Jelly beans, those sweet colorful candies that we associate with Easter, might look similar: circular with a hard, bright outer shell dipped in bright colors of green, pink, orange, yellow, and purple and a gummy center inside. Despite their similar appearance they do not all taste the same. The taste of jelly beans varies with the brand, and not all brands use the same ingredients. Being a jelly bean fanatic I decided to compare three brands of jelly beans: Jelly Belly, CVS and Gonzo.
Jelly Belly- this is one of the more popular brand of jelly beans. They contrast from other jelly beans because of their miniature size and outlandish flavors which include buttered popcorn and chocolate pudding. These candies are very, very tiny and unfortunately so is this taste. Jelly Belly beans are cheap in taste, they taste like what I imagine plastic pretend candy would taste like. What can you expect from a brand that produces chocolate pudding flavored and Buttered popcorn flavored Jelly beans? They sure broke the jelly bean rule when they created those flavors for jelly beans. Jelly Belly’s are way down on my list.
CVS brand Jelly Beans- These jelly beans taste much better than the Jelly Belly brand. They are average sized and taste very sweet. The sugar coating on the jellybeans is satisfying but this brand of jelly beans face two problems with taste. The first problem is despite the different colors of jelly beans they all taste the same. The red tastes like the green and the green tastes like the red. The next problem with the CVS jelly beans is that the center is stiff and not stretchy or gummy like a jelly bean center should be. If you chew this jelly bean you’re in trouble. The center is so stiff that it will attach itself to your teeth. It’s better to lick off the sugar coating on the outer shell of the jelly bean as opposed to actually chewing the jelly bean. If you decide to chew the jelly bean, you’ll find yourself spending more time trying to pry the stiff glob off of your teeth than actually enjoying the sweetness of the bean.
Gonzo jelly beans- These are by far the best jelly beans I have ever tasted, and the best tasting jelly beans out of the bunch. They are plumper than the average jelly bean and come in very bright and attractive colors. These jelly beans are the epitome of perfect jelly beans. They are sweet and have a nice hard shell that caves in easily upon biting, and the chewy center bursts with exciting and refreshing flavor. Each jelly bean has its own unique flavor. A white pineapple jelly bean tastes like pineapple, a black one tastes like sweet licorice, a pink one taste likes strawberry and a purple one tastes like grape. The chewy center will not get horribly stuck to your teeth like the CVS brand because it is flexible and not stiff. Gonzo jelly beans win! They are delicious.
