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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.
| Flavor | Ethical Vegans | Dietary Vegans |
| Sunny D Tangy Original | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Smooth Orange | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Orange Strawberry | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Orange Mango | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Orange Peach | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Mango | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Orange Pineapple | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Fruit Punch | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Blue Raspberry | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Watermelon | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Lemonade | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Sunny D Raspberry Lemonade | No, contains Artificial Colors. | Maybe, contains Natural Flavors. |
| Frozen Sunny D Tangy Original | No, 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!
