Would you like to know if Cool Whip is vegan-friendly?
Cool Whip is an imitation whipped cream made by General Foods Corporation in the USA, now manufactured by Kraft-Heinz.
It is known for its long shelf-life while frozen compared to normal cream, and for holding its shape as a topping and not melting on food and drinks. It is the most used brand of whipped cream in the USA.
Cool Whip comes in many varieties and flavors, including:
- Original
- Extra Creamy
- Light, Free (fat free)
- Sugar-Free (also known as Ultra-low Fat in Canada)
- French Vanilla
- Sweet Cinnamon
- Strawberry
- Peppermint.
If you’re a vegan, can you consume Cool Whip? Let’s see…
Table of Contents
Is Cool Whip Vegan-Friendly?
The Answer is: NO
Unfortunately, Cool Whip is not suitable for vegans. It contains skimmed milk and sodium caseinate (also known as milk powder), which is taken from animal protein.
What is Cool Whip Actually Made Of?
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients
Cool Whip Lite: Water, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Coconut and Palm Kernel Oils), Contains Less than 2% of Sodium Caseinate (from Milk), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Modified Food Starch, Xanthan and Guar Gums, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Monostearate, Sodium Polyphosphate, Beta Carotene (Color). CONTAINS MILK.
Why is Cool Whip Bad for Vegans?
Sodium caseinate comes from casein, a protein found in cow’s milk. It is sometimes included in products that are marketed as “no-milk” or “non-dairy”.
If the amount listed in the food product is small enough, some vegans may disregard the presence of this ingredient and continue to consume it.
As of 2018, Cool Whip now also contains skimmed milk. Skimmed milk (or skim/ ‘fat-free’/ ‘non-fat’ milk) is milk with minimum fat (0.1 – 0.2%). Cool Whip uses non plant-based milk.
- Natural flavors: Besides its dairy content, Cool Whip has natural flavors that are not confirmed whether they are plant or animal-based.
- Palm Kernel Oil: The palm oil and palm kernel oil industries contribute to deforestation and loss of animal habitat.
Final Thoughts
Cool Whip is a highly processed imitation food. Imitation food is usually nutritionally inferior to the genuine version and relies on substitute ingredients to recreate the original taste and texture.
Cool Whip contains unhealthy ingredients like synthetic wax, polysorbate60, and xanthan & guar gums. The latter two can cause diarrhea, while synthetic wax (sorbitan monostearate) is known to cause problems for the skin, eyes, respiratory and digestive systems.
When Cool Whip was first released it was marketed as ‘non-dairy; however, it has always had animal-produced sodium caseinate. As of 2018, Cool Whip also contains skim milk.
Try these vegan alternatives to Cool Whip:
Truwhip – The world’s best whipped topping!
Make Vegan Whipped Cream That’s Better Than the Real Stuff | MyRecipes
For more on Cool Whip, head to their page on the Kraft Heinz website: Cool Whip – My Food and Family