Are there any vegan chewing gum?

There are many sweets on the market that catch our attention, but one of the most popular is chewing gum. However, when making the decision to live a vegan lifestyle, this can pose some challenges, which make this activity a little more difficult. But not impossible.

Most chewing gum may contain ingredients of animal origin, which is hard to believe at first because you don’t usually associate this treat with someone. However, the reality is that in our daily life we are exposed to use elements that we do not know come from other species.

The case of chewing gum is very particular, since several brands can be found that turn out to be plant-based by accident. This is due to the ambiguity of its basic ingredients.

These ingredients are:

Gum base
Glycerin
Natural flavor
Artificial colorants

Especially the first three, which share their origins in both the animal and vegetable kingdom, the only way to check their sources is to ask directly to the companies that manufacture them.

In the case of artificial colorants, in theory they should be synthetic, but sometimes they may contain a chemical that comes from animal exploitation. Such is the case of colorants E120, E120i, E120ii, which come from the process of crushing insects known as cochineals.

To have a simple way to know which ones are definitely not suitable for vegans, you should stay away from ingredients that are definitely derived from animals:

Gelatin
E120, E120i, E120ii
Stearic acid

Although the latter can be of vegetable origin as well, the custom is that it comes from animals. It is a saturated fatty acid, which is manufactured by subjecting animal fats to high temperatures and pressure, also by hydrogenation of vegetable oils. It allows insoluble substances to mix in certain proportions. It is very valuable for the food industry as there is no danger of humans consuming it.

Another solution could be to find a brand of chewing gum that is vegan by accident, although it is better to turn to brands that are intentionally vegan. One drawback is that these brands often don’t have similar textures and the flavors don’t last as long as traditional ones.

Still, there are several brands of vegan gum, most of which are easy to find on the market. The first four included at the top of this list are available online:

Simply Gum

Xylichew

Tree Hugger

Pür

Five

Orbit

Doublemint

X time mint flavor

Hubba Bubba – Bubble tape

Ice Cubes (those without gelatin)

Xylichew has a significant xylitol content. Xylitol is a component that helps whiten teeth, for some people this can be annoying or an excess of chemicals, if they don’t have a problem with this, the brand can be an excellent choice. It is completely safe for vegans.

Some brands that were once considered suitable for vegans are actually not. Such is the case of Trident, who often include gelatin and their bases are not suitable at all.

It is important to always research the products we are going to consume. The essential thing is to stop contributing with so much mistreatment and abuse towards other species, even when it is something as small and inert as a chewing gum.