If You’re Wondering Whether Marshmallows Are Vegan, The Answer Is Yes And No (2024)

FAQs

Is marshmallow vegan or not? ›

By the 20th century, however, the gooey mallow plant had been replaced with animal-based products like egg whites and gelatin, making most commercially available marshmallows distinctly non-vegan. This holds for both individual marshmallows and whipped marshmallow creams popular in desserts like fudge.

So, are marshmallows vegan? Unfortunately, they're not. “Marshmallows are not vegan because they contain gelatin, an animal protein derived from the ligaments, tendons, and skin of animals, such as cows and pigs,” explains registered dietician Grace Pascale.

So the bottom line to the number one reason why I am vegan: I love animals and I do not have any desire to eat something with a life of its own to live. And with this answer, I feel justified.

With that in mind, the simple answer is: yes. Skittles Classic Fruits are suitable for vegans. Though the bag only brands them as 'Suitable For Vegetarians', classic Skittles do have a vegan friendly status as they contain no animal products.

No, they are not. Jet puffed marshmallows are one of the more popular marshmallows in North America, but they contain gelatin, an animal product, making them not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

Fortunately, loads of candies are vegan, so we can indulge our cravings (mostly) guilt-free. Most dark chocolate is vegan, as are popular sweet treats such as Smarties (known as Rockets in Canada), Oreos, Airheads, Jujubes, and Swedish Fish (some Swedish Fish contain beeswax, so be sure to check the label).

The rumors are true. Marshmallows, Jell-O, gummy bears… although they seemingly bear no resemblance to animals (well, other than the gummy bears), these foods often aren't vegetarian. That's because they contain gelatin, a substance used to create the “fun,” gooey, chewy textures we expect from these foods.

In short, the vast majority of Oreos are vegan and do not contain any animal ingredients (not even milk!). These include: Classic Oreos, Golden Oreos, Double Stuff, and Chocolate Cream Oreos. The only Oreos which are not suitable for vegans are the Peanut Butter flavoured biscuits which contain milk.

At their core, yes, pretzels are technically vegan. But you should still be careful about checking labels, and asking the right questions before you buy the salty snack. “Many store-bought brands of both hard and soft pretzels do not contain eggs or milk, so they would be considered vegan,” says Palmer.

Are peeps vegan? ›

Peeps are not vegan or vegetarian, according to the company that makes them. “Our marshmallow candies are not vegan because they contain pork-derived gelatin,” says a statement from Just Born, the manufacturer of Peeps. The company claims the pork is essential for the “great eating experience” it creates.

Some research has linked that there are certain health benefits to vegan diets with lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Going vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about nutrition and cooking, and improve your diet.

Many abstain from animal products because they find factory farming cruel and inhumane. As well as the slaughtering of animals for meat, many vegans are concerned that egg-laying chickens and dairy cows can lead unnecessarily miserable and short lives.

Vegans do not eat animals or animal-based products like meat, fish, seafood, eggs, honey and dairy products such as cheese. For many vegans, living a committed vegan lifestyle means not wearing clothes made from animal skins and avoiding any products which have been tested on animals.

While traditionally made marshmallow have gelatin in them which make them not vegan, marshmallow fluff does not. However, marshmallow fluff does contain egg whites. That ingredient makes them not safe for anyone on a vegan or plant based diet, but also someone with egg allergies.

Plant-based gelatin alternatives

Cornstarch and agar agar (an algae-based product found in the seaweed section) have both been used to successfully replicate these tricky textures. Like gelatin, both cornstarch and agar agar are activated when combined with a hot liquid.

The traditional marshmallow recipe uses powdered marshmallow root, but most commercially manufactured marshmallows instead use gelatin in their manufacture. Vegans and vegetarians avoid gelatin, but there are versions which use a substitute non-animal gelling agent such as agar.