Airheads are a popular, tangy, fruity, chewy candy introduced by the company Perfetti Van Melle in the 1980s. You may be wondering, are these colorful treats vegan? Well, it depends on the type of Airheads that you are talking about.

In this article, I will discuss the ingredients in Airheads and determine which varieties are suitable for vegans.

A blue box of vegan airhead bars.

This taffy-like treat is available in a wide range of flavors, including cherry, watermelon, blue raspberry, green apple, grape, orange, and more. They also come in different varieties like the original Airhead bars, Airhead gummies, Airhead gum, and others! Some of these are vegan, and some are not, so let’s break this down.

What are the ingredients in airheads bars?

Sugar, Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Palm Oil; contains less than 2% of: Citric Acid, Water, Artificial Flavors, Red 40, Blue 1,
Yellow 6, Yellow 5.

As you can tell from the ingredients above, the original Airheads bars do not contain any animal products, making them vegan-friendly. They do, however, contain a few controversial ingredients that some vegans may choose to avoid.

Palm Oil

While palm oil is not derived from animals, its production negatively impacts the habitats of many species and causes environmental harm. For this reason, some people choose not to consume products that include palm oil.

Sugar

Sugar is one of the first ingredients in many popular candies, but some vegans avoid refined sugar because it is often processed with bone char from cattle bones. The source of the sugar is not defined in Airheads, so it is assumed to be vegan. However, if you choose not to consume refined sugar, you may want to be cautious.

Artificial Colors

Airheads get their signature bright colors from artificial food coloring, which is not made with animal products. Some people choose not to consume them, however, due to concerns regarding animal testing.

A green bag of airhead xtremes.

Are airheads xtremes vegan?

Like the original Airheads bars, Airheads Xtremes are also vegan! Here are the ingredients:

Sugar, Corn Syrup, Wheat Flour, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Food Starch – Modified (Corn), Food Starch, Modified (Potato), Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavors, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Artificial Colors (Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Yellow 5).

Are airheads gummies vegan?

Now that we have determined that the original Airheads bars and Airheads Xtremes are technically vegan, let’s look at the other Airheads candies to see whether they are vegan.

Airheads gummies contain gelatin, which is made by boiling animal bones, skin, and ligaments, so they are not vegan. While there are some vegan forms of gelatin, the Airheads website confirms that their products use gelatin derived from pork, beef, and fish. They are also made with beeswax, an animal-derived ingredient.

Ingredients:

Corn Syrup, Sugar, Gelatin, Sorbitol; Contains Less Than 2 Percent Of: Citric Acid, Pectin, Artificial Flavors, Coconut Oil, Sodium Citrate, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6

Are airheads xtremes bites vegan?

It can be a bit confusing: while Airheads Xtremes are vegan, the Airheads Xtremes Bites are not, as they contain Carmine. Carmine is a red food coloring made from crushed insects.

Ingredients:

Sugar, Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Food Starch – Modified (Corn), Food Starch, Modified (Potato), Wheat Starch, Malic Acid, Palm Oil, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavors, Salt, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Potassium Citrate, Colors Added (Carmine, Blue 1)

Is Airheads gum vegan?

Like Airheads Xtremes Bites, Airheads gum also contains Carmine for coloring, so it is not vegan. It also includes “chewing gum base” in its ingredients, and companies are not required to specify what that base is made from.

Ingredients:

Xylitol, Sorbitol, Chewing Gum Base, Glycerol, Maltitol Syrup; Contains Less Than 2 Percent Of: Malic Acid, Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Aspartame, Carrageenan, Coconut Fat, Sucralose, Lecithin (Soy), Acesulfame K, Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters, BHT to Maintain Freshness, Blue 1 Lake, Color (Carmines)

A green bag of airhead xtreme bites.

Are Airheads bites vegan?

Airheads bites are not vegan because they contain beeswax and shellac. Shellac is a resin used as a food glaze, made from female lac bugs found in Thailand and India, and is not considered vegan.

Ingredients:

Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Citric Acid, Modified Corn Starch, Sorbitol, Artificial Flavors, Glycerine, Rice Starch, Carnauba Wax, Beeswax, Shellac, Gellan Gum, Sucrose Esters Of Fatty Acids, Artificial Colors (Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Yellow 5). 

A blue bag of airhead soft filled bites.

Are Airheads soft-filled bites vegan?

Like the Airheads gummies, Airheads soft-filled bites contain gelatin, which is derived from the bones and tendons of pigs, cows, and other animals and is therefore not vegan.

Ingredients:

Sugar, Glucose Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Food Starch – Modified (Corn), Food Starch – Modified (Potato), Contains Less Than 2 Percent Of: Malic Acid, Dextrose, Citric Acid, Coconut Oil, Lactic Acid, Gelatin, Artificial Flavors, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Sorbitol Syrup, Glycerin, Salt, Fumaric Acid, Trisodium Citrate, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6

Are airheads xtreme sourfuls vegan?

Airheads Xtreme Sourfuls is another product that is not vegan due to the inclusion of gelatin.

Ingredients:

Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Food Starch – Modified (Corn), Malic Acid, Food Starch – Modified (Potato); Contains Less Than 2 Percent Of: Dextrose, Wheat Starch, Citric Acid, Coconut Oil, Lactic Acid, Gelatin, Artificial Flavors, Sodium Malates, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Salt, Glycerol, Fumaric Acid, Sorbitol Syrup, Trisodium Citrate, Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5.

Are airheads gluten-free?

According to the Airheads website, Airheads bars are gluten-free. Airheads Bites, Gum, and Gummies have not been tested for gluten and cannot hold the gluten-free claim. Airheads Xtreme Bites and Soft Filled Bites contain wheat and, therefore, are not gluten-free.

Vegan candy options

If you are searching for more sweet treats that are great for snacking on or giving out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween, check out these totally vegan options!

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!