The warhead. Perhaps the most powerful and dangerous of its kind. And we’re not talking about weapons of mass destruction here. We’re talking about Warheads Sour Candy! Yes, that’s right. Warheads certainly pack a punch that will leave your tongue and taste buds in a fight they’ve never seen before. Maybe that’s why you’re here. Because you want to try them but are afraid that they’ll be too sour for you. And what exactly is it that makes them so sour? Let’s delve into those questions and answers I am sure you’re searching for!
So, how sour are warheads? Sour warheads contain several edible acids and are thus very, very sour for 5 to 10 seconds after you put them in your mouth. If I were to place them somewhere on the sour league table, it would be above Cry Baby Tears but below Toxic Waste. That would rank them as the second most sour candy on the market.
Warheads are so sour that if you eat too many with a sensitive tongue and mouth, then you’re going to know about it!
But how are they so sour? Let’s find out, shall we?
Contents
How Are Warheads So Sour?
Warheads are so sour because they contain several edible acids that activate your tongue’s sour taste receptors.
There are plenty of acids in Warheads. These acids yield hydrogen ions which will activate your tongue’s sour taste receptors when you eat one.
Once these are activated, you get that taste of sour, funnily enough. The more acids, the sourer it will be.
So yes, you have the acids to blame.
But these acids aren’t just thrown into Warheads for no reason.
Let’s find out about each of the main acids used in Warheads that contribute to that incredibly sour taste.
Malic Acid
This bad boy is the main culprit. That intense sour flavor is mainly derived from malic acid.
This is coated on the outside of Warheads, giving you those intense 5-10 seconds of sourness.
Citric Acid
We get this sour acid from citrus fruits like lemon and lime.
So it’s no wonder it’s used to make Warheads, especially their citrus flavor ranges like lemon and lime.
Ascorbic Acid
This acid may sound familiar. That’s because it’s also known as vitamin C.
Ascorbic acid is used in Warheads to help get that sour taste but also to give the candy an oxygen-scavenging preservative.
It is thought that this can help you get over a cold quicker.
Which Flavor Warhead Is The Most Sour?
In my opinion, black cherry is the most sour Warhead flavour.
Yes, that one is particularly sour. I must say it nearly was the death of me.
But once I was through the intense sour taste, I was able to enjoy the sweet taste of black cherries. And the struggle against the initial sour taste is all forgotten.
After black cherry, I would then put lemon as the sourest flavor. It’s no surprise. Lemon is a citrus flavor, so it requires lots of citric acids, which makes it really, really sour as well.
Which Flavor Warhead Is The Least Sour?
In my opinion, apple is the least sour Warhead flavor.
Apples aren’t citrus fruit. This means they won’t require as much citric acid as, say, lemon or lime-flavored sour candy.
These flavors are based on their citrus fruit counterpart, so they do require more citric acid to taste like them.
As we know, the more acid in a Warhead, the sourer it will be. So apple probably is less sour for this reason.
But there are plenty of other non-citrus fruit flavors in the Warhead arsenal (pardon the pun). Yet, for whatever reason, apple appears to be the least sour Warhead candy flavour…at least to my taste buds.
Remember, candy tasting is subjective to a degree. So the least sour flavored Warhead, in my opinion, may not be a view that you share.
There’s only one way to find out. And that’s by trying all the flavors and making up your own mind.
But don’t eat too many at once! Because it could lead to…
Can Warheads Burn Your Tongue?
Warheads can burn your tongue if you eat too many in a short time. This is because they contain a variety of acids that help give them that famous sour taste.
Warheads, as you know by now, contain acids, including malic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and ascorbic acid.
Because of those acidic ingredients Warheads contain, they don’t pose a risk of burning your tongue.
But this won’t occur if you just eat one every now and then.
Problems start to arise if you eat too many Warheads in a short amount of time because this is when temporary irritation to sensitive tongues and mouths becomes a threat.
Now, these acids are approved by the FDA for being used as ingredients for food. But that doesn’t mean they’re totally harmless.
If you eat too many at a time, then you’ll be putting too much acid inside your mouth. These acids will then irritate and, in the most severe cases, burn your tongue. Ouch!
Earlier I mentioned that irritation could occur in sensitive tongues and mouths. Who has the most sensitive tongues and mouths?
Yes, children do. So children are at more risk of their tongues being burned by Warheads or other sour candies that include high amounts of acidic ingredients.
Don’t think you’re off the hook as an adult. I don’t care if you’ve got the roughest and toughest tongue in the world.
If you eat too many Warheads for your tongue’s liking, then you too could get burnt!
If you do find that your tongue, no matter what age you are, is experiencing some type of irritation, then sour candy is probably too much for you right now.
Did Warheads Get Less Sour?
Despite popular belief, no, Warheads have not gotten sour or seen any reformulation over the years.
There have been many claims that Warheads have gotten less sour as time has passed.
Candy lovers seem to believe that the company that makes Warheads have changed the formula to make this decrease in sourness happen.
How would they do this? Well, they have been accused of replacing the malic acid they use when making Warheads with citric acid instead.
Such a change would be implemented in the hope that it would make Warheads less corrosive, which would consequently lead to them being less sour.
You’ll find such theories all across the internet and its many social media sites.
But is it all true? Or just outlandish theories from eagle-eyed, or should I say, eagle-tasting candy lovers?
Well, malic acid is still listed on the ingredients label of every Warheads packaging. And trust me, if it says it there, you can bet they’re telling the truth.
Food companies aren’t allowed to lie about the contents of their products. So they don’t!
Now you might be thinking that while they still contain malic acid, they may have reduced the amount used in the candy when they make it.
But this just isn’t the case, and there’s no evidence out there to prove that it is.
It may be the case that the people making these claims have eaten so many Warheads throughout their life that their tongues have become immune to the sourness of this candy.
Other Candies Warheads Are Sourer Than?
Warheads are more sour than every other sour candy on the market, except for one. The name of which I will mention soon.
Yes, you read me correctly. Warheads are only second to one other candy out there on the market.
Other than that, Warheads are more sour than every other candy you can find.
There are plenty of renowned sour candies out there. But they just don’t match up with Warheads on the sour-o-meter!
Some examples of sour candies that Warheads are sourer than include:
- Cry Baby Tears,
- Sour Nerds,
- Sour Patch Kids (even the extreme ones),
- Sour Skittles,
- Taveners Sour Lemon Drops,
- Sour Flush Candy Toilets.
Other Candies Warheads Are Less Sour Than?
Toxic Wastes are the only candy that Warheads are less sour than.
There’s plenty of sour candy out there in the world. There’s just something about that sour taste that people love to challenge themselves to endure.
Yet despite all of the sour candy out there on the market, there is no other candy sourer than Warheads…except for Toxic Waste.
Toxic Waste is the only candy that beats Warheads on the sour-o-meter.
So it’s quite impressive that warheads are only second to THE sourest candy in the world. Toxic Waste!
Sold in their very fitting yellow barrels, Toxic Wastes come with plenty of warnings about their sour taste. And they mean it.
So there you have it. The only candy Warheads are less sour than are Toxic Waste. A pretty impressive feat!
Finally
So yes, Warheads are pretty damn sour!
And now you know why!
But they’re not the sourest candy out there.
Only second to one.
So if you’re looking for the most difficult sour candy challenge out there, I suggest you get yourself a pack of…TOXIC WASTE!
Related Questions
Are Warheads more sour than Toxic Waste?
Warheads are considered less sour than Toxic Waste
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Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.