Launched in 1984, and as Wrigley’s first sugar-free product, Extra Gum is one of the most popular gum choices in the United States, paving the way for a new wave of sugar-free gums by competitor brands.
It was also the first to make drop saccharin from its recipe, as the company instead opted to use NutraSweet, which was considered by many to be safer for humans and lab animals. In 1997, its formula underwent a massive change as Aspartame was added.
Extra was also one of the first chewing gums to receive certification by the ASDA (American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance).
However, many people ask the question, is Extra Gum vegan? To find out, keep reading below!
Before We Start
It is worth noting that there are a few ingredients included that to some vegans might be considered controversial, which in this case, we’re going to assume to be vegan.
However, should any of these ingredients appear in any ingredients list, then of course we will highlight them.
Sugar
Sugar is the main ingredient in most candies, but is controversial because refined sugar cane is often processed alongside bone char, and although there are no bone char particles ever actually present in the sugar, many vegans still consider it to be non-vegan due to the process in which it is made.
If you’re someone who wants to steer clear of non-vegan sugar products, then you’re best off avoiding all of the products we discuss below.
Flavorings
Whilst flavorings can come from either animal or plant-based sources, it’s worth noting that most of the natural flavorings that candy contains are plant-based, and will be highlighted if they’re sourced from animals.
Food Colors
Another controversial ingredient amongst the vegan community is colors, especially because some colors are tested on animals, but unless the color itself has originated from an animal (e.g. Carmine), then we assume it’s vegan.
Extra Gum
When it comes to looking at whether or not Extra Gum is vegan, the first thing we should do is make note of the ingredients that can be found within Extra Gum:
Extra Gum’s Ingredients
Gum Base, Sorbitol, Glycerol, both Natural and Artificial Flavorings, as well as less than 2% of Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Mannitol, Soy Lecithin, Colors, and BHT (Which is used to maintain freshness).
So, Is Extra Gum Vegan?
Previously, PETA reported that some of the most common ingredients in gum were stearic acid, gelatin, and glycerin, all of which would mean that a piece of gum with these ingredients would not be considered vegan.
However, all of these non-vegan ingredients were actually removed from the formula for Extra Gum back in 2019, which means that the good news is that Extra Gum is vegan!
What’s even better is that it’s not just the basic Extra Gum that has had these flavors removed, in fact, all of the flavor variations of Extra Gum have had these ingredients removed, so they’re all vegan.
Here’s a list of the Extra Gum Flavors that are currently verified as safe for Vegans:
Extra Gum – Berry Burst
Extra Gum – Cinnamon
Extra Gum – Classic Bubble
Extra Gum – Mint Choc Chip
Extra Gum – Peppermint
Extra Gum – Polar Ice
Extra Gum – Smooth Mint
Extra Gum – Spearmint
Extra Gum – Sweet Watermelon
Extra Gum – Winterfresh
Also verified as vegan is Extra Gum’s Refreshers, including these flavors:
Extra Gum Refreshers – Polar Ice
Extra Gum Refreshers – Spearmint
Extra Gum Refreshers – Tropical Mist
Extra Chewy Mints
Sometimes, however, some people do ask, are Extra Chewy Mints also vegan, let’s look at the ingredients, shall we?
Extra Chewy Mints Ingredients
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil; Less than 2% of: Artificial and Natural Flavors, Tapioca Dextrin, Modified Corn Starch, Carnauba Wax, and Color.
Are Extra Chewy Mints Vegan?
As they feature pretty much the exact same ingredients found in Extra Gum’s recipe, which is verified to be vegan, then we’re going to go ahead and say that yes, Extra Chewy Mints are in fact vegan!
So, whether you want to pick up some of the Peppermint or the Polar Ice flavors, you can do so without having to worry about whether or not they’re vegan.
Conclusion
So, whilst many different sources will claim that Extra Gum still has gelatin in their recipe, this truly isn’t the case, as gelatin was removed from the gum’s formula in 2019.
Which means that they’re now entirely safe for vegans to consume! So the next time you see a packet of Extra Gum, you can chew with no concerns!
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