One of our favorite snack options is Skittles. We love their bright colors and sweet flavor. They also happen to be vegan friendly.
The candy company has been around since 1885, and they’ve come a long way from those days. In fact, they now offer over 100 varieties of candies, including fruit-flavored ones.
Are Skittles Vegan?
Vegan candy lovers rejoice! You can now enjoy the sweet treat without having to worry about animal cruelty.
On January 22nd, 2020, Skittles announced that it had completely changed the way it makes its sweets.
Instead of gelatin, the company uses natural flavors derived from plants. And while you won’t find it listed on the ingredient list, the change does mean that Skittles are indeed vegan.
While there are many different types of candies out there, some are actually vegan. For instance, Skittles are considered vegan because they use no gelatin in their manufacturing process.
The term “vegan” refers to someone who doesn’t consume any meat, dairy, eggs, honey, or anything else produced by animals.
But what about those foods that don’t come from animals? Do they count as being vegan too?
Well, yes and no. Some people call themselves vegan simply because they avoid eating anything that came from an animal.
Others consider themselves vegan because they avoid all animal products, including food items that didn’t originate from animals.
In addition to avoiding animal products, there are certain companies that make vegan products. These include companies like PETA, Silk Soy milk, and Beyond Meat.
They’re often referred to as plant-based because they’re made from plants rather than animals. There are even some vegan versions of traditional favorites like ice cream and chocolate bars.
So if you want to know whether you can eat Skittles, you’ll have to look up the specific type of Skittles you’re interested in.
If you see “natural flavors,” you can rest assured that the product is vegan. Otherwise, you might want to skip it altogether.
What About The Controversial Ingredients?
The following list contains some of the most common vegan controversies.
We do not suggest you follow this guide blindly; it is simply meant to provide some insight into what to look out for.
1. Soy Sauce & Tamari
2. Honey
3. Corn Syrup
4. Artificial Food Colours
5. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
6. Wheat Flour
Palm Oils
Palm oil is extracted from palm fruits grown mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and West Africa.
In addition to being used in cooking and frying, it is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, biofuels, and lubricants.
Palm oil is often confused with coconut oil because both are derived from the fruit of the same plant, Arenga pinnata.
However, palm oil is produced by pressing the fruit while coconut oil is obtained by heating the kernel inside the fruit.
The term “palm oil” is sometimes applied to oils extracted from palms other than those listed above, such as oil palm, rubber tree palm, etc., but these do not contain significant amounts of saturated fatty acids like palmitic acid.
They are usually referred to as vegetable oils.
Artificial And Natural Flavorings
The FDA defines artificial flavorings as those derived from petroleum products such as ethyl alcohol and propylene glycol.
They can include chemicals like vanillin, caramel color, and acetaldehyde. Some synthetic flavoring additives are used to imitate food ingredients like chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and citrus.
Natural flavors are derived from plants or animals and may contain a wide variety of chemical compounds including terpenes, phenols, esters, lactones, aldehydes, ketones, and many others.
Flavors from animals are often derived from glands found inside the meat itself.
For example, some people enjoy eating chicken livers because of the distinct taste and aroma of liver oil.
Colors
Some food colors are controversial among vegans. Why? Because they’re usually tested on animals.
And while some companies claim their products are free of animal testing, others don’t say anything about it.
Food dyes aren’t always safe for vegans. Many people believe that red, yellow, blue, green, and black are derived from insects, fish scales, shellfish, birds, frogs, and reptiles respectively.
However, there are no laws requiring manufacturers to disclose what ingredients go into their products.
So, it’s up to consumers to do some research and make educated decisions about what they put in their bodies.
Are Original Flavored Skittles Vegan?
The original Skittle candy was invented in 1897 and came in three flavors: cherry, grape, and orange.
Today, the brand is owned by Mars Inc., which owns M&M’s and Twix among other treats. But what about the ingredients? Are they vegan?
