At first glance, the tangy, sour candies called Sour Patch Kids may seem vegan. After all, the company boasts that they are one of the few gummy treats in the market that don’t contain gelatin (a common non-vegan ingredient made from cows and pigs). 

But before you take a bite of these little kids’ heads, are Sour Patch Kids vegan?

What is Sour Patch Kids?

The original Sour Patch Kids flavors include lime (green), lemon (yellow), orange (orange), and red raspberry (red). In 2014, the brand added blue raspberry (blue). They also released a Sour Patch watermelon, which comes in a watermelon shape. 

Aside from their original flavors, the brand released fun variants like Tricksters, wherein the color of the Sour Patch Kid doesn’t match its flavor; Fire, wherein there is a hint of heat in the aftertaste; and Chillers, wherein each bite would reward you with a fresh burst of menthol.

How Sour Patch Kids Are Made

Is It Vegan-Friendly?

The ingredients listed in Sour Patch Kids candy don’t seem to contain any non-vegan ingredients. The company lists sugar, citric acid, corn and glucose syrup, modified cornstarch, titanium dioxide, and natural flavors artificial flavors in its label. These are plant-based ingredients that do not directly harm, nor are they animal-derived ingredients. 

However, a few components in the ingredients list may be considered controversial ingredients. These ingredients may be plant-based but can be associated with animal cruelty.

Sour Patch Kids Controversial and Questionable Ingredients

While these are not entirely obvious animal ingredients, most vegans who wish to lead a purely vegan lifestyle may want to avoid these components that we will list down below. 

Natural and Artificial Flavors

If you look at the ingredient list, you’ll likely notice that Sour Patch Kids are made using “natural and artificial flavor.” These can come from either plants or animals, but it’s quite concerning how the brand doesn’t explicitly state the ingredients’ origins. 

Artificial colors like Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1 are made from petroleum. These colors undergo animal testing first to ensure no strange side effects like tumors show up, which can cause health issues. Although the animals don’t necessarily die from the procedure, these animals will be euthanized right after testing. 

Carmine or carminic acid are used to create the red dye usually found in most processed food products. They are made from crushed cochineal bugs and mixed in with water. These are also not considered vegan.

Sugar

In case you didn’t know, bone char comes from the charred bones of cattle. 

And while the animal bones are not technically added to the final product itself, it’s still worth avoiding them altogether if you’re trying to be 100 percent vegan.

Gelatin

A thorough look at the ingredients list would tell you that Sour Patch Kids candies don’t contain gelatin, a common non-vegan ingredient obtained from the skin, bones, ligament, and collagen of animals like cows and pigs. Gelatin is the ingredient responsible for making gummy treats bouncy, chewy, and rubbery. 

Sour Patch Kids uses agar, corn syrup, and modified corn starch instead to mimic the gooey texture, which is okay for a vegan implementing a plant-based lifestyle. 

The UK version of the Sour Patch Kids is made with almost the same ingredients as the US version, but it does contain gelatin.

Also Read: Swedish Fish – Is It Vegan?

Vegan Alternatives to Sour Patch Kids

Candy People

Candy People treats are made using only the natural flavors of fruit juice and ingredients. These are manufactured and produced in Sweden, are vegan friendly, gluten and gelatin-free, and non-GMO. The bold, bright colors of these treats come from turmeric and paprika extract. 

Haribo

Haribo’s Sour Rainbow Strips contain interesting yet non-controversial ingredients such as tartaric acid, sodium hydrogen, and copper complexes. They are, however, considered vegan. This brand also does not undergo any animal testing. 

YumEarth

YumEarth Organic Sour Beans may be small, but they pack quite the flavorful punch. They are gluten-free, vegan friendly, and are certified USDA organic. No artificial colors or flavors have also been added to this sour treat. 

SmartSweets

SmartSweets Treats are a great alternative to Sour Patch Kids if you want to go fully vegan. These gummy treats are made with non-GMO corn fiber, organic cane sugar and are made using plant-based recipes. Each bag contains only three grams of sugar and 100 calories, with no artificial flavors and sweeteners. 

Project 7

Strict vegans who are on a diet would enjoy Project 7, as each pack only has three grams of sugar with 60 calories. These sour gummies are both keto-approved and certified vegan. The recipe for making these gummy treats are plant-based. Aside from all these, the company supports seven non-profit organizations, hence their name. 

Why Some Vegans Still Eat Sour Patch Kids

It’s possible that many vegans do not realize that sugar is a potentially controversial product. After all, not many people know that sugar is filtered using bone char, and that’s okay. Because if you think about it, almost nothing is 100 percent vegan. 

For strict vegans, though, this is absolutely a no-no.

FAQs

In Summary

Although the brand does not infuse any ingredients derived from animals directly into the treats, they cannot be considered 100 percent vegan due to the methods used to produce some of the ingredients. However, if you want to lead a strict vegan diet and lifestyle, Sugar Patch Kids might not be the best option for a sweet treat. 

If you really think about it, nothing is 100 percent vegan. But now that you’re well informed, you can make better decisions that would eliminate harm to animals as much as you can.

Reference:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/halal-foods