Quick Answer
Two hi chews contain approximately 40 calories. Each hi chew candy contains around 20 calories, so two of them would contain about 40 calories total. The exact calorie count can vary slightly depending on the specific flavor.
Calories in Popular Hi-Chew Flavors
Here is a breakdown of the calories for some popular hi chew flavors:
| Hi-Chew Flavor | Calories per Piece |
|---|---|
| Strawberry | 20 |
| Mango | 21 |
| Green Apple | 19 |
| Grape | 20 |
| Banana | 21 |
| Kiwi | 20 |
As you can see, most hi chew flavors contain around 20 calories per piece. So two pieces would be about 40 calories total. The minor variation is based on slight differences in the ingredients and sugar content between flavors.
Nutritional Profile of Hi-Chew
Hi-Chew is a chewy candy made from ingredients like sugar, glucose syrup, fruit juices, and gelatin. Here is the basic nutritional information for a typical hi chew piece:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 20 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 5mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 5g |
| Sugars | 4g |
| Protein | 0g |
As you can see, almost all of the calories in hi chew come from carbohydrates, specifically sugar. There is minimal fat or protein.
The main ingredients are:
– Sugar
– Glucose syrup
– Fruit juices from concentrates (usually around 2%)
– Gelatin
– Flavorings
– Colors (natural and artificial)
– Citric acid
So the calories are derived mainly from the sugar and glucose syrup, which are added to provide sweetness and the chewy texture. The fruit juice concentrate also contributes a small amount of natural sugar.
Calorie Needs
Whether 40 calories is a lot or not depends on your daily calorie needs:
– The average moderately active adult woman needs around 2,000 calories per day. For a 2,000 calorie diet, 40 calories is only 2% of the total daily needs.
– The average moderately active adult man needs around 2,500 calories per day. For a 2,500 calorie diet, 40 calories is 1.6% of the total daily needs.
So for most people, 40 calories represents a very small amount of your total daily calorie requirements. It’s unlikely that two pieces of hi chew would make any significant impact on your overall diet.
However, people who have greater calorie needs due to high activity levels or metabolic factors may need to account for these extra 40 calories within their increased daily intake.
Weight Loss Diets
For people following reduced calorie diets for weight loss, 40 calories represents a slightly higher percentage of their daily limits.
For example:
– On a 1,200 calorie diet, 40 calories would be 3.3% of the total.
– On a 1,500 calorie diet, 40 calories would be 2.7% of the total.
So for weight loss diets, you may want to be mindful of those extra 40 calories from a double serving of hi chew. If you’re following a fixed meal plan or counting every calorie closely, you may want to account for the hi chew within your limits.
However, 40 calories here and there won’t make or break your diet. You can simply balance it out by making small adjustments in your other meals or activities for the day.
Diabetes Diets
For people with diabetes, the total amount of carbohydrates and effect on blood sugar levels is more important than just calories.
Since hi chew is high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, two pieces provide around 10 grams of carb. This is a relatively small amount, but could affect blood sugar, especially in people who are insulin dependent.
It’s best to pair a sweet treat like hi chew with protein, fat or fiber to help stabilize blood sugar response. And as always, moderation is key – occasionally enjoying a small treat is fine for most people with diabetes.
Kid-Friendly Snack
For kids and toddlers whose calorie needs are lower, a double serving of hi chew provides around 2-5% of their total daily calorie needs:
– Toddlers (1-3 years): 40 calories is 3.5-5% of daily needs.
– Children (4-8 years): 40 calories is around 2-3% of daily needs.
So while hi chew isn’t the most nutrient-dense snack choice, the calorie count is quite low for kids. Two pieces can be a reasonable treat, as long as overall diet is balanced. Parents can pair hi chew with a protein source like yogurt or cheese for a balanced snack.
Active Individuals
For highly active individuals and athletes, 40 calories is insignificant compared to total daily needs.
For example:
– Active women: 40 calories is around 1% of a 3,000 calorie diet
– Active men: 40 calories is less than 1% of a 4,000+ calorie diet
Competitive athletes can easily burn hundreds of extra calories through intense workouts. Two pieces of candy is negligible. The sugar may even help fuel high intensity activity.
Weight Gain Diets
For people looking to gain weight or bulk up, 40 extra calories can be helpful. While hi chew itself doesn’t offer much nutrition, the extra calories can contribute to a calorie surplus needed for weight gain.
For a 300-500 calorie surplus, 40 calories represents around 10% of the target. Easy to work into the additional intake needed for growth and muscle development.
Conclusion
In summary, two standard size hi chew candies contain approximately 40 calories total. This is a relatively small amount and represents only 1-2% of average adult calorie needs. While not incredibly nutrient-dense, enjoying a double serving of hi chew in moderation can be a reasonable treat for most healthy diets and lifestyles. Just balance it out with healthier choices for the rest of your daily meals and snacks.
