While a vegan diet might be the right choice for your health, is it healthy to eat vegan candies? In this article, you will learn whether it is possible to eat vegan junk food and how you can indulge in sweet cravings while remaining cruelty-free.
What are vegan candies?
The obvious answer to this question is that vegan candies are candies that don't contain animal byproducts. But what does that mean? While most people know the ingredients in chocolate and caramel candies, they might need to find out where other common ingredients come from.
Non-vegan ingredients in candies you need to know about
Non-vegan ingredients in candy are a problem for vegans, but more than that, they're a problem for everyone. Even if you aren't vegan, you may be surprised to find that your favorite candies contain animal products.
So, what are some things you can look out for on ingredient lists or ask when shopping for vegan candies?
-Milk: Milk products are derived from cows (sheep or goats). This can be in milk, cream, butter, cheese, or whey.
-Eggs: Eggs are typically used as an emulsifier in candy and baked goods. You'll usually find them in cookies or cakes.
-Honey: Honey is a sweetener since it's easier to work with than sugar and provides a unique flavor to candy. It comes from bees.
-Carmine - This pigment makes most red, pink, or purple candies look bright and vivid. It's made from crushed female cochineal beetles, making it a tasty bug for vegans to avoid.
-Shellac: commonly known as confectioner's glaze, gives candies a complex, shiny appearance. Although it may not appear dangerous, this product is vegetarian but not vegan because it contains the excretions of a female lac insect that is endemic to Thailand and India.
-Bone Char: Cattle bones are burned and charred to produce bone char, which is then utilized to refine and whiten sugar particles in candies.
Beeswax, synthetic food colors, and white sugar are additional ingredients in candy that some people following a vegan diet may want to avoid.
Vegan Candies vs. Conventional Candies: Which Is Better?
Vegan candies are healthier than conventional candies, which are made with ingredients like animal fat, corn syrup, and artificial colors. But what about taste?
Vegan candies use familiar ingredients like sugar, honey, and molasses from sugar cane or beets. This makes for a familiar sweet taste that's reminiscent of traditional candy. Vegan candy also uses many fruits like raisins, apricots, and dates in its recipes. These fruits give vegan candies a unique texture that sets them apart from their counterparts.
Vegan candies are also an excellent choice for anyone who is lactose intolerant or has a dairy allergy. Vegans are people who eat no meat, eggs, or dairy products. Most vegans also avoid honey and other animal-derived sweets, so they tend to gravitate toward the vegan-friendly candies available at most supermarkets and convenience stores.
And if you're looking for an alternative to sugar-filled Halloween candy this year, you can try vegan candy.
Are Vegan Candies Healthy?
The answer is a resounding yes. Vegan candies can offer several health benefits. Unlike chocolate, some vegan candies are made with all-natural ingredients that are safe for consumption by those who do not follow a vegan lifestyle. Below are some of the essential health benefits of eating vegan candies
Vegan candies could promote heart health
Vegan snacks included, a vegan diet is generally healthier than one based on animal products. It isn't just free of animal cruelty when plant-based replacements are used in place of animal byproducts; it also has fewer harmful components.
Vegans, for instance, replace gelatin with cornstarch and other healthy oils known to contain fewer carbohydrates and fats. Additionally, hydrogenated vegetable oils, which raise cholesterol levels, are not used in vegan chocolates. Lower intakes of sugar, carbohydrates, and fat support heart health and may lower blood pressure.
Vegan candies may lower the risk of serious illness
One of the guiding principles of a vegan diet is adhering to natural and organic ingredients. Making vegan confectionery thus limits the usage of artificial sweeteners.
Instead of artificial additives and high fructose corn syrup, known to raise blood lipid levels, vegan candies employ natural sugar and fruits. Some producers use coconut sugar instead of cane sugar since it is healthier. Coconut sugar doesn't drastically increase your blood sugar levels like cane sugar. So, after consuming vegan candy, you won't experience a sugar crash.
Medical professionals say excessive sugar consumption dramatically increases one's risk of developing significant illnesses like type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver, and cancer.
The antioxidants in vegan candies are higher than those in regular candy.
Most vegan candies are excellent alternatives to chocolate since they use dark chocolate produced in an environmentally sustainable way. As we all know, dark chocolate contains a significant amount of antioxidants. Compared to the milk chocolate used to make famous chocolates worldwide, it also contains less fat and carbohydrates.
Vegan candies are full of nutrients
A vegan diet emphasizes whole grains as the primary protein source while forgoing meat and other animal products. Most vegan candies contain whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds, in addition to whole grains. Instead of the excessive sugar content of typical candy, chomping on them helps you enhance your regular intake of vital vitamins and minerals. Regular sweets are sometimes categorized as "junk food" due to their high sugar content.
Vegan candies are allergen-free
Vegan sweets may be advantageous for vegetarians, paleo diet followers, and those sensitive to dairy, soy, or gluten. Sensitive individuals can enjoy a few pieces of these natural and organic sweets without bothering about the redness, itch, or swelling because they do not contain items generated from these allergens.
What kind of candies can vegans eat?
Many people think that vegans can't eat any candies. This is not true. There are many kinds of vegan candies. Here are some examples:
Chewy Vegan Candies
● Airheads
● Fruit By the Foot and Fruit Roll-Ups
● Mamba Fruit Chews
● Mary Janes
● Now and Later
● Skittles
Soft and Gummy Sweets
● Sour Patch Kids
● Dots
● Jujubes
● Laffy Taffy
● Red Vines
● Jolly Ranchers Lollipops and Hard Candy
● Twizzlers
● Smart Sweets
● Swedish Fish
Vegan Hard Candies
● Dum-Dums
● Charm Lollipops
● Chick-O-Sticks
● Bottlecaps
● Barrels, and Star Brites
Vegan Chocolate Candies
● Pumpkin Perfection
● Blueberry Bliss
● Peppermint Persuasion
● Pomegranate Power
● Strawberry Sensation
● Kiwi Krazy
● Raspberry Royale
● Coconut Caribbean
Where to buy the best vegan candies?
If you are looking for the best vegan gifts, one of the best places to look is online. While it may seem that online stores are a little impersonal, the truth is that many online stores have more room for variety and experimentation, which leads to a broader selection of vegan sweets. One of the best online shops for vegan sweets is Sweet Vegan. We offer a wide variety of sweets at reasonable prices and an array of candy samplers so that you can try several different kinds without having to buy a lot.
Our company offers sugar-free candy, which is especially useful to those who are diabetic or want to cut back on sugar in their diets. They also offer organic candies, which can be very helpful if you or other people eating the candy have food allergies or sensitivities.
One thing customers like about Sweet Vegan is our attention to customer service. If you have any questions about our products or shipping policies (or anything else), we will be happy to answer your questions and try to help you find what you need.
Having a sweet treat that not only tastes good and satisfies your sweet tooth but is also healthy is a dream come true.
However, it may seem too good to be true. "Is there a candy out there that's both vegan and healthy?" The answer to that question is yes – vegans have found a way to enjoy candies without compromising the health of themselves or others.
Fear no longer! If you are a fan of candies or know someone who is, you can finally be confident that there are vegan options. The bulk of the ingredients in chocolate and sugar candies are naturally vegan. As a result, transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, especially if you miss sugar-based treats, can be easier than you may think. Face it with confidence, knowing that there are some delicious vegan candies to help smooth the transition.
To check if our vegan candies are the right for you, please call us at 917-334-3636 or email us now at info@sweetvegan.nyc.