According to the FDA, the answer is yes. In fact, it says that the candies are made without animal products like eggs, milk, meat, honey, gelatin, or shellac.
However, there are some exceptions.
Specifically, the label must say “made with sugar.” This means that the candies contain traces of egg whites, though they don’t actually come from chickens.
Are Sour Skittles Vegan?
Sour Skittles are vegan candy that is still sweet enough to eat. They come in three flavors: grapefruit, lemon, and lime. But what about the original flavor? Is it vegan too?
The answer is yes. Sour Skittles contain no gelatin, milk, or egg products. Instead, they use potato starch, brown rice syrup, and cane sugar.
And since there are no animal ingredients involved, they are considered vegan.
There are some minor differences though. For example, sour Skittles do not contain artificial colors. The color comes from beet juice extract.
But you might want to check with your doctor first. Some people with certain medical conditions cannot consume foods containing gluten.
So even though Sour Skittles don’t contain dairy, eggs, or meat, they could potentially cause problems for those with celiac disease.
The ingredients list for Skittles Sour features the same amount of sugar, corn syrup, and citric acid, plus hydrogenated palm kernel oil and less than 2% of tapioca dextrin.
But it does include a different blend of artificial flavorings, including orange extract and grapefruit juice concentrate.
And while there are still some natural flavors listed, they are accompanied by synthetic flavoring chemicals like vanillin, ethyl maltol, and isoamyl acetate.
There is no mention of carnauba wax, but there is a note about “natural colors.”
Are Wild Berry Flavored Skittles Vegan?
Wildberry Skittles are now vegan-friendly. They used a plant-based sweetener called stevia instead of honey.
The candy giant announced via Twitter that the change was made because it wanted to make sure people could enjoy their treats without worrying about animal products.
While the candies aren’t certified vegan, they’re still good news for anyone looking to cut out dairy and eggs.
Are Tropical Skittles Vegan?
Tropical Skittles are vegan because they don’t contain gelatin, eggs, dairy, honey, or milk. They’re also gluten-free, GMO-free, kosher, soy-free, and sugar-free.
They say there’s nothing like sweet and sour candy, and we agree. We think you’ll love the tropical flavors too. And if you want to go even further, try the delicious Dark Side Skittles.
Tropical Skittles are vegan candy. They contain no gelatin, dairy products, honey, eggs, meat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, wheat, gluten, yeast, or preservatives.
What makes them special? Well, they taste like regular Skittles, but they’re actually made out of coconut oil and palm sugar.
The vegan candies come in three flavors: tropical fruit, dark chocolate, and minty lime. Each flavor contains 20 grams of carbohydrates per serving, 16 grams of protein, 13 grams of fiber, and 150 calories.
Are Dark Side Skittles Vegan?
The brand’s latest creation is called Darkside Skittles. They are vegan candy cane-flavored Skittles.
According to the product listing, the candies are made without gelatin, dairy, eggs, honey, or animal products of any sort. Instead, the treats use potato starch and tapioca flour.
The ingredients list includes a few surprises like xanthan gum, guar gum, and maltodextrin.
However, it does not include carrageenan, a common food additive used in many foods including ice cream, yogurt, and salad dressings.
Final Thoughts
The company says its products are made with natural ingredients and do not contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
However, we recommend checking the labels before buying these candies.
Some brands may be using other ingredients that aren’t listed on the label. If you have concerns, contact the manufacturer directly.
Hi, I’m Eve Mason and I’ve been a vegan since almost five years now.I can honestly say that veganism has changed my life for the better.The past few years I’ve been on a quest to find affordable vegan friendly food.Fortunately, meat-free alternatives have now become available in most supermarkets, which has made my life a lot easier.
I love cooking at home, but for those who don’t like cooking at all, there are more and more restaurants that offer vegan options as well nowadays.
I hope you enjoy my website and have fun preparing your own homemade vegan meals.
