What You Didn't Know About Jelly Belly's Candy Line For Athletes

If you have a sweet tooth, you likely have your go-to sugary snack. For some, it's chocolate, whether it be a Snickers bar, a few Reese's Cups, or a handful of Hershey's Kisses. For others, it's baked goods, whether it be a slice of cake, a frosted donut, or a chewy brownie. And for others, it's fruity, gummy candies, whether it be Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, or, in this particular instance, jelly beans. While there are a bunch of different brands of jelly beans, perhaps the most popular and well-known is Jelly Belly. 

You likely know Jelly Belly for its dozens of flavors: Buttered Popcorn, Cotton Candy, Juicy Pear, and even Booger (yes, really!)... the list goes on and on. But what you may not have known is that Jelly Belly also has a special line of candies specifically designed for athletes. Shocking, yes, since you'd hardly think of jelly beans as a health food, but they have, in fact, been fueling workouts for years.

Jelly Belly's line of candies for athletes is sold under the name "Energizing Jelly Beans." What makes a regular Jelly Belly bean different than an Energizing Jelly Belly? The latter are infused with vitamins and electrolytes to help give you a boost during an intense workout, Mental Floss explains. That's not all — some of the beans are "Extreme Sport Beans," which contain a small amount of caffeine. Think of them like an energy drink, but in jelly bean form. Genius.

"Clinically proven to maximize sports performance, each bean is loaded with carbs for fuel, electrolytes to help maintain fluid balance and vitamins to optimize energy release and protect cells against oxidative damage," Jelly Belly explains on its website. They come in a pack of assorted flavors or individual flavors, like Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Orange, Watermelon, Fruit Punch, and more. But they aren't cheap: Each 6-count pack of Jelly Belly Sport Beans costs $8.99.