This variety of lollipops can be enjoyed by both kids and adults, so if you want to go for staple fruit flavors or if you want cream soda or butterscotch, you’re sure to find a flavor that suits you.
You might be wondering if these are vegan-friendly, and gladly we can say yes and are even gluten-free, kosher, and free of peanuts, so we can say this with confidence as these are made with dedicated equipment that isn’t at risk of cross-contamination.
However, for a strict vegan, some additives might be questionable, but first, let’s take a look at what Dum Dums are made of.
What Are Dum Dums Made From?
If we take an original mix bag of 8.6 oz and look at the ingredients, we find corn syrup, sugar, malic acid, citric acid, salt, artificial flavor, red 40, yellow 5 and 6, and blue 1.
A problem arises when we look at the type of sugar, as the process uses either beet or cane sugar, and those who know their sugar find that refined sugars such as cane sugar use bone char or molasses for the sugar to achieve a particular color.
That is why some vegans choose organic or beet sugar which isn’t derived from bone char, and for many vegans, this can be a dilemma, but there isn’t always a clear-cut way to achieve food purity, but it’s no doubt that making this change can save many animals each year.
Nutritional Information
The most notable pieces of nutrition come from sodium, which is 10mg per serving size, which equates to 3 pieces.
You also see 15g of carbohydrates, and 10g of total sugar, which is 20% of your daily value. One serving gives you 60 calories, so in total, you see 350 calories for a whole bag with 16 servings.
On the website, you can find original mixes of up to 172 oz, which will give you 333 servings per container, so perhaps you could opt for a smaller bag or go for sugar-free alternatives.
What About Other Variety Packs?
You can find other colors, shapes, and flavors of Dum Dums, and as these are made with exactly the same ingredients as the original, they are acceptable for a vegan diet so that you could try color party, bunny pops, heart pops, and any limited edition varieties.
As long as the Dum Dums you find state that they were made by Spangler, you have a guarantee, and even organizations such as PETA have listed them in their list of vegan candies.
Should I Be Aware Of Any Ingredients?
It’s the flavorings and colors used that are classed as controversial ingredients as, like we have said, they either use indirect parts from animal bone or use coloring in animal testing and for a while, there have been denials that any testing of animals in this way is taking place.
As it can be challenging to know exactly how these colors and flavorings are made, many vegans assume that none of them are ok for their diet and avoid them altogether, but this is more of an ethical decision that is up to an individual to take.
What About Insect Parts?
You might have heard that some of your favorite candies, like chocolate, can contain cockroach parts, but to deem it safe, it needs to have less than 60 pieces per 100g.
There’s also an ingredient called carmine that is used to dye candy red, which is a wax secreted from the cochineal scale insect, and this can be a dilemma for both vegetarians and vegans.
You should also avoid any ingredients like E 120, E 904, 542, 901, and 904, which are all derived from animals, so whatever candy you look at in the store, be sure to check the ingredients and if you’re in any doubt, leave them until you find out.
Closing Thoughts
We’ve covered a lot about Dum Dums, and even though they have some questionable ingredients, it can be hard to find products that are entirely free of these ingredients or even bacteria that are derived from animals in some cases.
Just know that you shouldn’t blame yourself too much if you have the occasional pop, as it’s down to you what you eat, even if the vegan community has boycotted these types of candies.
