The classic tums, which come in flavours such as flavoured fruit and mint, are typically considered vegan. It is composed of sucrose and calcium carbonate and a few inactive components.
Tums can be found on the shelves of most grocery shops. It is a medication mostly used to treat upset stomachs or heartburn. So, can you eat them as a vegan when suffering from heartburn or indigestion? Yes, you can. However, there are other flavours to consider, and calcium carbonate may be a problem.
So, let’s take a closer look at how Tums are regarded as vegan and which variants aren’t and their health implications.
What Are Tums?
Tums is an antacid that relieves the symptoms of heartburn, digestive problems, acid indigestion, and stomach cramps. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in Tums.
On contact, Tums begins to balance the heartburn-causing acid in your oesophagus and stomach, providing immediate relief.
Tums’ Ingredients
Tums contains:
table sugar or sucrose,
calcium carbonate,
natural and artificial flavours,
organic acids,
mineral oils,
and vegan food colourants.
The active ingredient in Tums is calcium carbonate, but is it harmful? It quickly neutralises the acidity in the stomach, which can induce heartburn and stomach discomfort.
It can be found in limestone, chalk, travertine, marble, and other rocks having high quantities of the compound. Other sources of calcium carbonate may render a vegan-friendly food inedible. Tums would be non-vegan if they contained oyster shells, eggshells, or snail shells.
On the other hand, calcium carbonate is not as frowned upon as other possible non-plant-derived substances. The majority of businesses rely on natural resources.
Calcium carbonate isn’t listed on PETA’s list of animal-derived ingredients, which is frequently updated.
Tums use calcium carbonate that has been manufactured from pure limestone to ensure its purity. Fortunately, this makes it vegan.
Vegan Tums Option
Tums Regular Strength
This is the most well-known and widely used Tums product. They’re the go-to solution for anyone suffering from the side effects of too much acidity.
The ingredients list for the numerous fruit flavours and peppermint consists of active calcium carbonate and other inactive vegan ingredients in the various fruit versions, resulting in no issues for anyone following a plant-based diet with this version.
Sugar-Free Tums
Tums Sugar-Free is nearly comparable to regular-strength Tums (except for sugar). One component in the Melon Berry variation will raise a few vegan eyebrows:
Calcium stearate.
Stearate, also known as static acid, is generated from triglycerides and can come from plant or animal sources. It’s not the most contentious item, and many people will skip over it when reading the ingredients list.
It’s a key element of cocoa butter and shea butter, but determining where a brand gets it comes from might be challenging.
This ingredient should be avoided by anyone who wants to be extra careful, but it is generally OK.
Tums Smoothies
Tums Smoothies come in the same fruit, peppermint, and cheerful berry flavours as the previous two variants.
Expect starch sources like cornstarch and dextrose, along with vegetable gums like microcrystalline cellulose and guar, sucrose, stearate, and sorbitol, in every one of their component profiles.
Although the inclusion of stearate may deter some vegans, they are generally suitable for vegan consumption.
Side Effects
Constipation, indigestion, and burping are all possible side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of these side effects persist or worsen.
If your doctor has prescribed this drug, keep in mind that your doctor has determined that your benefit outweighs the risk of adverse effects. The majority of people who take this medicine do not have any substantial adverse effects.
If you have any of the following unlikely but dangerous adverse effects: lack of appetite, nausea, extreme weight loss, bone/muscle pain, mental/mood problems (such as disorientation), migraine, increased thirst/urination, unusual weakness/tiredness, please contact your doctor right once.
If any of the following rare but serious side effects develop, contact your doctor immediately: symptoms of kidney disease (for instance, the change in the amount of urine).
This medicine seldom causes a severe allergic reaction. However, if you observe any indications of a significant allergic reaction, seek medical help right once.
FAQS
Is bismuth present in Tums?
Pepto-Bismol is most commonly available as an oral liquid. It is available in both conventional and chewable tablet form. While most Pepto-Bismol formulations contain bismuth subsalicylate, Children’s Pepto-Bismol frequently contains calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is sold under the brand name Tums.
Can vegans consume Tums?
Animal by-products are not present in TUMS antacids.
Can I take Lactaid and Tums at the same time?
Lactose intolerance can be treated with lactose-free dairy products or Lactaid pills. After taking your acid reflux medicine, you should take a chewable antacid at least half an hour later.
Is Tums a dairy-free product?
There’s no dairy in any of the varieties we’ve looked at. One Tums type, however, does, and it’s the Chewy Delights series. The three flavours available are Very Cherry, Orange Rush, and Smooth Peppermint.
They’re all drinking nonfat milk. They are not vegan due to the terrible treatment of dairy cows. Cows are regularly taken from their one-day-old calves. The strain of dairy farming can cause illness and a malfunctioning reproductive system, rendering the cows unproductive and causing them to be slaughtered.
Are Tums gluten-free?
Even though gluten is not utilised as a filler in TUMS antacid tablets, there may be trace amounts of gluten in the pills due to third-party components.
Final Thoughts
Antacids work by neutralising the acid that your stomach produces. This could make you feel more relaxed. This can aid in recovering your stomach and oesophagus, and Tums is a good choice.
Not all Tums, however, are suitable for a plant-based diet. However, there are options for addressing heartburn and discomfort caused by acidity. Avoid the animal-derived varieties and follow the sugar-free, normal strength, and smoothies options to stay vegan.
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
