Are Fruity Pebbles Vegan?

Fruity Pebbles are actually vegans cereals that are made from mostly plant-based ingredients. However, if you really want to be certain, you can look at the ingredient list on the box. You’ll find that there are no animal products listed anywhere on the label.

As far as dietary vegans go, Fruity Pebbles are okay. But if you’re an ethical vegan, you might want to steer clear of the product altogether. Most mainstream cereal brands are okay for vegans who don’t eat dairy products. However, some ethical vegans may not be comfortable consuming them.

Ingredients

After reading through the arguments against Fruity Pebbles and seeing the main Fruity Pebbles cereal ingredients listed, let’s take a look at them one by one.

1) Rice

Fruity Pebbles are delicious, nutritious breakfast cereal made with toasted rice. Rice is all-natural, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly and is the main ingredient in Fruity Pebbles.

Unlike most colorful cereals, which use oats and grains, Fruity Pebbles are made using toasted brown rice. Brown rice is healthier than white rice because it contains fiber and vitamins.

You’ll find no artificial flavors, preservatives, or additives in these rice-based cereals. Instead, they’re made with natural ingredients.

2) Sugar

Fruity Pebbles are made with white granulated sugar. While most people think of refined sugar as being bad for us, there are actually several health benefits associated with eating foods high in sugar.

Sugar helps our bodies metabolize fats and proteins, making it easier for our muscles to work properly. It also helps keep our blood pressure under control and keeps our immune system strong.

However, if you’re concerned about the effects of sugar on your diet, you should limit yourself to no more than 25 grams per day. You can easily accomplish this by cutting down on sugary snacks and drinks.

While most of these fruits are naturally sweetened, others are artificially sweetened. Artificial sweeteners are chemicals that mimic natural sugars. Some artificial sweeteners may cause health problems, including cancer.

3) Vegetable Oil

Fruity Pebbles are delicious, but if you’re concerned about animal welfare, you may want to steer clear of them. According to the ingredient list, they’re made using a blend of palm oil and coconut oil.

Palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm tree, which is native to Indonesia. Coconut oil is extracted from the meaty part (or kernel) of the coconut fruit. Both oils come from plants, so they’re considered vegetarian. However, they’re not 100% plant-based.

While I admire that Post is cutting down on their use of palms by combining it with another vegetable oil instead, they’re still using palm kernel oil. That means that ethical vegans should avoid their all-time favorite childhood cereal Fruity Pebbles.

4) Salt

You’ll find salt in almost every food product. Salt helps keep foods moist and tender, and it adds flavor to dishes. You can add salt to any dish at any point during cooking, but if you add it early, it won’t affect the final outcome.

There are two types of salt: table salt and kosher salt. Table salt is fine-grained salt that dissolves easily. Kosher salt is larger grain salt that doesn’t dissolve as well. Both types of salt are safe for vegans to consume.

5) Food Coloring

Fruity Pebbles uses natural food coloring instead of artificial colors. Their recipe calls for red 40, yellow 5, 6, and blue 1 and 2. These ingredients are safe for human consumption and won’t harm animals.

You may not realize it, but there are actually two types of food coloring: synthetic and natural.

• Synthetic food coloring is made using petroleum products, whereas natural food coloring comes from plants and insects.
• Natural food coloring is safer for humans and animals since it does not contain harmful chemicals.

6) Artificial Flavors

Fruity Pebbles come in two varieties: Original and Cinnamon Sugar. Both versions are made using artificial flavors. However, the original version uses natural flavors derived from fruits, whereas the cinnamon sugar version uses artificial flavors.

Both versions of Fruity Pebbles rice cereal flakes are vegan-friendly. Artificial flavors are not considered animal products, so they are safe for vegans to eat. You can find out if any of the ingredients in your favorite cereal are vegan-friendly here.

7) Added Vitamins & Minerals

Fruity Pebbles is a healthy breakfast option if you’re concerned about being vegan. However, there are plenty of other cereals out there that are fortified with added vitamins and minerals.

While most of these preferred cereals are fortified with vitamin B3, Fruity Pebbles uses vitamin B2, which is a plant-based alternative. So, if you’re a strict vegan, you’ll still find plenty of options to satisfy your morning hunger pangs without compromising your health.

What Are Some Non-Vegan Incidents In Fruity Pebbles?

Fruity Pebbles are delicious, nutritious snacks that are great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time, and anytime in between. However, there are non-vegan incidents in the history of Fruity Pebbles that may surprise you.

For example, the original recipe called for cane sugar, which is derived from sugarcane. Cane sugar was once considered a healthier alternative to refined white sugar because it doesn’t contain any preservatives.

Unfortunately, cane sugar is still processed using animal bone char, which means it indirectly supports the animal source products.

Another incident involved the use of palm oil. Palm tree fruits are the source of palm oils. It’s a natural source of fat that’s rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids.

Unfortunately, palm oil is produced mostly in tropical regions, where deforestation is rampant.

Does Fruity Pebbles Have Gelatin?

Fruity Pebbles are delicious, nutritious, and gluten-free cereals made with whole-grain oats, wheat germ, bran, raisins, apple pieces, banana chips, coconut flakes, and dried pineapple. However, if you look closely at the ingredients list, you’ll notice that there isn’t any gelatin listed anywhere.

Vegan Alternatives to Fruity Pebbles

While Fruity Pebbles may taste great, they may not be healthy at all. Instead, opt for healthier and popular cereal brands like these vegan alternatives.

• Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats
• Fruit and Fiber Cereal
• Cheerios Cereal
• Kellogg’s All-Bran Original
• Jordans Country Crisp
• Kelloggs Special K
• Cap’N Crunch Cereal