Can Vegans Eat Airheads?

Airheads candy is currently available in the following varieties:

  • Airheads
  • Airheads bite
  • Airheads are soft-filled bites
  • Airheads Extremes
  • Airheads Extremes Bite
  • Airheads Extremes Sourfuls
  • Airheads are gummies
  • Airhead gum

So, are Airheads vegetarian? Unfortunately, most Airheads candy is not vegetarian, but many vegetarians can enjoy it Original Airheads and White Mystery Gum Without concern because they do not contain animal products.

Vegan flavors

Original Airheads bars come in .55-ounce sizes in the following flavors:

  • blue raspberry
  • cherry
  • grapes
  • green apple
  • orange
  • strawberry
  • watermelon
  • white mystery

The White Mystery Bar can be any of those flavors, but it’s white because they make it without food coloring. Airheads also sells a larger 1.5-ounce size in two flavor combinations: blue raspberry/cherry and strawberry/watermelon.

The main ingredient in real airheads is sugar. The bottom three ingredients are corn syrup, maltodextrin, and dextrose, which is another form of sugar. Other ingredients include corn starch, palm oil, artificial flavors and food colors.

Neither of these candies contain animal products, but they both contain refined sugar, which some strict vegetarians avoid. Original Airheads also contain palm oil, a controversial ingredient for many people.

sugar problem

Sugar does not contain animal products, so it is vegetarian in that sense of the word. But many sugar producing companies use bone char to whiten the product.

Bone char is a black, charcoal-like substance produced from burning animal bones. Sugar does not contain any bone char, but many strict vegetarians will not eat it.

Other vegans and animal advocates, even Proponents of humane treatment of animals (PETA), consider airheads vegan, though sugar probably isn’t.

So, are airheads vegan if they have sugar made from bone char? Technically, yes, although each person has to decide whether to accept them based on their comfort level.

How to find vegan sugar

Depending on the country you live in, the white sugar in your pantry doesn’t contain animal products but has probably touched bone marrow. Check your sugar for one Vegan label Or ask the manufacturer about the filtering process.

Alternatively, you can choose other sugar substitutes, such as:

  • bit of sugar
  • raw sugar
  • coconut sugar

Sugar cannot be certified organic if the company uses bone char. So, look for the organic label when shopping for sweet ingredients.

The problem with palm oil

The palm oil industry contributes to deforestation and animal loss by devastatingly clearing trees and wildlife. This deforestation, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, is like an endangered species Orangutan.

Many vegans reject products with palm oil because its production harms animals and the environment. Some products contain Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO), which is produced by organizations working to stop deforestation and reduce damage.

Airheads palm oil is not CSPO palm oil, so many strict vegetarians avoid the candy.

Airheads gum

Airheads gum comes in four flavors:

  • white mystery
  • blue raspberry
  • cherry
  • watermelon

Only the White Mystery flavor is vegan-friendly. It contains no animal products and is also free of sugar and palm oil. Other flavors are vegetarian or even non-vegetarian.

Airheads Lollipop

As of 2022, AirHeads no longer manufactures their lollipops, but they are still available for sale in some stores. Sugar is the only ingredient that may prevent some vegetarians from enjoying them. Apart from those ingredients, they are free of animal products.

Non-vegan flavors

Besides the original bars and White Mystery Gum, other Airheads candies contain one or more animal-based products.

Airheads Extremes

Airheads Extremes, also called Airheads Extremes Belt, comes in one variety: Rainbow Berry.

Unfortunately, there is an ingredient list Glycerin, which can come from plant-based and animal-based fats. Since it doesn’t say vegetable glycerin, it could come from animal sources, making this candy unsuitable for vegetarians.

Airheads bite

Airheads Bites come in real fruit and white mystery flavors. Neither flavor is suitable for vegetarians, although some vegetarians may find the ingredients acceptable.

This candy contains beeswax. Airheads bites are also included shellacThe secretions of female lac bugs are used in some foods to make them shiny.

Airheads are soft-filled bites

This candy only comes in real fruit flavors and is not vegetarian as it contains gelatin.

to create Gelatin, manufacturers boil the bones, skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage of slaughtered animals to remove the collagen. So, gelatin is neither vegetarian nor vegan.

Airheads Extremes Bite

Airheads Extremes Bites look just like Airheads Extremes because they are bite-sized pieces of the rainbow colored belt that is Extremes.

These bite-sized candies do not contain the glycerin found in the original Airheads Extremes Belt.

Unfortunately, there is candy CarmineA food coloring produced by boiling and grinding cochineal beetles.

Airheads Extremes Sourfuls

AirHeads Xtremes Sourfuls come in Rainbow Berry flavor. This product contains glycerol, which, like glycerin, may be animal-based. It also contains gelatin, so it is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

Airheads are gummies

Airhead gummies come in bags of mixed flavors. Gummy candy contains wax and gelatin.

Airheads gum

White Mystery Flavor is the only Airheads gum suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The other three flavors use carmine as a dye.

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