Sports Mixture facts for kids
Sports Mix is a popular type of confectionery (which means sweets or candy!) made in the UK. It's known for its chewy, fruit-flavored gums shaped like different sports equipment. The main brand that makes Sports Mix is Maynards Bassetts, which is part of Cadbury UK. Today, Cadbury UK is owned by a big company called Mondelēz International.
Another company, Tangerine Confectionery, also makes Sports Mix. They use the original recipe from an older company called Lion Confectionery. So, you might find Sports Mix from both Maynards Bassetts and Tangerine Confectionery!
What's in a Sports Mix Pack?
Sports Mix gums are hard and chewy, and they come in many fun shapes that look like things you'd see in sports. These shapes are usually:
- Cricket ball and stumps
- Cricket bat
- Pedal cycle (like a bicycle)
- Ice skate
- Jersey, shirt or top (with a hoop design)
- Rugby ball
- Shorts
- Tennis racquet
- Sailing boat
- Roller skate (or sometimes it looks like an old-fashioned car!)
Colors and Flavors
These sporty sweets come in five different bright colors, and each color has its own yummy flavor!
- Red
- Orange
- Black
- Yellow
- Green
In the past, the black gums used to taste like liquorice. But now, most packs have blackcurrant-flavored black gums instead. If you really love liquorice, you might still find the old liquorice-flavored black gums in very large 2kg boxes. These are sometimes sold in traditional sweet shops in the UK or online.
What Makes Up Sports Mix?
Maynards Sports Mix uses natural colors to get its bright look. These colors come from plants and other natural sources. For example, they use:
- Anthocyanins: These are natural colors found in fruits and vegetables, often giving red, purple, or blue shades.
- Carbon black: This is a natural black color.
- Paprika extract: This comes from paprika peppers and gives an orange-red color.
- Lutein: This is a yellow color found in plants.
It's important to know that Sports Mix is not suitable for vegetarians. This is because it contains gelatin, which comes from animals.
Nutrition Facts
Here's a quick look at some nutritional information for Sports Mix. This helps you understand what's in your sweets!
| Nutritional Information | Per 100g | Per 5 sweets (22.5g) | Reference Intakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1475 kJ / 345 kcal | 332 kJ / 78 kcal / 4% * | 8400 kJ / 2000 kcal |
| Fat | 0.2g | <0.1g | 70g |
| of which Saturates | 0.2g | <0.1g | 20g |
| Carbohydrate | 76.5g | 17g | 260g |
| of which Sugars | 44g | 9.8g | 90g |
| Protein | 9g | 2g | 50g |
| Salt | 0.07g | 0.02g | 6g |
(*) The percentage reference intake shows how much of a nutrient is in the sweets compared to what an average adult needs in a day.
