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Hi-Chews have become one of the most popular confectionery treats of recent years. This chewy, fruity treat has found its way into the hearts of millions around the world. Originating in Japan and now available all over the world. But, are Hi-Chews vegan?
Hi-Chews are not vegan because they contain gelatin.
Below is a table showing Hi-Chews flavors and its vegan status.
| Flavor | Vegan Status |
| Hi-Chews Original Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Plus Fruit Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Superfruit Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Sweet & Sour Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Tropical Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin & Honey. |
| Hi-Chews Soda Pop Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Berry Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Fantasy Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Infrusions Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Reduced Sugar Mix Bag | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Fruit Combos Mix Stand Up Pouch | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Original Mix Stand Up Pouch | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Sweet & Sour Mix Stand Up Pouch | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Tropical Mix Stand Up Pouch | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Açaí Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Banana Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Grape Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Green Apple Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Kiwi Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Mango Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Strawberry Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Hi-Chews Watermelon Stick | No, contains Gelatin. |
Hi-Chews Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients from all the flavors that I could find.
- Acai Extract
- Apple Juice Concentrate
- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
- Beta-Carotene (Color)
- Caramel Color
- Carrot Juice (Color)
- Chia Seeds
- Citric Acid
- Dragon Fruit Juice
- Dried Apple
- Dried Orange
- Dried Strawberries
- Dried Tangerine
- Fruit Juice (Color)
- Fruit Juice Concentrate (Color)
- Gelatin
- Glucose Syrup
- Grape Juice Concentrate
- Grapefruit Juice Concentrate
- Honey
- Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
- Hydrogenated Palm Oil
- Kiwi Puree
- Lemon Juice Concentrate
- Malic Acid
- Maltodextrin
- Mango Puree
- Natural And Artificial Flavors
- Orange Juice Concentrate
- Paprika (Color)
- Pineapple Juice Concentrate
- Purple Carrot Juice Concentrate (Color)
- Salt)
- Sorbitan Monostearate
- Sorbitan Tristearate
- Soy Lecithin
- Spirulina Extract (Color)
- Strawberry Juice Concentrate
- Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters
- Sugar
- Tangerine Powder
- Vegetable Juice (Color)
- Watermelon Juice Concentrate
[Source]
As always I’ve highlighted the ingredients that we need to take a closer look at.
Non-Vegan Ingredients
Gelatin
This ingredient is sourced from animals and it not vegan-friendly.
Honey
Since honey comes from bees and vegans don’t eat anything from the animal kingdom, it’s not a vegan-friendly ingredient.
Questionable Ingredients
Sugar
Sugar is a controversial ingredient within the vegan community because of the risk of bone char from dead cows being used in the production process. When it comes to cane sugar, the refined sugar could be non-vegan.
Raw cane sugar is vegan, but it’s often refined to fit the product and in this refining process the sugar is also bleached. A common method is to use bone char from dead cows and exploiting animals in the production process would make the sugar non-vegan.
Natural Flavors
The second questionable ingredient is natural flavors and this is also an umbrella term, meaning that it consists of several ingredients and the source of these ingredients are not disclosed on the ingredients label.
This means that natural flavors could contain ingredients sourced from animals and you would not be able to identify this on the ingredients label.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is usually found in products such as chips, salad dressings, food bars and many other products. But the problem with palm oil is the massive deforestation taking place, which is affecting the environment and the wildlife. Orangutans and rhinos are some of the animals being forced from their homes.
Many vegans are therefore staying away from palm oil, but there is a way for palm oil to become more vegan-friendly and it’s called RSPO. This is an non-for-profit organisation that helps companies produce and buy sustainable palm oil, with minimum impact on the environment.
Soy
Soy is one of the most common GMO crops in the US. The problem with GMO crops is the high amount of herbicide that is needed in order for the crops to grow. It can pollute the surrounding ecosystem and cause severe damage to the environment.
Conclusion
Sadly no flavors of Hi-Chews are vegan-friendly because they all contain gelatin, which is made from animals. However there are so many brands that are making vegan-friendly and if you want some inspiration be sore to check our out Best Vegan Candy List.
Thanks for reading, take care!
