When it comes to vegan candy and sweets the options can be really vague because of the lack of knowledge about the ingredients. Reading the product’s label, everything just fades away and I start to wonder if “is this even English?”. Life Savers are not an exception to this rule. So, what are Life Savers, and, more important, are they vegan or not?
Life Savers come in a wide assortment of artificial fruit flavors, as well as other classic candy flavors, like Spear-O-Mint and Butter Rum. Life Savers used to just be hard candy, but these days they also come in a variety of mints and gummy candies. Some of these flavors and varieties are vegan, while others are not.
The candy’s name is due to the fact that its shape resembles that of a traditional ring-style life preserver also known as a “lifesaver”. Along with this article we seek to answer the question, “Are Lifesavers Vegan?” After all, it would be ironic for a brand called “Lifesavers” to harm the lives of animals.
What does Wrigley Say About Life Savers?
Mars Wrigley is the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate, chewing gum, mints, and fruity confections, and they own giant brands like M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, ORBIT®, EXTRA®, and, Skittles®. These sweets and many more, including Life Savers®, are enjoyed in more than 180 countries.
However, in June 2005, Wrigley added the Altoids®, Life Savers®, Creme Savers® and Sugus® brands to its expanding portfolio of confectionery products.
Here’s what Wrigley – the parent company of Life Savers – told us when we asked them about animal ingredients in Life Savers:
Dairy is used in our Creme Savers® to give the candy that delicious creamy taste.
Our Life Savers® Spear O Mint®, Pep-O-Mint® and Wint-O-Green® sugar mints also contain stearic acid, which is an animal-based ingredient.
So, Life Savers – hard candies are vegan. Sugar-free Life Savers are also vegan. Life Savers gummies and mints are not vegan because they contain (check out if is gelatin vegan? )and/or stearic acid from animal-based sources.
Are Life Savers’ Ingredients Vegan?
There are too many flavors and varieties of Life Savers to list all the ingredients for them here. If you would like to look up the ingredients for a specific flavor, you can do so on the Wrigley website.
Unfortunately, none of the Lifesavers Gummies flavors are vegan. Why? Because all of these varieties contain Gelatin which “is a protein procured by boiling animal skin, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and/or bones in water. It’s usually obtained from cows, pigs, or fish” according to Peta.
Final “Vegan” Thoughts
Finally, we all know for sure which Lifesavers are 100% vegan and which ones are not so animal friendly. I know how important is for many of you to be aware of this detail when purchasing candy and other sweets. Back in my vegan days, it was really confusing for me too. Especially, because food brands are not so specific when it comes to admitting if their products are vegan or not. The list of ingredients contains tons of scientific and unknown terms for someone like me.
However, those days I would love these kinds of articles that explain to me, “in English” if a product I love is vegan or not. That is why I started to write about popular brands and their vegan possibilities.
Last but not least, do not hesitate to ask anything about this topic in the comments section. Moreover, want to know what other candies are vegan? Check out our Is It Vegan? category.
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