Do you remember the days when you use to ride your pedal bike out to the local convenience store, pull out couch change from your pockets and go to town on Sour Keys, Fun Dip, Ring Pops, Big Foot – and a giant Freezie if you had enough coin?!?!

If I had to draw “Jen’s Food Plate” (from age 4 to 24), I’m certain 50% of that plate consisted of candy. No doubt about it, I was hooked on the white crystals.

Going back to my little Jen days, I remember Halloween (and the months following) being a VERY stressful time of the year for me. I turned into a top secret agent trying to hide my hard earned candy from my three sugar hungry brothers!

I’d hide out under tables and in closets munching on Mars bars and Skittles, hoping that no one would see me or the killer hiding spots I had for my sack of gold (aka. plastic grocery bag of sugar). AND if my brothers managed to find and tap into my stash, little Jen grew mean and Sour Ball green!

My days of popping Cherry Blasters should have ended in my teens, BUT instead, University was the peak of my sugar addiction! I remember late night candy runs to the 7 Eleven down the street from my dorm. My roommates and I would load up on bags of candy to get us through our late night study sessions.

Then check out this brilliant move I made … during my last years of school, I moved into a condo that had a Tutti Frutti candy store attached to it! Let’s just say, things spiraled down at that point – and it didn’t look as pretty as the spiral on a Lollipop.

You might be wondering what happened after my University days? Well, the muffin top growing out of my jeans was enough for me to kick my 20 + years of sugar addiction. “Jen’s Food Plate” from age 25 onward changed drastically – and so did my health because of it.

Knowing what I know now, I realize that all the refined sugar I was consuming (in combination with other low-quality foods) had a lot to do with issues I was dealing with like acne, psoriasis, messed up and painful periods, mood swings, fatigue, weight gain, and IBS.

I was able to correct many of these issues by cleaning up my diet and steering clear of “foods” that contained refined sugars. I never want to go down the path of sugar addiction again so I do my best to avoid foods that may be a trigger for me.

FAQ ..

Q: Do you miss candy?
A: Um, ya! Who wouldn’t?! ?

Q: Was it hard to kick your sugar cravings?
A: Yes, but only for the first 2-weeks or so, then I was able to re-engage with society. ?

Q: What do you eat now when you crave candy while binge watching Game of Thrones with your BF?
A: SmartSweets!!! ?

That’s right, I eat candy again – and I’m proud of it!

I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be munching on a bag of Gummy Bears or Sweet Fish (my personal favourite) and not feel guilty or shitty for it.

SmartSweets are brilliant – and I highly recommend them if you’re looking for a healthy, sugar free candy to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Here’s why SmartSweets are my go-to candy:

• Free from added sugar & sugar alcohols
• ONLY 3 grams of natural sugar per bag
• 28 grams of dietary fiber per bag
• ONLY 80-90 calories per bag
• No artificial colours or flavours
• Non-GMO and soy free
• Gluten & dairy free
• Paleo, vegan & keto friendly
• IBS & gut friendly
• Founded in Canada

Find awesome online prices on SmartSweets HERE!

Or find them in-store using the SmartSweets store locator.

VARIETIES & INGREDIENTS:

FRUITY GUMMY BEARS: Soluble fibre from tapioca, gelatin, chicory root fibre, citric acid, malic acid, fruit and vegetable juice (for colour), natural fruit flavour, coconut oil, stevia leaf extract, carnauba wax. GET IT HERE!

SOUR GUMMY BEARS: Soluble fibre from tapioca, chicory root fiber, gelatin, lactic acid, citric acid, rice flour, malic acid, fumaric acid, natural fruit flavor, fruit and vegetable juice (for color), coconut oil, stevia, carnauba wax. GET IT HERE!

SWEET FISH: Soluble fibre from tapioca, pectin, natural fruit flavor, citric acid, malic acid, carrageenan, fruity and vegetable juice (for color), coconut oil, stevia leaf extract, carnauba wax. GET IT HERE!

SOUR BLAST BUDDIES: Soluble fibre from tapioca, lactic acid, pectin, chicory root fiber, rice flour, fumaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, fruity and vegetable juice (for color), natural fruit flavor, coconut oil, carrageenan, spirulina extract (for color), stevia leaf extract, carnauba wax. GET IT HERE!