Hard candy, also known as sugar candy, is a favorite of folks of all ages. The world wide group of sugar candy fanatics make up what I like to call the "Mob". Everyone has their favorite flavor or type and rare is the person who doesn't like at least one type.

Sugar candy in all its sweet beautiful forms (there are literally thousands) is made from a thick solution of sugar water and then adding one or many tasty and attractive colors or flavors. Some countries take the mix and freeze them to make ice pop candies. Unfortunately this is not common in United States, which is too bad in my opinion.

The actual widely used term "candy" covers a wide term which includes chocolates, toffees, chocolate based candy bars, chewing gums, liquorice and anything else that you can think of which tastes good and sweet. Many people traditionally refer to candy as confectionery or sweets.

I doubt we in the mob care so much about what you call it. The mobsters love the way it tastes, we have our absolute favorites, and we try to avoid the guilt of that love.

So I won't lead you astray. There are plenty of ways to enjoy your sweet treats without the guilt. Hard as it is to believe, all sweets are different and should not be looked at as the same diet destroying food. I and many other mob members are health conscious.

A lollipop is referred to as a sugar candy with a stick. As compared to a rich milk chocolate candy bar, a sugar free or low-sugar lollipop or hard candy is much sounder choice if you are trying to maintain a certain weight.

It is more or less similar size and mass related. In other words, you probably eat way less food with a little hard candy, but still get the total sweet satisfaction you crave. A great example is the simple Dum Dum lollipop. They usually come in the variety bag with root beer, grape, cherry, watermelon and other assorted flavors. This simple and tiny little lollipop has experienced steady impressive sales for as long as I can remember. A Dum Dum or any other hard candy on a stick creation, can always be made in a way that diminishes sugar without ruining taste. The overall calorie load is limited by size.