There are a lot of foods that, at first glance, appear to be vegan. Chewing gum is one of these. It isn’t made with any obvious animal-based ingredients like meat, eggs, or milk, but all vegans know that non-vegan ingredients in processed foods can be sneaky.
So is chewing gum vegan? As a registered dietitian, I’ll explain which ingredients vegans will want to avoid. Keep reading to the end — I also provide my top picks for healthy vegan chewing gums!
*This post is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links.
Is gum vegan?
Chewing gum is made with a variety of ingredients that can differ significantly based on the brand, flavor, and type of gum. Some chewing gums are made with 100% plant-based, vegan ingredients, while others contain animal-based ingredients that vegans will want to avoid.
The best way to be sure that chewing gum is vegan is to choose one that’s certified vegan. You can also check with the brand or manufacturer. In my experience, however, companies don’t always have detailed information on the source of their ingredients, so this may or may not be helpful.
Non-vegan ingredients in chewing gum
Some chewing gums contain ingredients that are clearly derived from animals. Other ingredients may or may not be sourced from animals, and this isn’t always clearly labeled.
Non-vegan ingredients and potentially non-vegan ingredients commonly found in chewing gum include:
- Beeswax – Produced by honey bees as a component of honeycombs. It helps bind ingredients together and makes gum chewier.
- Carmine – A natural red dye obtained from cochineal beetles.
- Gelatin – Made from the collagen found in animal skin, bones, muscle, and cartilage.
- Glycerin/Glycerol – A fatty substance that can be obtained from animal or vegetable sources. If not clearly labeled as vegetable glycerin, glycerin could very likely be produced from animal fats.
- Sugar – Conventional, non-organic cane sugar is often processed with animal bone char in the United States, making it non-vegan.
- Stearic acid – A saturated fatty acid derived from plant or animal sources.
- Gum base – This is a vague term used in almost all mainstream gum brands. It’s a proprietary term, meaning that companies don’t have to disclose every ingredient used in their gum base. While it appears that many typically animal-based ingredients have been replaced by synthetic or plant-based alternatives, it’s very possible that “gum base” could include lanolin from sheep’s wool, glycerol esters, or stearic acid. These are all FDA-approved chewing gum base ingredients.
Popular brands: vegan or not?
Is Trident gum vegan?
According to their FAQ, Trident makes no claim either way. Unfortunately, they leave you to analyze the ingredients yourself.
The ingredients in Trident gum are:
SORBITOL, GUM BASE, XYLITOL, GLYCERIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR; LESS THAN 2% OF: ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, ASPARTAME, BHT (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS), MANNITOL, SOY LECITHIN, SUCRALOSE.
Because Trident uses the vague term “gum base”, their chewing gum could potentially include non-vegan ingredients.
Is Orbit gum vegan?
Again, it isn’t clear whether Orbit gum is vegan or not. It contains “gum base” and glycerol, both of which could be sourced from animals.
Is Extra gum vegan?
The ingredients in Extra gum are similar to those in Orbit, including “gum base” and glycerol which could both be produced from non-vegan sources. Unfortunately, the sources of these ingredients aren’t available on the product package or on the Orbit website.
Is Hubba Bubba vegan?
Hubba Bubba has three ingredients that may not be vegan-friendly: sugar, gum base, and glycerol.
As discussed earlier, non-organic, conventional sugar is usually filtered through animal bone char, making it inappropriate for vegans.
Is Mentos gum vegan?
Mentos gum contains gum base, glycerol, and sucrose esters of fatty acids, all of which could be sourced from animals. Mentos doesn’t clarify how these ingredients are sourced, so it isn’t clear whether Mentos gum is vegan or not.
7 healthy vegan chewing gum brands
Fortunately, there are plenty of chewing gum brands that cater to vegans! As a dietitian, I’ve listed 7 of my favorite vegan gum options that also happen to have higher-quality ingredients than most mainstream brands.
1. Simply Gum
Simply Gum is certified vegan and non-GMO. It’s made with organic cane sugar, which isn’t processed with animal bone char, as well as vegetable-based glycerin. They use a natural chicle gum base free from lanolin, beeswax, or other animal-derived ingredients.
2. Refresh Plant-Based Gum
Refresh Plant-Based Gum is sweetened with sugar-free stevia and comes in Raspberry, Garden Mint, and Peppermint. It also includes a natural chicle gum base, in addition to coconut glycerin and fruit and vegetable juice-based colors.
3. Pur Gum
Pur Gum is made with a gum base which would typically be questionable, but this product is certified vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
One caveat is that it’s sweetened with xylitol, a sugar alcohol that’s safe to consume but which some people may not tolerate very well.
4. Happy Ppl Chewing Gum
Happy Ppl Chewing Gum is also certified vegan, meaning that its glycerol is vegetable-based. Like other options on this list, its chewing gum is made with chicle, a natural plant-based gum obtained from the sapodilla tree.
Another bonus? It comes in a delicious cinnamon flavor!
5. Happy Eco Natural Chewing Gum
Happy Eco Natural Chewing Gum is another solid vegan, GMO-free option for gum lovers. It’s available in Wintergreen, Mixed Berries, Spearmint, and Assorted Mint flavors sweetened with xylitol and doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients.
6. GUM’N REAL
GUM’N REAL is sugar-free, gluten-free, and 100% plant-based based, sweetened with a blend of xylitol and stevia. It’s available in a variety of nice flavors including Bubble Gum, Lemon, Cinnamon, Peppermint, and Spearmint.
7. Joyride Gum
Joyride Gum is a vegan, non-GMO chewing gum made with American-grown peppermint. Like other options on this list, it’s sweetened with xylitol and stevia. Instead of artificial food colors, it’s dyed with spirulina and turmeric.
The scientific information in this article was accurate at the time of publishing but may change over time as new research becomes available.
