Is Sunny D Vegan 2023? All Flavors Reviewed


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Sunny D is a citrus-flavored drinking product that has been around since the early 1960s. It has become a popular choice for many people seeking a delicious and convenient drink. But, is Sunny D vegan?

Sunny D might be suitable for dietary vegans but it contains natural flavors, which could contain ingredients derived from animals. Not suitable for ethical vegans because it contains artificial colors that has been tested on animals.

Below is a table showing Sunny D flavors and its vegan status.

FlavorEthical VegansDietary Vegans
Sunny D Tangy OriginalNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Smooth OrangeNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Orange StrawberryNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Orange MangoNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Orange PeachNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D MangoNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Orange PineappleNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Fruit PunchNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Blue RaspberryNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D WatermelonNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D LemonadeNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Sunny D Raspberry LemonadeNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.
Frozen Sunny D Tangy OriginalNo, contains Artificial Colors.Maybe, contains Natural Flavors.

Sunny D Ingredients

Below is a list of ingredients from all the flavors that I could find.

  • Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
  • Blue #1
  • Calcium Disodium
  • Canola Oil
  • Cellulose Gum
  • Citric Acid
  • Concentrated Apple Juice
  • Concentrated Grapefruit Juice
  • Concentrated Lime Juice
  • Concentrated Mango Puree
  • Concentrated Pear Juice
  • Concentrated Orange Juice
  • Concentrated Tangerine Juice
  • Modified Cornstarch
  • Natural And Artificial Flavors
  • Potassium Sorbate
  • Red #40
  • Sodium Citrate
  • Sodium Hexametaphosphate
  • Sucralose
  • Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)
  • Water
  • Yellow #5
  • Yellow #6

[Source]

As always I’ve highlighted the ingredients that we need to take a closer look at.

Non-Vegan Ingredients

Questionable Ingredients

Natural Flavor

This is a tricky ingredient in snacks and the reason for that is because it’s an umbrella term and companies can add whatever ingredients they like to natural flavors and usually do not disclose which ingredients are added to the main ingredient.

Artificial Colors

This is a controversial ingredient within the vegan community. It’s know for being tested on animals and the vegan community is split into two groups, dietary vegans and ethical vegans.

There are other more effective testing methods out there such as computer simulations. I personally avoid artificial colors because of animal testing, but there are some vegans that still eats foods containing these colors.

Corn

The reason I mention corn is that is one of the most common GMO crops in USA. GMO crops requires a high amount of herbicide and the problem with this is the possibility that is contaminates the surrounding environment, damaging it beyond repair.

Conclusion

I’ts uncertain if Sunny D is vegan-friendly and the problem is firstly the artificial colors. Since they have been tested on animals, many ethical vegans are staying away from them. Second is the natural flavor and in juice/soda it’s often vegan-friendly, but we can’t be sure.

Thanks for reading, take care!

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