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Gum has been around for decades, and in recent years, 5 Gum has made its mark as one of the most popular and innovative chewing gums on the market. With its unique flavor profiles and wide variety of flavors, 5 Gum has become a favorite among teens and young adults. But, is 5 Gum vegan?
5 Gum might be vegan but it contains glycerol and natural flavors, which could contain ingredients sourced from animals. Most flavors also contain artificial colors, which a lot of ethical vegans tends to stay away from.
Below is a table showing 5 Gum flavors and its vegan status.
| Flavor | Vegan Status |
| 5 Gum Peppermint Cobalt Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Spearmint Rain Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Wintermint Ascent Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol and Natural Flavors. |
| 5 Gum Watermelon Prism Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum React Mint Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Respawn Cool Mint Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Respawn Pomegranate Watermelon Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Respawn Tropical Punch Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum RPM Mint Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol and Natural Flavors. |
| 5 Gum Strawberry Flood Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
| 5 Gum Sweet Mint Sugarfree Chewing Gum | Maybe, contains Glycerol, Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors. |
5 Gum Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients from all the flavors that I could find.
- Acesulfame K
- Aspartame
- BHT
- Blue 1 Lake
- Blue 2 Lake
- Choline Chloride
- Citric Acid
- Corn Maltodextrin
- Fumaric Acid
- Glycerol
- Green Tea Extract
- Gum Base
- Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
- L-Theanine
- Malic Acid
- Mannitol
- Natural And Artificial Flavors
- Niacinamide
- Potassium Chloride
- Red 40 Lake
- Sodium Citrate
- Sorbitol
- Soy Lecithin
- Sucralose
- Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)
- Yellow 5 Lake
- Yellow 6 Lake
[Source]
As always I’ve highlighted the ingredients that we need to take a closer look at.
Questionable Ingredients
Natural Flavors
Natural flavor is an umbrella term, meaning that it consists of several ingredients. The reason why this is a problem for vegans is the source of these ingredients are often not disclosed on the ingredients label.
So animal-sourced ingredients could be added to this ingredient, but the ingredient label would only state natural flavor.
Aspartame
This is an ingredient that has been tested on animal in the past and some vegans tends to still stay away from this artificial sweetener.
Artificial Colors
This ingredient is a highly controversial ingredient within the vegan community. It’s known for being tested on animals which doesn’t align with veganism. There are other testing methods such as computer simulations that can do a great job instead, which is a positive thing.
There are also several health issues connected to artificial colors such as hyperactivity in kids. Some dietary vegans still consume such colors although I tend to stay away from them.
Soy & Corn
Corn and soy are two of the most common GMO crops in the US and a problem with them is the high amount of herbicide we need in order for the crop to grow. This can pollute the surrounding ecosystem and damage it beyond repair.
Conclusion
5 Gum contains so many controversial ingredients, but still they don’t contain any obvious ingredients that have been sourced from animals. But artificial colors is an ingredient that vegans tends to stay away from.
Always be sure to check the ingredients label because companies can update their recipes.
Thanks for reading, take care!
