Many generations of people have fond memories of an extremely sweet and sour powdered candy known as Pixy Stix®. Pixy Stix® are packaged in straw-like paper wrappers which are torn open to allow the powder to be consumed directly. Some people may remember a much larger version called Giant Pixy Stix®, which were packaged in 21 inch plastic tubes. Popular Pixy Stix® flavors include orange, grape and green apple.
During the late 1930s, the powdery candy was actually intended to be a pre-sweetened drink mix similar to Kool Aid. The developer noticed that many children preferred to pour the powder directly into their mouths, by-passing the mixing process altogether. The candy powder was later repackaged and marketed as a regular candy treat. By the early 1950s, a company in St. Louis, Missouri was producing the original Pixy Stix® in colorful paper tubes.
Pixy Stix® may have been popular with children, but some parents routinely objected to the messy nature of a loose candy powder pouring out of a non-resealable straw. The candy company created a more solid confection from the dextrose, citric acid and artificial flavor formula of Pixy Stix® during the early 1960s, calling them SweeTarts®. As SweeTarts® and other hard packed candies grew in popularity, the older Pixy Stix® brand almost became extinct.
The Nestle company acquired the rights to produce Pixy Stix® and still produces the candy straws and Giant Pixy Stix® under the Willy Wonka brand name. Willy Wonka also produces other popular flavored sugar candies from that same era, such as cola-flavored Bottle Caps® and SweeTarts®.
As sweet as Pixy Stix® taste, they are not produced from sucrose or regular sugar. Instead, Pixy Stix® are made from a cornstarch-based sweetener called dextrose. Dextrose can have a much stronger effect on the bloodstream than sucrose, so those who are especially affected by blood sugar spikes should exercise restraint when consuming Pixy Stix®. The sourness of the candy comes from citric acid, a common ingredient in sour candies. Some say the flavor of Pixy Stix® is negligible, but the excitement of reliving a childhood memory by knocking back a Pixy Stix® straw is often worth the effort.
