Although it's unclear
which country was the first to create candy,
the earliest signs that humans crave something sweet
can be found in cave drawings
dating all the way back to 16,000 BC.
Since then, candy has morphed into
all sorts of confections,
ranging from sweet to sour.
Let's take a look at candy around the world.
Invented in Germany in 1922,
gummy bears might be the most
ubiquitously loved candies on the planet.
These days, Haribo produces 100 million
chewy, colorful gummy bears every single day.
And while Haribo produces gummy candy
in every shape, size, and flavor,
the original gummy bear flavors
raspberry, orange, strawberry, pineapple, and lemon
are still timeless classics.
Originating from the hawthorn fruit,
haw flakes are pink, disc-shaped candies
that come in packaging designed
to look like Chinese fireworks.
Though they look like wafers,
these candies are chewy, sweet, and tangy
and can be served with tea.
Lucas Salsagheti are watermelon-flavored string candies
designed to replicate a plate of spaghetti.
The fruity gummies come with
a gusano tamarind sauce packet,
creating a sticky mix of sweet, spicy, and sour flavors
sure to give your taste buds a tingle.
Turkish delights are soft and chewy candies
made from sugar and cornstarch.
They're doused in powdered sugar
to keep these sticky treats from congealing
and to add a little extra sweetness.
They come in almost any flavor you can imagine,
from floral to nutty.
Just be careful when you eat them --
you'll get a face covered in confectioners' sugar.
And, yes, these are the same candies
from "The Chronicles of Narnia."
The Dutch are the top licorice eaters on the planet.
A favorite are these licorice bites,
shaped like the canal houses that line Amsterdam.
The strong, sharp scent of licorice hits your nose
the second the bag is cut open,
and the flavor is even stronger,
with a smooth texture that melts in your mouth.
Rock candy is actually just sugar
that's crystallized onto a thin string,
giving it a sticklike shape.
This particular rock candy is infused with saffron,
which gives it a bright orange color
with a sweet aroma and taste.
The candy can be eaten whole, dissolved into tea,
or even used in cooking.
These Ukrainian toffees are made from soft and chewy caramel
that have a variety of fruit fillings,
like apricot, strawberry, blueberry, and orange.
The sticky, bitter caramel melts together
with a soft, fruity jelly,
leaving a toffee that isn't overly sweet,
so you're guaranteed to eat more than you planned.
These heart-shaped gummies pack a fruity
strawberry-cream scent that takes you back to childhood.
The candy's consistency is less chewy and more fluffy,
with the sugar coating adding
just the right touch of texture.
If you're a banana lover,
Banankos are the candy for you.
These banana-shaped puffs have a pungent smell
with a spongy, foamlike filling
and a rich chocolate shell.
Though the filling looks like marshmallow,
it's a bit more grainy and dense.
Since the 1880s, saltwater taffy
has been an American staple.
A favorite candy to grab on the boardwalk,
these colorful candies are made from hot sugar
that's pulled until it's airy, sticky, and malleable
and so soft it melts in your mouth.
They come in a huge variety of flavors,
from peach and watermelon
to maple, chocolate, and peppermint.
Vidal was one of the very first companies
to popularize gummies in Spain.
They make gummies in all kinds of fun shapes and sizes,
but these frogs are the perfect cross
of friends and food,
with a unique sweet and spicy
cinnamon-strawberry flavor.
These cute porky gummies have
just the right balance of sweet and sour.
They're dual textured --
the piggy's face is marshmallowy,
and the ears are chewy.
The gummies' shape alludes to the use of real pork gelatin,
but there are also vegetarian options,
which use pea protein and beeswax.
Coconut drops are a simple
but delicious traditional Jamaican candy
that is made from fresh coconut, brown sugar,
cinnamon, and powdered ginger.
The toffee-like confection is a mix
of crunchy, soft, and chewy,
with the coconut chunks covered
in caramelized sugar that sticks to your teeth.
Maynards wine gummies are fruit gumdrops popular in Canada.
These candies come in a few different shapes
that are labeled with different types of vino.
Though they don't actually taste like the adult beverage,
but instead a variety of flavors
like lime, black currant, raspberry, orange, and lemon.
Kasugai has been making candy in Japan since the 1920s.
The gummy candies come in all kinds of flavors,
from kiwi and muscat to lychee and mango
to yuzu and strawberry.
Palitos de la Selva is one
of the most popular candies in Argentina.
The cylindrical confections are dual-toned
to represent the strawberry and vanilla flavors.
They're the perfect treat for kids,
since the wrappers feature different cartoon animals
with fun descriptions meant to teach
children about wildlife.
This chocolate-covered pineapple confection
provides a unique flavor that is surprisingly irresistible.
The tanginess of the pineapple
mixed with the dark-chocolate outer layer
makes for the perfect tropical treat.
They are soft at room temperature,
like a spongy marshmallow,
but you can put them in the freezer
for an extra-chewy bite.
These marshmallow-shaped butter mints
are the perfect blend of creaminess and freshness
and are sure to melt in your mouth.
Unlike most hard candies,
these are so soft you can chew them immediately,
without letting them roll around
in your mouth until they melt --
ideal to pop heading into a date.
Dufour Big Frut jellies are bursting with flavor,
but despite the sugar coating,
they're not overly sweet.
These jiggly candies are so soft and light,
you hardly need to chew them.
Each package comes with a variety of flavors,
like raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, and gooseberry.
These Styrofoam-like wafers might not look like much,
but they hide a fun surprise.
The saucer-shaped crackers are filled
with colorful, sweet bead candy.
The wafer is often compared to Eucharist biscuits.
Light and airy, they dissolve almost immediately
to reveal the sweet and crunchy prize inside.
Crack into the hard outer shell
of these Trululu egg-shaped candies,
past the supersweet white chocolate,
to find a gummy bear hidden on the inside.
With a texture like popping an M&M with a Haribo,
the unusual mix of crunchy, chocolaty, and chewy
hits every texture you want from confections.
If you're looking for an adventure,
the complex flavor of Tyrkisk Peber is for you.
It is a salmiak candy, which starts off sweet
but gets saltier as it dissolves.
As if that weren't enough,
the hollow inside has a pinch of black pepper,
which adds a hint of heat to the mix.
So, which candy do you want to try?
Are there any we missed?
Let us know in the comments below.