup which is then used as the base. Colourings and flavourings of all types are also added.

Most countries and cultures have their own types of candy. In the past, candy has been used as a medicine but these days it is almost always used as a treat food. The high percentage of sugar in most sweets can cause problems, both with weight gain and with damage to teeth.