Healthy candy is an oxymoron to me. It’s not that healthy food tastes bad, but rather that there’s little in candy that can be deemed nutritious. But after dark chocolate was discovered to contain some of the highest concentration of antioxidants, candy began to be repackaged with a healthier spin.

These days, it’s not unusual to see a bag of gummies touting they’re filled with “antioxidants;” that’s a brilliant marketing ploy that really means there’s vitamin C, most likely in the form of ascorbic acid, in there. And though something that has vitamin C in it seems healthy, you ingest more than enough in your everyday diet, as evidenced by the few cases of scurvy we hear about.

At the All Candy Expo, it was impossible to saunter by a booth trying to sell snake oil with claims of why their product was so healthy. It has pomegranate! Made with real fruit juice! No artificial flavors! Only 100 calories! I like candy, but I’m very skeptical about eating it when I’m being fooled into eating it for the wrong reasons.

There was one seemingly odd exception to this rule. When I approached the BrightSpot booth, a small candy company based in Chicago, they began trying to extol the virtues of their candy. I seemed pretty blase about their speech until I heard words like “probiotics.” I was definitely intrigued and curious when I was given a bag of each of their Gimmie Chocolate Candies.

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People associate candy with many things, but “healthy” usually isn’t one of them. Despite the many recent scientific findings showing that chocolate is good for you, candy still has a pretty bad reputation in that department. Here’s where Figamajigs step in.

Figamajigs are chocolate covered pieces of fig that are beautifully packaged in two very recognizable candy shapes: in bar form and as little panned candy pieces. It may sound like a strange combination, but I assure you, this is every bit as tasty as anything you’ll find in the candy aisle in your local store. The figs make up a majority of this candy as they provide a wonderful deep fruity flavor that will grow on you.

I’ve tried all the Figamajigs varieties and the ones with the colorful panned candy shells were my favorite because the shell is quite crunchy and adds another level of texture. The center is figgy and soft with a nice dense chew like a good fudge. You definitely taste more fig than chocolate, which is a good thing since both flavors compliment each other so well.

These are worth a try whether you are a fig lover or not. Even though Figamajigs don’t deliver a true hardcore/full chocolate taste, they’re still sweet, satisfying, and they feel like candy. I’m officially addicted.

• Figamajigs Website

chocolate, figs, fruit, healthy