The NECCO company has been making candy since 1847. It began with an invention of a machine that cut candy into lozenges, responsible for creating NECCO's signature candy, the NECCO Wafer. But the NECCO brand includes a variety of other types of candy, including Squirrel Nut candies. These chewy peanut sweets can help satisfy your craving for something sweet and salty.
History
The Squirrel brand of candies were first developed in 1890 by a company originally called the Austin T. Merrill Company. In 1899, the name was changed to Squirrel Brand Salted Nut Company. Specializing in salted nuts and chewy candies, the Squirrel Brand Salted Nut Company provided treats to the armed forces in addition to the eager public. The Squirrel Nut Zipper became the signature candy for the nut company and was even used as the name for a 1990s retro swing band. In 2004, NECCO acquired the license to manufacture Squirrel Nut Candies, filling stores with the Squirrel Nut Zipper and Caramel Chews.
Squirrel Nut Zipper
The Squirrel Nut Zipper is a bite-size peanut and caramel chew. These candies are low in calories and fat, but high in sugar. One serving, five pieces, of the Squirrel Nut Zipper candies contains 150 calories, 2.5 g of saturated fat, 0.5 g of saturated fat, 60 mg of sodium, 33 g of carbohydrates, 22 g of sugar and 1 g of protein. By comparison, other popular peanut and caramel candy bars contain 240 to 280 calories per bar.
Squirrel Nut Caramel Chews
The Squirrel Nut Caramel Chews add chocolate to the peanut and caramel chew. These sweet treats also make a low-calorie candy choice. One serving, five pieces, contains 160 calories, 3 g of total fat, 1 g of saturated fat, 60 mg of sodium, 32 g of carbohydrates, 21 g of sugar and 1 g of protein.
NECCO Squirrel Candy and Diet
When it comes to eating a healthy diet, the American Dietetic Association states that all foods can fit. The key to including treats like NECCO Squirrel Candies in your diet is to do so in moderation as part of any otherwise healthy diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides more specific guidelines for foods with added sugar like the NECCO candies. The USDA suggests you limit your intake of foods with added sugar to 5 to 15 percent of your calorie intake. If you follow a 2,000-calorie diet that means calories from candy should not exceed 300 calories a day.
References
- NECCO: Our Brands
- NECCO: About Us
- Livestrong.com MyPlate: Calories in NECCO Squirrel Nut Caramel
- Livestrong.com My Plate: Calories in NECCO Squirrel Nut Zippers
- "The Complete Book of Food Counts"; C.T. Netzer; 2009
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Position of The American Dietetic Association: Total Diet Approach to Communicating Food And Nutrition Information; Jeanne Freeland-Greaves, et al.; 2002
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