Japanese Salt Candies & Tablets to Prevent Heat Stroke
Here in Niigata, Japan, the weather outside is scorching hot, and the temperature is gradually climbing.
So when I went out shopping today, I stopped by a supermarket and bought salt candies to prevent heatstroke.
As I wrote in this article, salt candy, or Shio Ame (塩飴), has long been a summertime favorite of us Japanese.
The hard candy contains a small amount of salt, and by its intake, you can replenish salts lost by sweating.
When I was small, Shio Ame was only available in plain flavors, but today, Japanese salt candy has evolved and comes in various varieties, including these.
Lotte Koume Salt Candy & Kabaya Salt Charge Tablet
The products I picked up today, shown in the picture above, are Koume Salt Candy from Lotte and Salt Charge Tablet from Kabaya.
Unlike the classic Shio Ame I used to eat as a kid, in addition to sodium chloride, they both contain potassium and citric acid to replenish minerals lost in sweat.
Flavors/Taste
The Kabaya Salt Charge Tablet has a sports drink flavor, while the Lotte Koume Salt Hard Candy comes in Ume plum and lemon flavors.
These treats only contain minimal salt and are very easy to eat and delicious. The faint saltiness even helps accentuate the sweet taste.
Ingredients/Nutrition Facts
Lastly, here are the ingredients and nutrition facts of the Kabaya Salt Charge Tablet and Lotte Koume Salt Candy.
Based on the label, the salt candy tablet (per piece/2.8 grams) has 10.3 kcal and contains 0.108 g salt equivalents, 15.5 mg potassium, and 155 mg citric acid equivalents.
On the other hand, the Koume hard candies have 11 kcal per piece (3.1 grams) and contain 0.12/0.13 (Ume/Lemon) g salt equivalents, 13 mg potassium, 1.2 mg vitamin C, and 82 mg citric acid.
(Reference Page: Pixiv Encyclopedia 塩飴 )
I just ordered the Sze Hing Loong version from Amazon. Sounds like just what I need in hot Florida! We will be very hot until October.
Thank you!
Yes, in recent years, the weather in summer is getting hotter and hotter. So we both need some salt😊
When my package of of Salt & Lemon candy from Amazon arrived yesterday, the packages were labeled with the brand “Cocon” and they were delicious! I’m not used to these flavors together, but it took me no time to recognize how delicious they were. I took a couple of them with me when i went to run a couple of errands. You can’t go outside in Central Florida for more than a few minutes in August without breaking a sweat and these were very refreshing. The salty taste was muted and was a nice balance to the sweet and lemon taste. The fragrance was good under my mask too! I would not recommend them to anyone who should avoid salt, but to everyone else, give them a try! Thank you for introducing them to me!
Thanks for your review on the Cocon’s salt candy, I’m glad to hear that!