# What is the Ingredient in Super-Sour Candies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004 "2011-08-08T23:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/1 "2011-08-08T23:01:12Z")
You know that hardcore sour powder they put in/on candies like Warheads and Sour Patch Kids? What’s it called? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/2 "2011-08-08T23:05:03Z")
Probably just concentrated citric acid. It’s good for you. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/3 "2011-08-08T23:07:40Z")
Citric acid, malic acid, and probably other kinds of acids, too. ---
**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/4 "2011-08-08T23:40:13Z")
**voltaire** is right. You can check the nutrition label too. In the US and many other countries, ingredients in food are required to appear on the label. [Warheads nutrition label](http://www.warheads.com/pdf/WH_EXTSOUR_NUTES.pdf) (warning: pdf) ---
**Author:** ![TurboNuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@TurboNuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurboNuke)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/5 "2011-08-09T06:28:27Z")
Be careful with sour candy. I weakened my teeth by eating too much and ended up eroding my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/6 "2011-08-09T12:00:15Z")
> [@TurboNuke](#): > > Be careful with sour candy. I weakened my teeth by eating too much and ended up eroding my teeth. Yeah, I ate too many Sour Patch Kids yesterday and now the insides of my cheeks are all… injured in some way that I can’t accurately describe. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/7 "2011-08-09T14:50:33Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Yeah, I ate too many Sour Patch Kids yesterday and now the insides of my cheeks are all… injured in some way that I can’t accurately describe. that washboard texture is permanent. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/8 "2011-08-09T15:29:15Z")
When citric acid is in its solid form (as a crystal or a powder), it is far more sour and corrosive than when it is dissolved in to something (a liquid or a candy or something). Most of those products have solid citric acid on the outside surface. I’ve found Sour Skittles to be the worst offender - I could never finish a full-size bag, and even after just one Fun Size bag my tongue will feel ripped to shreds. ---
**Author:** ![tugboats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@tugboats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tugboats)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/9 "2011-08-09T18:36:15Z")
I swear to god some of you people ask the dumbest questions. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/10 "2011-08-09T19:18:21Z")
> [@tugboats](#): > > I swear to god some of you people ask the dumbest questions. **[Moderator Note]** From the General Questions Rules: > [@](#): > > By the same token, \*\*we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was \*\*because a search could have answered the question. Nor are we interested in hearing how simple it was for another poster to find the answer in a search engine. If it’s that simple to find the answer, go ahead and post the answer. **tugboats** , if you think a question is stupid there’s no reason for you to respond. Let’s avoid this kind of comment in the future. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/11 "2011-08-10T01:23:57Z")
> [@tugboats](#): > > I swear to god some of you people ask the dumbest questions. What do you mean, _‘you people?’_ ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/12 "2011-08-10T01:41:32Z")
> [@tugboats](#): > > I swear to god some of you people ask the dumbest questions. > [@toofs](#): > > What do you mean, _‘you people?’_ i think he is referring to candy eaters. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/13 "2011-08-10T04:10:20Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > What do you mean, _‘you people?’_ What do _you_ mean, _‘you people’?_ ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/14 "2011-08-10T15:53:01Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > that washboard texture is permanent. Not true. You have to work out constantly and eat right in order to maintain washboard cheeks. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/15 "2011-08-10T16:14:09Z")
> [@TerpBE](#): > > Not true. You have to work out constantly and eat right in order to maintain washboard cheeks. And remember, there’s no such thing as spot reduction. You can eat all the candy you want, but unless you work out and maintain a healthy diet, no one will be able to see your WBCs; they will be there, but under an unsightly layer of jowl. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-ingredient-in-super-sour-candies/592004/16 "2011-08-10T16:16:00Z")
> [@TerpBE](#): > > Not true. You have to work out constantly and eat right in order to maintain washboard cheeks. It’s good to take care of your buns as well.