Whizzers Chocolate Beans

Finally, vegan M&Ms! Or vegan Smarties if you're in the UK. Actually, these are made in the UK, so it would probably make sense to say these are veganized Smarties. I ordered these from veganessentials.com. The simple packaging states "Whizzers Chocolate Beans. No Dairy, No Wheat, No Gluten. Free from Artificial Colours or Preservatives." The back describes these as "Chocolate centres in a crisp sugar shell. Chocolate centres contain 56% minimum cocoa solids." There are four colors, yellow, brownish-orange, pink, and green. The colors are dull compared to Smarties or M&Ms due to the natural coloring.

The taste is all there. The candy shell is crisp and sweet. It is a bit thicker than I remember the M&M shells being but its enjoyable. The chocolate center is decent. Its not the best tasting chocolate but then again neither were M&M's chocolate centers. Basically what I am trying to say is that these serve the M&M replacement purpose.

Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa mass, Cocoa butter, Emulsifier (soya lecithin), Gum arabic, Glazing agent (carnauba wax), Flavouring, Natural colours (tumeric, copper chlorophyllin, carmelized sugar syrup, beetroot juice).

Nutrition (UK style): Per 100g: Energy 2119kj, 505kcal, Protein 3.3g, Carbohydrate 70.3g, Fat 21.8g. (The package is only 50g so there are about 252.5 calories total.)

The biggest difference with these and M&Ms are the colors. The flavor and texture are familiarly yummy and these candies turn out to be quite addictive. I am in the habit of sucking on the shell until it can easily be peeled off releasing the cool melty chocolate on my tongue. I am pretty content with this sweet vegan treat. An 8 out of 10.