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Are Fruit Roll-Ups Vegan? Find Out Here!

Are Fruit Roll-Ups Vegan? Find Out Here!

Are Fruit Roll-Ups Vegan?

Fruit roll-ups are delicious snacks made from dried fruits rolled up inside a paper wrapper. These tasty treats are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime in between. However, not everyone knows if fruit roll-ups are vegan.

Are Fruit Roll-Ups Vegan?

Fruit Roll-Ups are vegan from a dietary standpoint! They are prepared with REAL fruit and don’t include any visible animal components like gelatin or dairy. Fruit Roll-Ups do, however, include white sugar and palm oil, two ingredients that moral vegans typically steer clear of.

The popular Fruit snack contains ascorbic acid, fruit pectin, monoglycerides, malic acid, dextrose, citric acid, sodium citrate, acetylated monoglycerides, natural flavor, and color in amounts of 2% or less (red 40, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1).

Veganism is a lifestyle choice where individuals avoid eating meat, dairy products, eggs, honey, gelatin, and any obvious animal products. Some vegan lifestyles may include eating fish, poultry, and insects, but most only consume plant foods.

The idea that bone char may be used in the manufacturing process even if it won’t be consumed will worry many vegans.

Ingredients Used In Fruit Roll-Ups

Sugar

Sugar

Fruit roll-ups blastin’, Fruit roll-ups mini, Fruit roll-ups jolly rancher, and fruit-roll-ups strawberry sensation are delicious snacks that are great for breakfast or lunch. However, most fruit roll-ups contain sugar. Sugar is added to sweeten the taste of the fruit snacks,  making them easier to eat. Unfortunately, sugar isn’t healthy for anyone.

There are two types of sugar: natural sugars and artificial sugars. Natural sugars come from fruits and vegetables. Artificial sugars are made using chemicals.

Both types of sugar cause weight gain, tooth decay, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, and other health problems.

To avoid adding unnecessary sugar to your diet, try eating fresh fruit instead of buying fruit roll-ups. You’ll still enjoy the same flavor without any extra calories.

Natural Flavors

Natural Flavors

Other common artificial flavorings include MSG, monosodium glutamate, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein. MSG is used to give foods a savory taste.

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is made from soybeans and corn. Both of these ingredients are safe for consumption, but they can cause headaches and migraines if eaten frequently.

Food Coloring Agents

Food Coloring Agents

Fruit rolls ups are delicious snacks that are great for children. However, most fruit candies contain artificial food coloring agents.

These additives are used to give the product its bright red color. Unfortunately, there are concerns that these chemicals may cause health problems.

Some studies suggest that artificial food coloring agents may contribute to hyperactivity in young children. Other studies show that they may lead to behavioral issues, including aggression and depression. Some parents believe that using artificial food coloring agents in products marketed toward children is unsafe.

Non-Vegan Ingredients

There are plenty of non-vegan ingredient lists used in food products today. Some of those include:

• Soybeans

• Corn

• Wheat

• Sugar

• Milk

• Eggs

• Peanuts

• Honey

• Salt

• Artificial Flavorings

• Artificial Sweeteners

• MSG

• Preservatives

• Colorings

Citric acid is used in food processing to preserve fruits and vegetables. Citric acid is naturally found in citrus fruit, but it can also be extracted from sugar cane, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, pears, and grapes.

Citric Acid

Citric Acid

Citric acid helps prevent spoilage and extends shelf life. It’s commonly added to juices, jams, jellies, marmalades, pickles, sauces, salad dressings, condiments, and baked goods.

Citric Acid is a natural preservative that prevents bacteria growth and prolongs freshness. It’s also known as citrate of lime, lemon juice, sour orange juice, and tartaric acid.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is used in food products worldwide. Palm trees produce palm fruit, which is harvested and processed to yield palm oil. Palm oil is extracted from the fruit using mechanical methods.

Palm oil is commonly found in margarine, shortening, cooking oils, baked goods, snack foods, ice cream, frozen desserts, beverages, salad dressings, mayonnaise, peanut butter, chocolate, coffee, tea, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and pet food.

Natural Flavor

This list of ingredients may sound scary, but most of them are safe for consumption. However, there are still some questionable ones out there. For instance, some of the additives listed above are not considered vegan because they contain animal byproducts.

Others are just plain bad for us. For example, MSG is known to cause headaches, migraines, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. Other common additives include sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial coloring.

You don’t have to avoid every single ingredient mentioned above if you decide to become a vegan. Instead, try to find alternatives that are similar in taste and texture.

You can do this by reading labels carefully and asking questions at your local grocery store. Also, look up online for recipes that use alternative ingredients instead of using the ones mentioned above.

Monoglycerides

Monoglycerides are non-vegetarian ingredients found in most processed foods. Monoglycerides are used to stabilize emulsions, which means they keep oil and water separate.

They are commonly added to margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise, ice cream, frozen desserts, baked goods, dairy products, meat products, snack foods, beverages, and cosmetics.

They are made using vegetable oils, animal fats, and/or hydrogenated fats. Some monoglycerides are derived from palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, fish oil, lard, tallow, beef fat, pork fat, chicken fat, duck fat, goose fat, egg yolk, milk fat, butterfat, cheese whey, and yeast extracts.

Some monoglycerides are produced synthetically. These include glyceryl mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraglyceride; 1,2-dioleoylglycerol; 1,3-dioleoyltetra-decanoylglycerol, and 1,2-distearyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine.

Monoglycerides can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. People who are allergic to peanuts should avoid eating peanut butter containing monoglycerides. Monoglycerides can also trigger asthma attacks in those who are asthmatic.

What Are Some Vegan Alternatives To Fruit Roll-Ups?

Fruit roll-ups are delicious snacks that are great for breakfast or lunch. However, if you’re on a vegan diet, there are plenty of alternatives available. Here are some ideas for tasty fruit rolls that are made without any animal products.

Vegan Fruit Rolls

• Banana slices rolled up with peanut butter

• Apple slices rolled up with almond butter

• Grapefruit sections rolled up with honey

• Mango chunks rolled up with coconut oil

• Pineapple chunks rolled up with agave nectar

• Strawberries rolled up with jam

• Blueberries rolled up with maple syrup

• Blackberries rolled up with chocolate chips

• Cherries rolled up with Nutella

• Cranberries rolled up with marshmallow fluff

• Grapes rolled up with raspberry preserves

• Kiwi slices rolled up with strawberry jam

• Melons rolled up with honey

These are only a handful of options for tasty fruit rolls that won’t leave you feeling guilty.

Hey'all I'm Amy, a born foodie and diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago. I refused to cave into tasteless, boring gulten free food and create my own!
On my blog you'll find info & cool facts along with recipes, all on gluten free foods!

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