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 Linda Thomas
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Unreal.jpg
Billionaire Bill Gates is fond of a new candy that looks and tastes like popular candy, but has been "unjunked" to remove chemicals, corn syrup, fatty oils and artificial flavors. (Photo courtesy GetUnreal.com)

The candy Bill Gates would hand out for Halloween

October 30, 2012 @ 10:37 pm (Updated: 10:44 am - 10/31/12 )

There's no way you could walk up to Bill Gates' Medina home, say trick-or-treat, and score a mini Butterfinger. But, the billionaire is fond of a new candy that's been "unjunked."

Gates writes on his blog Gates Notes about a new candy he was given a sample of this summer. He says it looked and tasted like the most popular candies we've been eating since we were kids.

"Only after trying it did I learn that it had been 'unjunked,' that is, many chemicals, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors and colors had been removed, along with a significant amount of the sugar," he writes.

The candy comes from a company called Unreal. They say their purpose in creating the candy was to prove that all of the junk and high amounts of sugar in many of our most popular foods doesn't not need to be there in the first place.

If they can make healthier candy, that still tastes good, then other foods can also be made in this way.

Many children will trick-or-treat for piles of candy that's loaded with fat and sugar. Gates notes that young people in the U.S. get as much as half their calories from junk food and beverages. Teens consume an average of 24 teaspoons of corn syrup per day.

How much candy will you allow your kids to have for Halloween?

The company Unreal got its start on a Halloween night a few years ago when founder Michael Bronner started looking over his son's haul and wanted to throw half of it away because it had no nutritional value.

Later, he started working with a chef to create unjunky versions of kids' favorite candies.

Unreal candy comes in five varieties. Overall, it contains an average of 45 percent less sugar, 13 percent less fat, 23 percent fewer calories, 149 percent more protein and 250 percent more fiber.

The label says it's made with all real food ingredients - no corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, and no synthetic colors.

They work hard to ethically source their ingredients, like traceable cacao beans, and sustainable, organic palm oil. The dairy is from cows raised without antibiotics or added hormones. And the candy is made in the USA.

The company's name, by the way, is simple, Bronner says, "When somebody does something incredible you don't say 'wow that was real' you say 'that was unreal.'"

Locally, Unreal is sold at Target, QFC and Fred Meyer. There's probably a reasonable amount of it at Bill Gates' house too. He says it's "fantastic."

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (14)


  • Add A Comment

  • Jessc098 wrote...
    What is the origin of the chocolate?
    October 30, 2012 10:26 pm
    I LOVE this idea!! As someone who eats on a restrictive diet, I love the idea of minimally processed candies (sometimes a gal's just GOT to have a chocolate-covered caramel). I'm wondering though--what is the origin of the chocolate? I know much of the chocolate in the USA may be a product of child labor abroad. How careful is Unreal to source their chocolate responsibly? For more info: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/10/17/is-child-labor-going-into-your-halloween-candy/ I hope that this is a 100% responsible candy--I'll be looking for it in stores!
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  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    Good question
    October 31, 2012 6:11 am
    I've added a line about that Jessc098: They work hard to ethically source their ingredients, like traceable cacao beans, and sustainable, organic palm oil. The dairy is from cows raised without antibiotics or added hormones. And the candy is made in the USA.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    Halloween is dying....
    October 31, 2012 5:59 am
    To many sex predators, to many immigrants to many broke people = not very many houses to trick or treat at.... why let your kids gorge themselves on candy anyway....instead, spend quality time with your kids, do an activity....bake something from scratch. Don't send them out into the dark dangerous night alone to consume mass quantities of candy manufactured outside of America and who cares what Bill Gates is handing out this year...we are in a recession people.
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  • alexa0414 wrote...
    Move if you don't like it.
    October 31, 2012 9:37 am
    If you don't like Seattle, don't live here. We don't need grumpy people.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    SickofSeattleite AKA Grinch
    October 31, 2012 7:23 am
    Oh never mind wrong holiday.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 333 wrote...
    sickofseattle
    October 31, 2012 7:31 am
    sorry, halloween has never been more popular than it is today. ...and the recession ended last year. Your name is negative, your comments are negative, SHOCKING you're not happy with life.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Trick or Treat at Gates' House?
    October 31, 2012 9:26 am
    You're kidding right? Can you actually get onto his street to trick or treat? I think you'd need to get through the armed guards and X-Ray machine first...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • uralnutjobs wrote...
    medina
    October 31, 2012 1:39 pm
    not a gated community
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  • bmaddy wrote...
    Of coarse
    October 31, 2012 10:00 am
    The news chick wrote this. Linda go play with your kids! You work too much!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Stevebo wrote...
    I'm wondering how much this candy costs?
    October 31, 2012 12:59 pm
    And I'm wondering how that would relate to why other candy makers (such as The Mars company) aren't using those types of ingredients?

    It's possible, that cost may be the underlying factor.

    I'm all for looking for healthier options if they can be found - while not losing the fun factor of "treats." I'm curious as to the answers to my above questions.

    I'm SO glad Linda that this article isn't about pushing the PC agenda of saying how "terrible" Halloween candy is - and that parents are "evil" for allowing their children to indulge in it once a year. Everything in moderation, no?

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  • Wild Bill wrote...
    SickofSeattleite
    October 31, 2012 5:24 pm
    the "Recession" ended in 2009. We're in very sluggish growth, 2% or less. However, you seem to be in some sort of decline. Too many immigrants? What? Are you Native American? If not, then guess what? You're the product of IMMIGRANTS!
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  • Wild Bill wrote...
    uralnutjobs
    October 31, 2012 5:26 pm
    not "gated" in a traditional sense, but I dare you, go driving, lawful and sober at 3 AM and see what's on your behind in about a minute.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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