Monthly Archives: September 2007

Wrigley’s Orbit White Melon Breeze

Tooth whiteners are all the rage. If you haven’t noticed, just walk down the toothpaste aisle of your local grocery store and you’ll discover toothpastes, tooth strips, mouthwash, and chewing gums that all claim to whiten teeth quickly and easily. Enter Wrigley’s Orbit White chewing gum. This pack contains twelve pieces of sugarless gum “proven to remove stains and whiten teeth,” or so the packaging states.

I decided to put this gum to the test. Because this pack was the Melon Breeze flavor, I had my doubts. I’m a bit skeptical that something that tastes fruity can also be good for my teeth. But I decided to give it a whirl. Much to my surprise, the gum did leave my teeth and breath feeling cleaner. There was no sugary residue to complain about, nor any aftertaste. Each piece of gum (and there are 12 in the pack) is stored in foil-covered pockets. The white, rectangular gum pieces are complete with green specks that just make them look like a genuine tooth whitener. The wrapper calls these magical little components “sparkling speckles.” If you eat two pieces of Orbit White gum after eating and drinking, you should notice results after 8 weeks. That’s according to the clinical tests. Unfortunately, that adds up to a lot of cash. So much money, in fact, that you might actually be better off purchasing those super-expensive white strips if you want to get more bang for your buck.

At 2.5 calories per piece, you still can’t go wrong for a sugarless, fruit-flavored gum that makes your teeth and breath fresher. (Melon Breeze must be a combination of cantaloupe and kiwi from the looks of the packaging, but I actually tasted more of a fresh watermelon flavor.) You can also buy Orbit White in traditional flavors: Spearmint, Peppermint, and Bubblemint. Whether or not this gum lives up to the clinical tests, the packaging and product should be enough to draw you in.

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Reese’s Whipps

Who knows chocolate and peanut butter better than Reese’s? Since 1928, the Reese’s company, now owned by Hershey’s, has been rolling out the well-known and well-loved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup covered in pure milk chocolate. Reese’s Pieces, Fast Break, and NutRageous have since been introduced to the candy-loving public. Now the company is stepping into unknown territory to bring us a candy bar that will be lower in fat without losing any power-packed taste. The new Reese’s Whipps candy bar contains 2 ounces of chocolate-covered fluffy nougat flavored with Reese’s staple ingredient: peanut butter. The nougat center allows the candy bar to have almost 40 percent less fat than other Reese’s products, which are made with a true peanut butter center.

I liked this candy bar much more than I expected. For starters, it doesn’t have any whole peanuts, and my favorite nougat candy bar is Snickers. How could another candy fight for my attention with words like lower in fat, light, and fluffy? Regardless of my doubts, I sunk my teeth into a real dream with Reese’s Whipps. This was not at all like a Snickers or any other Reese’s product, for that matter. The peanut butter nougat is truly satisfying, though it feels light and airy going down. And it isn’t a bland peanut-butter flavor, but a flavor with true, punch-you-in-the-gut intensity.

If you are in the market for a low-fat candy bar that still makes your taste buds happy, this is a great option. For a real treat, throw a Reese’s Whipps candy bar in the freezer—you’ll enjoy a cool and chewy dessert in hours. And, although the grandeur and size may be self-defeating in the low-fat department, look for a king-size bar to appear on your favorite candy store’s shelves. You’ll likely love this candy bar if you give it a chance. Besides, when’s the last time Reese’s has disappointed us?

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Nestle Treasures Creamy Caramel


Switzerland-born Nestle arrived on the chocolate scene in 1866. Their century and a half of candy experience has given them an edge over the competition and established their brand name worldwide—but did you know that Nestle also creates baby food, powdered drink mix, and bottled water? As their product line has become more diverse, it’s still chocolate that they are most associated with.

Nestle Treasures are among the best filled chocolates on the market. If you haven’t tried these yet, get out to your supermarket and buy a bag—or four. Twelve-ounce bags are filled with individually foil-wrapped, chocolate nuggets that look like mini bars of gold. For bonafide chocolate lovers, that’s not too far off from what they actually are. Unwrapping the royal-purple wrapper, you can feel the inner majesty of the candy begin to surface and alert your senses to one fact: you are about to taste something amazing. Biting into the chocolate chunk, you unearth a creamy caramel fountain. This candy brings a milky sweetness that is the perfect ending to any meal. You can get by on just one—but you won’t want to stop there.

Part of Nestle’s Signatures brand, Treasures also come in full-size candy bars. They are also excellent for baking delicious cookies and brownies, and are available in flavors like chocolate crème, peanut butter, and the new dark chocolate caramel. Your best bet is to just buy the assorted bag and enjoy all of the varieties because you won’t want to miss any of them. I’ve sampled all of the filling flavors and would enthusiastically award peanut butter First Place. Caramel gets the Second Place ribbon, and chocolate crème comes in a close Third. All in all, these candies are the most appropriately named candies out there. Does a Snickers really taste like a “Snicker?” Who knows. But these are most definitely, as the name suggests, treasures to be uncovered.

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