Vegan day 44: Sockerbit Candy (non-GMO); Christopher Street, NYC.
Can you even imagine how happy I was to find my two favorite passions in one spot- candy and non-GMO ingredients!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day!
SOCKERBIT, Sweet & Swedish.
Luckily, I have been able to reduce my sugar addiction since my lifestyle overhaul 2 years ago. Still, I do have to admit I have a sweet tooth. That being said, this is really the only place where I will straight up BUY CANDY! I absolutely love this store. It’s located on Christopher Street, West Village, NYC- a place I called home for over 10 years just a few doors away! Christopher Street has changed over the years- the stores or boutiques with higher quality products, niche, fashion or a special following seem to have staying power. Someone has mentioned Sockerbit to me a while back because of the non-GMO factor however, it wasn’t until I happened to be walking down Christopher Street, that the bright white clean light reflected through the words non-GMO ingredients on the window and I was drawn in. I might add here that this is a photographers dream space-wise. The second you walk in you feel like a superstar in the presence of the lighting alone. I have never been in such a bright white space- and I have visited white venues before. Yes, sunglasses may be useful but then you wouldn’t want to miss out on all the deliciously wonderful colors of the candy.
Next question was the question of every day- IS IT VEGAN? lol
The staff at Sockerbit are the sweetest of all. Their tagline is “Sweet & Swedish”– and that they are! All three times that I have been there they had no problem at all showing me all of the vegan choices and there were many- too many hehe!
Ingredients that would make candy not vegan would be the gelatin and some food dyes or colorings. Gelatin is is made from pigskins, cattle bones, and cattle hides.
So what is a GMO? It stands for genetically modified organism. Yes, an organism- it’s basically when a crop, seed or plant is subjected to genetic alteration of DNA in a lab and then grown and reproduced and yes- ingested and mixed into our gut bacteria! GMOs must be labeled in many other countries especially in Europe. NOT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES- most people don’t think a GMO is any different than a UFO- lol- and it’s not!
As we precede forward, more and more crops are becoming GMO, this will only be slowed done with proper labeling laws in the US. Join the Organic Consumers Association now to find out what you can do before it’s too late. There are seals you can look for in buying non-GMO which include the organic seal, the non-GMO seal and company literature that ensures a company’s mission and ethics are towards non-GMO use and ingredients. In the Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden, where Sockerbit is originated and where GMO’s are banned or labeled, this is a normal practice- for us it’s a mostly unknown luxury. So here sits this candy boutique on Christopher Street with it’s bright walls and colorful candy and most don’t realize just how good this really is.
HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY to you and your loved ones- pick them up a wonderful surprise of mixed goodies. The candies here are mix and match @12.99 and they will package it for you beautifully. You are totally getting an experience and candy with some health consciousness attached. For the record, the geek in me actually called this morning to confirm that the sugar used in non-GMO. I said how can that be when most of the United States has switched over to GMO beet sugar and they so sweetly said- our products and ingredients come from non-GMO beets in non-GMO Sweden! Oh I so love this! Thumbs up for me- big time!
Remember sugar can be an addiction for some but if you are going to enjoy it in moderation- indulge with non-GMO ingredients!
