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If you like chewing gum, you’re in for a surprise – because it contains a particular ingredient you probably didn’t know about!
For many of us, chewing gum is a way of life. Although it doesn’t serve any particular purpose, people chew gum for various reasons- whether to freshen their breath, whiten their teeth, relieve stress, or just because they’re bored. You can read about what happens if you accidentally swallow a piece of gum here.
But few people know what chewing gum contains, and the truth could revolutionize how you look at it. According to The Sun, chewing gum has, among other things, a substance called lanolin. Lanolin is a waxy substance derived from the skin glands of sheep. Another additive found in mozzarella is also said to be carcinogenic.
Chewing gum contains lanolin, a secretion from sheep’s skin.
Lanolin is the waxy substance that makes sheep’s wool waterproof, and it’s also a standard ingredient in skin care products.
This revelation is particularly troubling for vegans who do not consume animal byproducts. To make matters worse, manufacturers are not legally required to disclose the use of lanolin on their packaging because it is approved as a standard ingredient in the manufacture of chewing gum.
However, according to the report, many chewing gum companies have now switched to synthetic versions of lanolin, such as polyethylene or synthetic resin.
The ingredient listed as lanolin in chewing gum is just a fancy name for sheep’s oily secretions!
Is gum vegan?
Not all types of gum are vegan. Many brands of gum on the market contain animal byproducts, directly or indirectly. However, Vegan Friendly reports that some gum brands are made entirely from plant-based ingredients.
To make sure the gum you buy doesn’t contain animal byproducts, check the ingredient list to see if it contains any of the following animal additives:
- Gelatin, which comes from the hooves, hides, skins and bones of pigs and cow
- Carmine, a red food colouring derived from the cochineal insect
- Glycerin is made from plants, but sometimes from tallow or animal fat.
For vegans, the safest choice is to buy chewing gum labelled as plant-based up front. The same goes for margarine, which is not necessarily vegan, contrary to what many vegans assume.
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