Are Welch’s Fruit Snacks Vegan? | Do Welch’s Fruit Snacks Have Gelatin?
Have you ever had a childhood memory that was so vivid, so unforgettable, that it still makes you feel like you’re 5 years old? For some of us, that’s the smell of a fruit snack. It’s bean berry, lemonade pop, bubble gum, cotton candy, or something else that used to be so fresh, sweet-smelling, and fun—and it’s still around today because we can’t stop eating those snacks.
I remember getting those bright little bags of “fruit” snacks when I was a kid. They were so vibrant! And the colors! The combinations! There were all these options to choose from—brown sugar raisins, orange juice, grape jelly, etc. They all tasted different, but they all made me feel like I’d eaten all this amazing food.
And who doesn’t remember the classic favorite “Welch’s Fruit Snacks”? Well, if you’re wondering whether Welch’s Fruit Snacks are vegan or not (and if they are), then here’s what you need to know.
Welch’s – Brand Overview
Welch’s Fruit Snacks are a brand that has been around for decades and continues to be one of the most popular brands of fruit snacks in America.
Welch’s Fruit Snacks have long been known for their quality and taste, which is why they’ve become so successful.
The company has a strong history of innovation, including its original brand name (Welch’s Lemonade) and its unique lemon-flavored fruit snacks.
Since then, Welch’s Fruit Snacks have continued to innovate and improve its products, including new flavors like blueberry and cherry. They also offer various fruit snacks depending on what type of fruit you want to eat—for example, strawberry or orange.
Ingredients In Welch’s Fruit Snacks
Welch’s Fruit Snacks are a great pick-me-up for anyone who needs to get their fruit fixed. Let’s look at the Ingredient list for Welch’s Fruit Snacks. They’re made from all-natural fruits, including grape juice, peach juice, orange juice, strawberry juice, raspberry juice, and more!
This is combined with corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, and citric acid. Welch’s adds a unique twist by adding lactic acid and lactic acid salts to the mix so that you can enjoy a fruit snack that tastes like fruit!
Welch also adds vitamin A palmitate (vitamin A), which is excellent for the immune system and eyesight! They also have vitamin C as an antioxidant to help your body fight illness. They also have alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), which helps keep your skin healthy and strong so that you can look your best at all times! Welch’s uses coconut oil in their snacks because they know how important it is for keeping people feeling good inside and out!
Carnauba wax keeps these snacks looking bright red, so they stay fresh longer than other snacks on the market today! Finally, Annatto (color), turmeric (color), red 40 (check vegan status of Red 40), and blue 1. These five ingredients can all be found in any variation: gelatin, natural and artificial tastes, artificial colors, and refined sugar.
A Better Look At Questionable Ingredients
1. Sugar
Sugar is one of the most controversial ingredients in Welch’s fruit snacks. You might wonder why and whether avoiding it’s worth the hassle. A common ingredient in Welch’s fruit snacks is sugar, which comes from refined cane or beet sugar.
In some cases, bone char (also known as animal bone) is used to refine the sugar before it gets into our hands. Because bone char is produced by burning animal bones at high temperatures, it is an animal product. Although bone char is used to refine sugar, some firms use it to refine sugar before it reaches our hands.
This indicates that the final product of this component may be contaminated with bone char, rendering it unsuitable for vegans to ingest. Some companies try to reduce the amount of bone char they use by using other methods like irradiation or chemical precipitation instead of burning bones at high temperatures—but these processes use chemicals and heat that aren’t vegan-friendly either!
2. Gelatin
The gelatin in Welch’s fruit snacks comes from animal sources; hence it is not vegan. While gelatin is a common food additive, it’s not vegan because it’s derived from animal sources. In water, gelatin is made by boiling collagen—a protein found in connective tissue and bone.
While some types of collagen can be obtained from animals that have died naturally or through hunting, most gelatin is made using the collagen of pigs and cows. Using gelatin to thicken food originated in the 19th century when it was used to make puddings and jellies.
It’s typically a thickening agent and is used in my snacks like lucky charms, jelly beans, skittles, salt water taffy which make these snacks not suitable for vegans
3. Artificial Colors
Welch’s fruit snacks are a classic summer treat, but they may not be what you’d call a healthy snack. The company’s products contain artificial colors and flavors linked to animal cancer and other health problems, including seizures and learning disabilities in children. Welch’s is also one of the few companies still using preservative sulfites, which can cause allergic reactions.
Are Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snacks Vegan?
If you’re looking for a fruit snack that’s not only delicious but also healthy and vegan, Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snacks are for you. Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snacks are made with natural fruit and packed with vitamins, so they’re an ideal snack option for anyone watching their diet. They include flavors like strawberry, raspberry, peach, orange, and grape.
The ingredients are as follows:
- Fruit purée (strawberry, raspberry, peach, orange, and grape)
- Gelatin
- Corn syrup
- Sugar
- Modified cornstarch
- Citric acid
- Lactic acid
- Natural flavors
- Ascorbic acid
- Alpha-tocopherol acetate
- Vitamin A palmitate
- Sodium citrate
- Coconut oil
- Carnauba wax
- Annatto
- Turmeric
- Fruit and vegetable juice
The company sells a variety of flavors, and many of them contain ingredients that can cause problems for vegans and vegetarians. The company lists the following ingredients in its Superfruit-flavored snacks: Sugar, Gelatin, Natural Flavors, and Colors. Vegans avoid all animal products. Therefore, Welch’s Superfruit-flavored snacks are not vegan.
Are Welch’s Reduced Sugar Berries N’ Cherries Snack Vegan?
For those who are looking for a way to keep their kids healthy and happy, Welch’s has got you covered. Their Berries N Cherries fruit snacks are vegan and contain less sugar than most others on the market.
That said, these fruit snacks do contain some ingredients that aren’t vegan-friendly, like Sugar, gelatin, artificial colors, and flavors.
Its ingredients are:
- Fruit purée (including strawberry, peach, pear, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, and blueberry)
- Corn syrup
- Chicory root extract
- Sugar
- Modified cornstarch
- Gelatin
- Citric acid
- Lactic acid
- Ascorbic acid
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Alpha-tocopherol acetate
- Vitamin A palmitate
- Sodium citrate
- Coconut oil
- Carnauba wax
- Annatto
- Turmeric
- Fruit and vegetable juice
Conclusion
Welch’s fruit snacks have been one of the favorite staple of our childhoods, and we all know that their fruit-flavored goodness is a treat we all deserve. Welch’s snacks contain ingredients that should be avoided by strict plant-based eaters—namely sugar, gelatin, artificial colors, and flavors.
This does not mean that you should be deprived of your favorite sweet treat. Well there are vegan candies that you can munch on such as laffy taffy, sour punch straws, dum dums, air heads, sour patch kids . But remember to have them in limited quantities as over eating them can cause health issues.
