Does m&m have vegan options?
Author bio
Dr Anny March PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights: Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of…
In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “Does m&m have vegan options?” and will discuss what ingredients in the m&m make them prohibited for the vegans to consume. Moreover, we will discuss the other alternatives for m&m.
Does m&m have vegan options?
Yes, m&m do have vegan options. Unfortunately, M&Ms are not vegan. None of the presently available kinds of M&Ms, including peanut and dark chocolate as well as mint ones, is vegan. There doesn’t seem to be any plans for change at Mars Inc. The good news is that all is not lost, since there are a number of vegan M&Ms you may enjoy.
Research indicated that the proportion of individuals reporting consumption of any plant-based alternative foods increased from 6.7% in 2008–2011, to 13.1% in 2017–2019. Compared to 2008–2011 PBAF consumption rose by 115% in 2017–2019. Females were 46% more likely than males to report consumption of plant-based alternative foods (3).
Why M&Ms are not vegan?
It’s all about the components, of course. Because milk is a key component in all M&M tastes, this is particularly relevant. That is, M&Ms aren’t acceptable for vegans or dairy-free or lactose-intolerant individuals.
According to the definition of veganism, vegans don’t consume red meat, fish, birds, cow or goats milk, eggs, honey, or foods made with any of these other animal products such as gelatine, or animal broths. Vegans don’t wear silk, leather, wool, or fur. Vegans avoid products tested on animals, and avoid sports or entertainment including animals (e.g zoos, horse racing (1).
However, there are a few additional components besides the milk that are neither vegan or cruelty-free.
M&M’s Milk Chocolate Ingredients
Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavour), Sugar, Corn-starch, less than 1% – Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Colouring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 2, Gum Acacia. Contains Milk and Soy. May Contain Peanuts.
As you can see, dairy is a major reason why M&Ms aren’t vegan. In fact, it’s one of the first ingredients listed on the label. However, as previously indicated, vegans should avoid additional additives, including food colouring.
Food colours like Red 40 and Yellow 6 aren’t made with animal by-products but are often tested on animals, so they aren’t cruelty-free, even if they claim to be.
To investigate the biochemical and neurobehavioral effects of artificial food colors, animal testing are often performed. Animal studies of behavioral effects of food dyes can be divided into two classes: those in which the effects of dye ingestion are assessed by multiple behavioral and physical measurements and studies in which effects of the dye on a specific behavior or behavioral “model” are examined (2).
M&Ms vegan alternatives
M&Ms are not vegan, although there are vegan alternatives to the candy. For your convenience, we’ve rounded together a list of the best vegan M&Ms below. And to top it all off, you can get all three brands from Amazon at a great price and without worrying about hazardous artificial colours.
Unreal
In spite of the fact that Unreal’s chocolates aren’t entirely vegan, they create some of the tastiest vegan M&Ms we’ve ever experienced. We stumbled upon this brand by chance not long ago and were immediately smitten.
Our favourite M&Ms were Unreal, and after trying it, we were able to relive the joy of eating chocolate-covered candy once again. Unreal was a game changer for us. Unreal currently has two vegan M&Ms, called “Gems,” in their lineup:
- Dark Crispy Chocolate
- Dark chocolate Peanuts
Unreal also manufactures dark chocolate peanut butter cups, dark chocolate almond cups, and dark chocolate crispy peanut butter cups. The best part is that Unreal has grown rapidly in popularity and is now available in most well-stocked supermarkets, including Whole Foods, as well as straight from Amazon.
Little secrets
Little Secrets is the undisputed leader in vegan M&Ms. This Boulder, Colorado-based chocolate firm specialises in dark chocolate confections, including its “Pieces” M&M clones. Listed below are the Little Secret M&Ms that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans:
- Sea salted peanut
- Dark chocolate
- Sea Salted Almonds
- Pieces of Peppermint (Limited Christmas Edition)
Little Secrets, like Unreal, can be found on Amazon, but they’re a little more difficult to come across in physical locations.
No whey foods
As a vegan chocolate business, No Whey provides a variety of chocolates that are devoid of allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts, and are entirely egg and dairy-free.
No Whey’s vegan Choco No No’s are hands down our favourite chocolates and sweets. They’re an excellent alternative to M&Ms for those with food sensitivities, as well. As of right now, No Whey is only selling two varieties of these chocolates, but the company is known for constantly updating its offerings.
Vegan M&Ms:
- Chocolate No No’s- The makers of No Whey! Foods believe that they are an excellent replacement for M&Ms. They have a milk-free chocolate inside with a crunchy candy covering. Amazon offers Choco No No’s for sale.
- Peppermint No No’s- No Whey! Foods’ minty morsels are a terrific alternative to mint M&Ms. These mint and milk-free chocolates include a crunchy candy shell and a mint and milk-free chocolate inside.
If you haven’t tried No Whey’s peanut free peanut butter cups, you’re missing out on one of their most popular items! Ordering vegan No-from No’s Amazon is the most convenient method to get your hands on them!
Other FAQs about Vegans that you may be interested in.
Does being vegan before 6 works?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the query, “Does m&m have vegan options?” and discussed what ingredients in the m&m make them prohibited for the vegans to consume. Moreover, we discussed the other alternatives for m&m.
References
- North, Madelon, et al. How to define “Vegan”: An exploratory study of definition preferences among omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Food Qual Prefer, 2021, 93, 104246.
- Silbergeld, ELLEN K., and SALLY M. Anderson. Artificial food colors and childhood behavior disorders. Bull New York Acad Med, 1982, 58, 275.
- Alae-Carew, Carmelia, et al. The role of plant-based alternative foods in sustainable and healthy food systems: Consumption trends in the UK. Sci Total Environ, 2022, 807, 151041.
