It’s not so black and white to simply avoid foods with meat, dairy and animal products, there are many ingredients in certain foods that make them not vegan, as they can be derived from animals or animal exploitation.
If you love gummies like gummy bears, and want to know which ones you can eat safely. You’re in the right place. Here, we’ll go over all there is to know about vegan gummies, including which ones are the best to eat!
Are Gummies Vegan?
No, regular gummies and similar candies with a gummy texture cannot be considered vegan, so vegans should not eat them as part of their diet.
This is because of the gelatin found in these snacks, but even vegetarian gummies cannot be considered vegan, as these often substitute the gelatin for beeswax instead.
What Ingredients In Gummies Are Not Vegan?
The main reason that vegans cannot consume gummies and similar candies like gummy bears, starburst or more is because of the gelatin that is used to create that ‘gummy’ texture.
Gelatin is derived from various animal parts such as bones, skin, ligaments, and tendons. It is flavorless, colorless, and often used as a rubbery substance in foods. It is made from collagen taken from various animal body parts.
Gelatin is typically obtained through the process of boiling skin, ligaments, bones and other body parts with water and usually comes from pigs or cows.
Another ingredient you will need to watch out for is beeswax. Often, as mentioned above, companies will substitute gelatin with beeswax to create that sticky, gummy texture.
Beeswax of course comes from honeybees, so it cannot be considered vegan either.
When it comes to candy, other ingredients to look out for are food dyes and colorings.
These are often derived from animals. Nearly every ‘natural’ food coloring is made from plants, so those are safe, but you should watch out for ‘carmine’ which is a red dye that is made from crushed beetles.
Other ingredients to avoid are refined cane sugar, as it is made from animal bone fragments, lactose, E120 (another term for carmine), E966 (derived from milk sugar), E1105 (derived from eggs), E913 (lanolin, made from sheepskin), shellac or E904 which is made from lac beetles, and E542 which is an edible bone phosphate.
What Gummies Are Vegan?
Unfortunately, most branded and commercial gummy candies are not considered vegan as they will contain gelatin or other animal derivatives. That being said, there are some vegan friendly options out there.
Vego Bears are a great option. They come in a range of flavors, and are 100% vegan, non-GMO, and certified organic. Vego Bears have made it their mission as a brand to make clever candy, with ingredients sourced from organic farms.
Sweet Yourself Gummies are vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and ethically sourced. These gummies come in a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. There are no non-vegan ingredients, and they are even palm oil free.
Looking for an affordable vegan option? Try the 365 Vegan Gummy Bears. These are plant based, and don’t have any artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives.
If you want an organic option, these fruity bears are the perfect choice from Surf Sweets.
They are certified organic, gluten free, and non-GMO so that you can eat them guilt free and part of a vegan lifestyle. Instead of using gelatin, these gummies are made with pectin as a substitute.
However, they are super sweet as they are coated in sugar, but if you have a sweet tooth, you will love them!
If you want to eat gummy bears safely and as part of a vegan lifestyle, then the Project 7 Vegan Gummies are a great choice. The brand itself is vegan, and there are only 3 grams of sugar per bag, which is much lower than other alternatives.
One bag only contains around 60 calories, so you can definitely enjoy these and not feel bad about them! There are no artificial flavors, colorings, sweeteners, or preservatives, and you can enjoy various flavors of gummies.
This one contains organic cane sugar, but this version is vegan, as it cannot be considered organic if it is bleached with charred animal bones
These fruity snacks from Annie’s are not bears, but they taste just like gummy bears. They are cute, organic and gluten free, made with real fruits for the flavor and colorings. This product also contains organic cane sugar, but it is in fact vegan.
These gummy candies come in a variety of flavors. They are made from vegan ingredients, with no artificial colors, flavorings, or gelatin. The best part? They are absolutely delicious.
If you miss the chewy texture of gummy bears, these are the next best thing, and they are vegan! These gummies are plant based, gluten free, and have natural flavorings and sweeteners.
Each bag only contains around 80 calories, and much less sugar than you will find in regular gummy bears. With no artificial flavorings and colors, Smart Sweets Vegan Fish really are the smart choice.
What Gummies Are Not Vegan?
Some of the most popular candies are made from animal derivatives. These include Gummy Bears, which contain gelatin, along with Starburst which also contain gelatin.
Candy Corn also contains gelatin, but there are vegan versions. Haribo products also contain gelatin.
In addition, Gummy Worms should be avoided as they also contain gelatin, along with Nerds and Altoids. You should also avoid red candies, as these could include the red dye carmine, but be sure to check the packaging.
Summary
To summarize, most commercial gummies are not vegan, as they contain gelatin which is derived from animal bones, ligaments and other body parts. However, there are a range of vegan alternatives that you can try.
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