General Mills, a well-known American multinational corporation, announced in 2015 that it would remove artificial colors and flavors from all of its products with fruity flavors. Ingredients such as gelatin and fiber were also removed.
By 2017, they announced that 20% of their fruit-flavored products were free of these ingredients. This was welcomed news by all, as General Mills is responsible for the production of Fruit Gushers, one of North America’s most popular fruity snacks.
Fruit Gushers are a type of fruity sweet candy filled with a viscous liquid and full of flavor that has become extremely popular since its introduction to the market in 1991.
Because it is so popular and widely consumed, those who do not consume food of animal origin were relieved to learn that these animal-derived ingredients were no longer present in their favorite candy.
Is this true? Is there anything to be afraid of when you put a Fruit Gasher in your mouth? If you’re still wondering whether it’s safe for vegans, here’s everything you need to know about these juicy and appealing fruity sweets.
Fruit Gushers Ingredients
What exactly do they contain? These ingredients have been taken from Fruit Gushers Mini Size Strawberry Splash boxes:
Sugar
Dried corn syrup
Modified corn starch
Pear puree concentrate
Corn syrup
Fructose
Palm oil
Maltodextrin
Contains 2% or Less of: Natural Flavor, Glycerin, Cottonseed Oil, Carrageenan, Sodium Citrate, grape juice concentrate, Xanthan gum, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Citric Acid, Monoglycerides, Malic Acid, Red 40, Potassium Citrate, Agar-Agar.
The final verdict is that Fruit Gushers do not contain any animal-derived ingredients and can be considered a vegan snack. But is that all there is to it, or is there something else we should know?
Taking a Closer Look
There are numerous reasons why people have become more interested in vegetarianism and veganism in recent years. It is clear that there is an increase in the number of people who are concerned about what they eat.
You only need to go to a supermarket to see the variety of animal-free products available.
However, rest assured that food companies are not interested in your lifestyle, health, or ideals; what they have always wanted is to do is sell, and if they have to adapt to your new eating habits, they will. But be careful because there are small letters in the contract that could put you in check.
Before we get to the question of whether gushers are vegan or not, we must carefully examine some of their ingredients, which are still being debated and are quite questionable for health, sustainability, and the idea and purpose of following a vegan diet.
Sugars
Fruit Gushers contain sugar, corn syrup, and dried corn syrup. Apart from the fact that high-sugar foods are always bad for your health and should be consumed in moderation, we can’t help but notice that these delicious candies contain refined sugar.
Refined sugar is frequently whitened with bone char. This ingredient, derived from cattle bones, aids in the bleaching of sugar. It’s impossible to tell if Fruit Gushers use bone char because they don’t have a vegan seal.
If you are vegan but consume refined sugar in your daily life, then go ahead and enjoy Fruit Gushers, but we know that this information may be controversial for some vegans who strive to avoid all food of animal origin.
Natural Flavors
Castoreum is used in some foods with natural flavors. Previously, castoreum was a widely used medicinal substance. It was forgotten over time, but its utility was discovered in the perfume and food industries.
Castoreum is derived from the anal gland secretion and urine of the beaver. It is used to groom the animal’s fur, but in the food industry, it is used as a flavor enhancer in ice cream or vanilla and raspberry flavored products. Fruit Gushers have raspberry flavoring, so they may use this ingredient, but this cannot be confirmed.
Artificial Coloring
Eating colorful foods can be appealing, but you must be aware of what you are putting in your mouth. The following dyes are the most dangerous to one’s health: red 40, blue 1, yellow 5, yellow 6, and caramel coloring.
Fruit Gushers contain red 40, as we saw previously in the ingredient section, even though the recipe is only for the strawberry-flavored product, but there are many more flavors and they likely contain several of these artificial colorants.
Red 40 is a common dye in the food chemical industry. It can be found in a multitude of strawberry-flavored products, including soft drinks, candies, chewing gum, and syrups.
While the true extent of the harm it can do to our health is unknown, studies suggest that we avoid it in our diet. They have been linked to tumors in mice as well as hyperactivity and hypersensitivity in children.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a product found in a wide variety of processed foods. Its consumption is not advised because it contains 70% saturated fat, which is harmful to health, particularly the cardiovascular system.
However, the problem is not only that it is harmful to our health, but because of its high demand, massive plantations are created, deforesting and displacing countless animal species that are unable to adapt to changes in their environment. This is a major issue if you are vegan for idealistic reasons rather than for health reasons.
For many people, veganism is a way of life and a set of beliefs that oppose the use of animals for any type of human consumption. As a result, all of the ingredients that contain palm oil may pose a significant problem for vegans.
Final Thoughts
Fruit Gushers are technically a vegan food but contain ingredients that are not only harmful to health but also contradict the fundamental ideas of veganism.
Being a vegan is a significant step in people’s lives; it is an effort to be aware of the products you consume.
Whether for health, the environment, altruism, or spirituality, it represents a significant change and a sign of trying to improve in your daily life. Any desire to improve some aspect of our lives should be welcomed and celebrated.
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