Snack Alternatives to Balance Out Hi-Chew
If you want a sweet treat but also want something more nutritious to help balance out the calories from hi chew, here are some healthier snack options:
– 1 small apple (about 70 calories)
– 1 tablespoon of peanut or almond butter (about 90 calories)
– 1 stick of string cheese (about 70 calories)
– 1 small container of yogurt (100 calories)
– 11⁄2 cups air-popped popcorn (60 calories)
– 15 reduced fat Wheat Thins (120 calories)
– 1 ounce pistachios (160 calories)
– 10 whole grain crackers with 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (140 calories)
– 1⁄2 an avocado (120 calories)
Pairing something like an apple, yogurt, or nuts with the hi chews gives you additional fiber, protein and healthy fats to help blunt the blood sugar spike. It provides a more nutritious snack with greater balance.
When choosing alternate snacks, aim for a mix of protein, fiber and healthy fats to balance out the simple carbs and sugar in treats like hi chew. Pay attention to portion sizes as well. This helps keep your calories and nutrition in balance.
Effects of Frequent Hi-Chew Consumption
What happens if you eat hi chew candies frequently or multiple times per day? Here are some potential effects of regular hi chew consumption:
– Weight gain – The extra calories can quickly add up if you eat lots of hi chews every day. Consuming an extra 100-200 calories from candy on a daily basis can lead to weight gain over time, especially if your activity level is low.
– Blood sugar spikes – With 10 grams of sugar per serving, overdoing it on hi chews often can cause frequent blood sugar spikes and fluctuations. This is particularly concerning for diabetics.
– Dental cavities – Like all sugary candy, excessive hi chew intake can increase risk of cavities if you don’t practice good dental hygiene and regular brushing. Sticky candy can get stuck in teeth, increasing cavity risk.
– Nutritional deficiencies – If hi chews start to replace healthier whole foods in your diet, you may become deficient in important vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are lacking in the candy.
– Diarrhea or laxative effects – Some of the sugar alcohols used in sugar-free hi chew can have a laxative effect if consumed excessively. Sorbitol and maltitol are common culprits.
Moderation and balance are key – enjoying hi chew in small amounts occasionally is unlikely to cause harm. But frequent overconsumption can negatively impact health, weight and dental hygiene.
Tips for Healthier Hi-Chew Consumption
Here are some tips to enjoy hi chew as an occasional treat while limiting negative impacts:
– Stick to 1-2 pieces at a time, keeping portions small
– Choose sugar-free hi chew varieties once in awhile to reduce sugar and calories
– Drink water with your hi chews to help cleanse the mouth and teeth
– Brush teeth well after eating to prevent cavities – don’t let the sugar linger
– Eat hi chews with a protein source like nuts or cheese
– Be mindful of your total calorie and carbohydrate intake for the day
– Avoid mindless over-snacking on hi chews while watching TV or using electronics
– Select fresh fruits like berries or apples to satisfy a sweet craving in a healthier way
– Include hi chew as a small part of your diet, rather than an everyday food
Ultimately, moderation and balance is key – the occasional hi chew treat is unlikely to harm an otherwise healthy diet. Just be mindful of your overall intake to prevent overconsumption of excess calories and sugar.
Hi-Chew Alternatives
If you’re looking to cut back on hi chew intake but still crave a similar chewy candy texture, here are some alternatives to consider:
– Starburst – Similar candy consistency with various fruit flavors, contains slightly less sugar than hi chew.
– Jolly Ranchers – Hard fruit-flavored candy that satisfies chewing cravings with slightly lower calories.
– Skittles – Chewy bite-sized fruit candies with around 15 calories per piece. Lower sugar than hi chew.
– Gummi bears – Gelatin-based chewy candy available in fruit flavors, more variety than hi chew.
– Licorice – Twizzlers and other thick licorice provide chewy texture with different flavors.
– Fruit snacks – Products like Fruit by the Foot offer very chewy texture and fun shapes. Some varieties are made with real fruit.
– Dried fruit snacks – Chewy, naturally sweet dried mango, pineapple, apples or apricots can satisfy a craving.
Consider choosing snacks with more nutritional value when possible, like dried or freeze-dried fruit options. But an occasional lower-sugar candy alternative can hit the spot if craving hi chew.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, two standard hi chew candies contain about 40 calories total. This is a relatively small part of most people’s typical daily calorie needs. While not incredibly nutritious, enjoying a couple hi chews in moderation can be incorporated into an overall balanced diet without any major impact. Just be mindful of overdoing it, brush teeth afterwards, and balance it out by eating nutritious whole foods for other meals and snacks. Limit frequency of consumption to avoid excessive calories, sugar and dental issues. With smart moderation and balance, an occasional small treat of a couple hi chews is perfectly fine for most people.
