FOOD NEWS
Can You Eat Peeps If You're Vegan?
By Cynthia Anaya
Every box of Peeps includes nutrition facts and a short list of ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin, as well as less than 0.5% of potassium sorbate, natural flavors, blue #1, and carnauba wax. The chocolate-flavored Peeps may contain milk, which is a no-no for vegans, but you’ll have to look a little closer to find out if regular Peeps are vegan friendly.
A four-count package of marshmallow bunnies contains 30 grams of added sugar, but sugar is a simple carbohydrate and contains no animal products. Similarly, corn syrup is made from the natural sugars in corn and contains no animal products.
Gelatin is a protein made by boiling different animal body parts such as bones, tendons, and cartilage, which means that Peeps contain animal by-products, and therefore are not vegan-friendly. Luckily, Women's Health lists some alternative gelatin-free snacks vegans can enjoy, including Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, and Nerds.