Lollipop facts for kids
Rainbow lollipops.
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| Alternative names | Lolly, sucker, sticky-pop |
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| Type | Confectionery |
| Main ingredients | Sucrose, corn syrup, flavoring |
| Variations | Ice pops |
A lollipop is a sweet candy on a stick. You can suck or lick it. People call them different names like lolly or sucker. Lollipops come in many shapes and flavors. They are a popular sugar candy enjoyed by people of all ages.
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Kinds of Lollipops
Lollipops come in many colors and fruit flavors. Lots of companies make lollipops, so you can find them in dozens of flavors and shapes. Some lollipops are very small. Stores or barber shops might give them away for free. Others are very large, sometimes made from candy canes twisted into a spiral.
Most lollipops are eaten at room temperature. But there are also "ice lollipops" or "popsicles." These are frozen treats made from water. They are similar to lollipops but are kept cold. Treats made from ice cream on a stick are usually not called lollipops.
Some lollipops have surprises inside, like bubble gum or soft candy. You might even find unusual lollipops with non-edible parts. For example, some have a flashing light inside. In North America, some lollipops have a small motor that makes the candy spin in your mouth!
In some countries like Germany and the Netherlands, lollipops can have a special salty flavor called salmiak.
Lollipops and Medicine
Lollipops can also be used to give people medicine. This can make it easier for children to take medicine without a fuss.
Some lollipops have been sold as diet aids. However, there is no real proof that they help with weight loss. Any reported weight loss might be due to the placebo effect. This means people feel better because they believe something will work, even if it doesn't have a direct medical effect.
There is a strong pain medicine called Actiq that comes as a lollipop. Its main ingredient is fentanyl.
History of Lollipops
The idea of putting candy on a stick is very simple. It's likely that lollipops have been invented many times throughout history. The first candies that looked like lollipops were made in the Middle Ages. Back then, rich people would eat boiled sugar using sticks or handles.
No one knows for sure who invented the modern lollipop. But several American companies in the early 1900s said they did. One story says George Smith from New Haven, Connecticut, started making large hard candies on sticks in 1908. He supposedly named them after a racehorse called Lolly Pop. He even got a trademark for the name "lollipop" in 1931.
The word "lollipop" was first written down by an English writer named Francis Grose in 1796. The name might come from the words "lolly" (meaning tongue) and "pop" (meaning slap). The first times "lollipop" was used to describe the candy we know today were in the 1920s. Another idea is that the word comes from the Romani language. The Romani people traditionally sold candy apples on a stick. "Red apple" in Romani is loli phaba.
What Lollipops Are Made Of
The main ingredients in a regular lollipop are sugar and corn syrup. Sugar is a very useful ingredient used in many foods. When sugar is heated enough, it creates a complex flavor, changes color, and smells good.
Lollipops are a type of "glassy amorphous solid." This means they are hard and clear, like glass, but they don't have a crystal structure. To make them this way, sugar solutions are heated to very high temperatures. This removes almost all the water. The final lollipop has only about 1% to 2% water.
To stop the sugar from turning into crystals as it cools, other ingredients are added. These are called "inhibitors." Common inhibitors in lollipops include corn syrup, cream of tartar, honey, and butter. These ingredients help keep the lollipop smooth and clear.
Water is also very important at the beginning of making lollipops. Even though most of it is removed, it's needed to mix the ingredients. Other ingredients like flavors, colors, or things like bubble gum can be added. But sugar, corn syrup, and water are the main parts of a simple lollipop.
How Lollipops Are Made
Making lollipops might seem simple, but it involves some interesting chemistry. The first step is heating the main ingredients. They are heated to a very high temperature, often around 310°F (154°C). The exact temperature depends on how much candy is being made and what's in the mix.
After heating, the hot liquid is cooled down. As it cools, it becomes a "supersaturated" liquid. This means it has more sugar dissolved in it than it normally would. The inhibitors prevent the sugar from forming crystals. During cooling, the lollipop goes through a "glass transition." This is when the liquid sugar turns into the hard, glassy candy we know.
See also
In Spanish: Paleta (caramelo) para niños
- Chupa Chups
- Clear toy candy
- Dum Dums
- Hard candy
- Pirulín
- Stick candy
- Tootsie Pops
- Whistle Pops
