We know you’re wondering if Fruity Pebbles are vegan-friendly.
Who wouldn’t enjoy a breakfast that brings us back to the days we enjoyed the Flintstones? It is made from rice cereal and comes in a variety of fruity flavors and attractive colors like Berry Blue, Incrediberry Purple, and Bedrock Berry Pink which is a hit with children! But can the age-old favorites be eaten on a vegan -diet? Continue reading to find out.
Table of Contents
Are Fruity Pebbles Vegan-Friendly?
The answer is: No
Fruity Pebbles contain vitamin D3 which is an animal-sourced ingredient. Also, some of the ingredients pose ethical concerns such as artificial coloring and palm kernel oil.
What Are Fruity Pebbles Made Out Of?
Nutritional Facts
Ingredients
The Ingredients are: Cereal (rice, sugar, hydrogenated oil (coconut and palm kernel oils), salt, contains less than 0.5% of natural and artificial flavor, red 40, yellow 6, turmeric oleoresin (color), blue 1, yellow 5, blue 2, BHA (to help protect flavor). Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Reduced Iron, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12.
Why Are Fruity Pebbles Not Vegan-Friendly
Fruity Pebbles contain vitamin D3 which is an animal-sourced ingredient. Vitamin D3 is made from lanolin, the oil that seeps from sheep’s skin which they use to protect their wool. As the oil is sourced from animals it is not suitable for vegans.
Natural flavor is sometimes made from animal-sourced products. As there is some uncertainty around what type of natural flavors products use, strict vegans normally choose to avoid eating products containing this ingredient. Post, the maker of Fruity Pebbles has not disclosed whether their natural flavor is animal-sourced.
Palm kernel oil is derived from the seed of the palm tree. While palm oil is vegan-friendly, its mass production caused great destruction to the natural ecosystem in tropical areas where animals live. Vegans who are strict on the safety and protection of these animals that are pushed out of their natural habitat should avoid using products with this ingredient.
It should be noted however that in 2015, Post the company that makes Fruity Pebbles, made a commitment to source palm oil that is 100% sustainable by 2016.
Artificial colors such as red 40 and yellow 5 pose ethical concerns as they expose animals to cruelty. They are tested on animals to ensure that they are safe for humans. According to Healthline, these animals are later euthanized as some develop fatal reactions to the testing.
Final Thoughts
Just like the memorable characters on the box of every Fruity Pebble, the verdict is written in stone. The cereal is not vegan-friendly. It has an animal-sourced product named Vitamin D3 which is made from lanolin. It also contains ingredients that pose ethical concerns as they expose animals to animal cruelty. “Yabba Daba Doo” take it from us!
For more information on Fruit Pebbles head over to the official website: https://www.postpebblescereal.com/