Marshmallows are one of the world’s most popular treats. You cun munch them straight from the bag, melt them in your hot chocolate, or add them to cakes and pies. However, if you have recently switched to a vegan or vegetarian diet, or if you are considering it (in which case you’ve come to the right place), you may be wondering if marshmallows are suitable for you. Let’s find out in this new article by Veggiepedia!
What Are Traditional Marshmallows Made Of?
Each brand and manufacturers may use a slightly different set of ingredients or formulations in their marshmallows. There used to be egg whites or honey in these candies, however, today’s traditional marshmallows are typically made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency, flavoured with vanilla extract or other natural flavorings, and coated with cornstarch and powdered sugar.
Because gelatine is extracted from the skins or bones of dead animals, vegans and also many vegetarians avoid it, and so the most common marshmallows with gelatine in it are not vegan. That’s sad news for people choosing an ethical and sustainable diet would have to pay a high price in the form of giving up on their favourite candy, right?
Fortunately, the Veggiepedia’s team have conducted rigorous research into this matter and we have been thrilled to find out that there are now also vegan marshmallows! Our friends from the vegan business community (yes, we consider all vegans and veg-curious people as friends) have spotted an opportunity and started experimenting with many plant-based ingredients as substitutes for gelatine, and the result of there efforts is the recent surge of new brands of vegan marshmallow candies.
How Are Vegan Marshmallows Made?
The most common ingredients used in vegan marshmallows are these three:
- Carrageenan: seaweed-based ingredient used as a thickener and stabilizer.
- Agar-agar: another vegan substitute for gelatin made also from seaweed
- Gum arabic: Natural gum from the sap of the acacia tree
These plant-based ingredients are used to provide the same texture and flavor as traditional marshmallows, moreover, each year the creative and passionate vegan entrepreneurs come up with a new ingredient, so this list will surely grow.
What Vegan-Friendly Brands Of This Candy Exist?
Supermarkets are also slowly starting to roll our vegan marshmallows, but so far, you can buy them mostly via online retailers, which will depend greatly on your country. In the near future, our database will contain all brands in all countries, for the time being, here are some brands we have found on the internet or crowdsourced in our community when writing this article:
- Trader Joe’s
- Dandies
- Plant Kitchen Vanilla Marshmallows
- Mallow Puffs
- Funky Mello
- The Naked Marshmallow Company
- Anandas
- Freedom Mallows
- Goodland Farms
- Yummallo
Conclusion
Gelatin is used in most today’s marshmallows to produce a soft and chewy texture. However, it is an animal ingredient which makes such candies unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians. Fortunately, there are now many vegan marshmallow brands, some of which may be available in your country. So why not give them a try and support the new veg-economy?
Read Next On Veggiepedia:
- Vegan Recipes: Pizza | Burger | Dessert | Salad | Smoothie
- Vegan Database: Books | Documentaries | Activists | Doctors
- Article Categories: Is It Vegan? | Dictionary
- Learn How To Go Veg: Vegan Cooking E-Courses
