Yum Earth Candy

Rated at 2 out of 5 green leaves, the Yum Earth Candy Organic Sour Giggles® falls below the standards for cleaner food options. This product, while boasting a non-GMO ingredients list, is marred by the inclusion of several elements that detract from its overall healthiness.

Firstly, the presence of organic cane sugar and citric acid contributes to the product’s added sugar content, which is a concern for those seeking cleaner eating options. More concerning is the use of cane sugar, identified as a more harmful type of added sugar. This ingredient alone greatly diminishes the product’s clean food credentials.

Furthermore, the inclusion of generic organic flavors and malic acid raises red flags due to their classification as potentially harmful additives. These components are often scrutinized for their ambiguous health impacts and are out of place in a product striving for a clean label.

Another significant issue is the use of organic palm oil. Palm oil is a controversial ingredient due to its association with environmental and ethical issues, such as deforestation and habitat destruction. This factor is compounded by the product’s failure to meet organic standards, which is a critical aspect of cleaner food certification.

While the product does incorporate natural colorants derived from vegetables and fruits, such as turmeric, radish, sweet potato, carrot, blackcurrant, and spirulina, and uses pectin as a gelling agent, these positive attributes are overshadowed by the aforementioned concerns. The use of organic sunflower lecithin and organic carnauba wax, though less contentious, does not do enough to elevate the product’s green leaf rating.

The Yum Earth Candy Organic Sour Giggles® has ample room for improvement. To better align with cleaner food principles, it would need to address the issues of added sugars, potentially harmful additives, and the use of palm oil. A reformulation adhering to organic standards and a more transparent approach to ingredient selection would be necessary steps towards achieving a higher green leaf rating.