Oreos
Oreos are technically vegan but most Oreos have controversial ingredients that many vegans may not eat.
Oreo Ingredients (Regular Flavor)
Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm And/or Canola Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leavening (Baking Soda And/or Calcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin, Chocolate, Artificial Flavor.
Controversial Ingredients in Oreos
Sugar: Oreos don’t have organic sugar because the manufacturer has not mentioned the sugar’s type. So, the probability that Oreos have refined sugar in them is high. Refined sugar is technically vegan but is filtered using animal bone char. Many vegans don’t eat foods made using refined sugar as an ingredient, whereas some are okay with it.
Palm Oil: Palm oil is also technically vegan, but its farming has led to deforestation and damaged the natural habitat of many animals. Strict vegans reject palm oil because it isn’t cruelty-free. However, increasing awareness about veganism and animal rights has led to sustainable palm oil farming in the recent decades.
Many manufacturers only use sustainable and cruelty-free palm oil. Mondelez International, Oreo’s owner, has pledged to use only sustainable palm oil in all its products.
Flavors: FDA defines artificial flavors as man-made and free from plant or animal-derived ingredients. Natural flavors can be obtained from animal and plant sources.
Oreo has not mentioned the source of flavors in its cookies. Hence, you cannot be 100% sure about flavors being vegan or not. It comes to your preferences and how strictly you follow veganism.
Verdict on Oreos Being Vegan or Not
It depends on your personal preferences whether to eat Oreos or not. A strong argument in favor of foods like Oreos comes from Peta. Peta says that veganism is about reducing animal cruelty. It says ignoring tiny amounts of animal-derived ingredients in processed foods is okay. The biggest difference is choosing a veggie burger over a beef burger and tofu scramble over eggs. It is not a good idea to discourage fresh vegans by rejecting food with 0.001 grams of artificial flavor that may or may not be tested on animals.
Moreover, the farther an ingredient is down the list, the less of that ingredient is in the food. So, don’t worry too much and ignore micro-ingredients in packaged food. Make it easy for other people to adopt veganism with a relaxed approach.
Please note that processed vegan foods often come with a cross-contamination warning as they are made on equipment used to make non-vegan foods.
How to ensure that the Oreos you buy are 100% Vegan? Vegan Oreo Varieties
Some Oreo varieties are not vegan by ingredients. For example, Fudge Oreos contain milk. Vegans can’t eat it.
The simplest way to see if Oreos are vegan is to check the ingredients. Look for milk or milk products, lactose, casein, or other animal-derived ingredients. Don’t forget to search for the ingredient online if you aren’t sure about it. The following Oreo flavors are free from animal-derived ingredients.
- Oreos
- Double Stuff Oreos
- Golden Oreos
- Gluten-Free Oreos
- Birthday Cake Oreos
- Lemon Oreos
- Mint Oreos
- Chocolate Hazelnut
- Chocolate Oreos
- Peanut Butter Oreos
- Carrot Cake Oreos
Please note that ingredients may change in the future. All the flavors and varieties mentioned above were vegan at the time of writing.
Are Oreos Dairy-Free?
Many Oreos, such as Classics, Flavors, and Thins, are dairy-free. On the contrary, dipped Oreos mostly contain dairy.
Are Oreos Gluten-Free?
Only the Gluten-free variety is gluten-free. All other varieties contain gluten, as they are made from wheat.
Are Oreos Healthy?
Oreos are not a very healthy snack. The main ingredients in Oreos are processed and contain a lot of sugar. It is low in fiber and proteins. Hence, it is recommended to eat Oreos in moderation.
