Last Updated on October 16, 2022 by Jim Edwards
Contents
What are Atomic Fireballs?
Atomic Fireballs are the original super intense cinnamon candy, essentially a spicy and sweet jawbreaker. The unique thing about atomic fireballs is that they start out hot and spicy and your tongue and mouth will feel the heat and fire. But as time progresses, you feel a sweet tinge in the end.
The secret to the Atomic FireBall is that they use capsaicin which is the naturally occurring compound that gives chilis and jalapeños spicy. Did you know that there is actually a scientific method for measuring how hot and spicy foods are? Yes, there is and its’ called the Scoville Scale. Atomic Fireballs are rated at 3500 Scoville Heat Units on their scale! And if you love heat and spice, be sure to read below for the Atomic FireBall Challenge.
The candies are individually wrapped but sold in bulk. They are great to have on hand in a big tub because they are very popular and you will probably eat a lot of them!
History of Atomic Fireball
Atomic Fireball was an invention of Nello Ferrara (founder of the Ferrara Candy Company) in 1954. It is a kind of jawbreaker candy, having an extremely hard red shell.
Nello Ferrara developed the candy as an incarnation of Fireball. The name of the candy was inspired by the nuclear activities that were prevalent at that time. The candy feels like a spice explosion in your mouth, like an explosion from atomic weapons. Hence, the name chosen was “Atomic Fireball.”
The reason Atomic Fireball is popular because it is different from regular candy. Usually, a candy either tastes sweet or sour, but Atomic Fireball is a spicy treat that starts hot and finishes sweet, so it is very rare, and very much loved by people who love HEAT!
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What is the Taste and Flavor of Atomic Fireball like?
Atomic Fireball candies are spicy with a sweet aftertaste. When you first bite into the candy, you get a strong flavor of cinnamon, followed by a burning sensation on your tongue. The burning sensation is caused due to the presence of capsaicin.
Capsaicin is naturally present in spices like jalapenos, chilies, to name a few. It is a factor that determines the Scoville Heat unit. A single piece of Atomic Fireball candy contains 3500 Scoville Heat units.
The candy is hard, and we caution you not to take a bite as it may damage your enamel. You need to suck onto it. A long-lasting sweet effect follows the burning sensation in your mouth and tongue. The key is to have patience for the sweetness to kick in.
We advise you not to consume multiple pieces at once as it may damage your taste buds and cause you shock due to the spice and heat level.
Atomic Fireball Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the ingredients in Atomic Fireball?
The ingredients in Atomic Fireball are modified food starch (corn), sucrose, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide for color, acacia (gum Arabic), and artificial flavors including capsicum and cinnamon.
Nutritional Facts of Atomic Fireball
The nutritional facts mentioned below are for a serving size of 0.6 ounces (three pieces).
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Saturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Trans Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat (0 g) | 0% |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acid (0 g) | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate (17 g) | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber (0 g) | 0% |
| Total Sugar (16 g) | – |
| Sodium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Cholesterol (0 mg) | 0% |
| Protein (0 g) | 0% |
| Iron (0 mg) | 0% |
| Alcohol (0 g) | 0% |
| Calcium (0 mg) | 0% |
| Vitamin A (0 mg) | 0% |
| Vitamin C (0 mg) | 0% |
How many calories are there in Atomic Fireball?
The serving size of three pieces (0.6 ounces) contains 60 calories approximately. It implies that a single candy piece would contain 20 calories roughly.
Is an Atomic Fireball gluten-free?
Atomic Fireball candies are 100% gluten-free and kosher-certified. It is labeled on the product package as well. Hence, people with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease can consume the candy safely.
Are Atomic Fireballs vegan?
Atomic Fireball does not contain any ingredients from animal sources. It is a vegan candy.
What is the Atomic Fireball Challenge?
The Atomic Fireball Challenge: you have to keep 6 of those fiery little balls in your mouth for 6 minutes without giving up!
Watch this video to see four friends try this challenge at the same time – the look on their faces as they squirm is hilarious!
And we won’t tell you who won…but you will find out if you watch to the end.
I’m Jim Edwards and I started this website to share my love of Junk Food. We cover new junk food, desserts, snack foods, fast food secret menus, candy (of course!) and other related news. We love trying “secret menus” at restaurants. And we love trying new products too. So, we are trying to have some fun with our hobby and share some useful information with you, our community. Please feel to send us your suggestions and feedback through the contact form. And if you have products you would like us to try, let us know…!