The short answer is yes, Oreos really are vegan. But before you dash over to your nearest supermarket and raid the vegan biscuit and chocolate section, you’ll want to read this post.
Photo credit: Oreo
What are Oreos?
Oreo is an American brand of sandwich-style biscuits that have been around since 1912. They're made up of two circular chocolate biscuits stuffed with a vanilla flavoured cream filling – and they're delicious. There are many variations and flavour combinations of Oreos, but like many things in life, the simple original is definitely the best. It's not only us who thinks so either, Oreos are available in over 100 countries, so that's a lot of happy customers.
Are Oreos suitable for anyone on a plant-based diet?
Following our 11 of the Best Vegan Biscuits article, which divulged into our top picks of the best biscuits for both munching and dunking, we had some responses on our Instagram post from people who were shocked that Oreos are vegan because of the cross-contamination argument. So, are Oreos really vegan? The short answer is yes as they don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. The long answer is a little more complex than that.
The longer answer
As the Oreo FAQ page states, while Oreos are indeed veggie-friendly, they are not strictly vegan as ‘Oreo have milk as cross-contact and therefore they are not suitable for vegans’. So if you’re vegan strictly for health reasons or you’re allergic to milk, then it's probably best that you avoid our chocolatey friend, and find some other vegan chocolate or biscuits to satisfy that afternoon slump (our article recommends vegan biscuits like Party Rings, Lotus Biscuits and – the classic – Chocolate Chip Hobnobs).
As Oreos are made where there could be traces of milk found due to the equipment used and the area they are made in, some stricter vegans may not want to venture into that domain. But if you’re more concerned about the actual ingredients used in the making of Oreos, then you’re good to go.
Oreo O's is a breakfast cereal that consists of Oreo-flavored O-shaped pieces of cereal. It was conceived of by an Ogilvy & Mather NYC advertising employee and introduced in 1997 by Post Cereals. In 2001 the cereal got a new recipe with real creme filling.
as “accidentally vegan,” meaning they don't contain animal products — but they weren't created to be a specifically vegan treat. Oreos do not contain milk, eggs, or any other animal-derived products, so they are technically vegan in that sense.
In short, the vast majority of Oreos are vegan and do not contain any animal ingredients (not even milk!). These include: Classic Oreos, Golden Oreos, Double Stuff, and Chocolate Cream Oreos. The only Oreos which are not suitable for vegans are the Peanut Butter flavoured biscuits which contain milk.
Yes, original Oreos are vegan and most other flavours are vegan too! They're what is known as 'accidentally vegan biscuits', meaning they weren't specifically targeted towards vegans but are made to a vegan recipe.
In the mid-1990s, Nabisco was prompted to change the lard to partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. In 2006, the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil was then replaced with non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. In 2013 the whey powder was removed, and finally, in 2014, Oreos were vegan in the US.
The fudge-coated varieties are not vegan, as the fudge coating contains milk. Toffee Crunch Oreos contain confectioner's glaze, which, depending on where you are geographically, can be made with shellac (a product derived from beetles). Oreo Cakesters are not vegan, as they contain milk and eggs.
By standard definitions, regular Sour Patch Kids candies are vegan because they don't contain animal products. However, the sugar in all of the Sour Patch Kids candies was likely, at least in part, processed with animal bone char. That may be reason enough for some vigilant vegans to abstain.
Since 1966, Doritos has satisfied customers' snack cravings with their flavored tortilla chips. But unfortunately for vegans, only one variety is vegan-friendly: Spicy Sweet Chili. The other Doritos flavors contain various dairy products and animal-derived flavors, none of which are vegan.
Fortunately, loads of candies are vegan, so we can indulge our cravings (mostly) guilt-free. Most dark chocolate is vegan, as are popular sweet treats such as Smarties (known as Rockets in Canada), Oreos, Airheads, Jujubes, and Swedish Fish (some Swedish Fish contain beeswax, so be sure to check the label).
While palm oil does not directly harm animals, its production leads to animal exploitation and environmental degradation. Thus, palm oil is usually avoided by vegans.
The classic Oreo filling is still to this day made with plant-based ingredients, including sugar and soy lecithin. There is often some confusion, however, about whether or not Oreos are vegan-friendly. This is because the ingredients list says they “may contain” milk products.
The longer answer. As the Oreo FAQ page states, while Oreos are indeed veggie-friendly, they are not strictly vegan as 'Oreo have milk as cross-contact and therefore they are not suitable for vegans'.
Yes, Ritz Crackers are vegan. I don't know if I'd go as far as to say whether they're actually tasty or not but a lot of people do like them and it turns out that you can eat them if you're lactose-intolerant, so go figure. Buy these if you're interested in adhering to a plant-based diet and enjoy Ritz Crackers.
By standard definitions, regular Sour Patch Kids candies are vegan because they don't contain animal products. However, the sugar in all of the Sour Patch Kids candies was likely, at least in part, processed with animal bone char. That may be reason enough for some vigilant vegans to abstain.
Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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