One of the irresistible drinks launched by Coca-Cola is Fanta. It is a fruit-flavoured soft drink available in multiple colors. Many people love to drink this fruity liquid, but vegans might want to know, Is Fanta vegan?
Well, our experts say that not all Fanta flavours are vegan because the ingredients involved in its preparation may or may not be vegan-friendly. The company does not directly claim its ingredients to be 100% vegan, so there is a possibility that the additives in Fanta might be derived from some animal source, mostly food dyes and preservatives.
Let’s get into the details of which flavours of Fanta are vegan and which are not.
Origin of Fanta:
Fanta originated in Germany during World War II in the 1940s. It was made entirely from the ingredients available in the country at that time, and thus, it got its name from the German word “fantasie”, which means imagination.
The fun fact about the origin of Fanta is that it was not used as a drink in the beginning but was used to sweeten the dishes, mainly because sugar was not available in bulk at that time due to the war in the country. Later, it became very popular in the category of fizzy drinks worldwide.
In the beginning, the main flavour was Orange, but now Fanta is available in different varieties like;
Fanta zero-sugar orange, Fanta strawberry, Fanta grape, Fanta peach, Fanta pineapple, Fanta berry, and Fanta Pina colada.
Is Fanta Vegan?
Well, Fanta is vegan or not? It depends entirely on your definition of veganism. Generally, if we look at its ingredients, then most of its ingredients are plant-derived, so they are vegan-friendly. But the dyes used in this drink may or may not be derived from animal sources. If we look at the official website of Coca-Cola, they claim that Fanta Orange is entirely vegan.
So, for most vegans, Fanta is considered vegan-friendly. Because all its ingredients are derived from natural animal-free sources, the only ethical concern is related to animal testing for different ingredients, mainly their food dyes. Some vegetarians may not mind using such products.
However, some strict vegetarians even consider it to be violating their vegan rules, and so they may avoid such products.
Other than these animal testing, there is concern about the use of “bone char” in sugar processing, which may be used in these sodas. Bone char is used to add whitening to the sugar, and it is an animal-derived ingredient. But particularly for Fanta orange, the company claims it to be purely vegan. As for other flavors, we can not claim it to be 100% vegan-friendly.
Ingredients of Fanta:
The primary ingredients of almost all varieties of Fanta are:
Carbonated water:
This is carbon dioxide-infused water, giving fizziness to the sodas. It is 100% vegan-friendly.
High fructose corn syrup:
This adds a sweetening flavor to the drink, and it is somehow controversial as some believe that the sugar obtained from it may contain animal-derived bone char. So, it may not be vegan-friendly.
Natural acids:
Citric acid and malic acid are naturally occurring acids found in fruits and vegetables and are usually added in Fanta to give it an acidic flavor. These acids are also vegan-friendly.
Vegetable extracts:
In different flavors of Fanta, a variety of vegetable extracts are also added in their concentrated form to enhance the flavor, such as carrot or pumpkin. These vegetable extracts are 100% vegan-friendly.
Natural flavors:
A wide range of natural flavors are used in Fanta. Coca-Cola claims their products to be vegan friendly, but these flavors can be derived from both plant and animal sources.
Preservatives:
Sodium benzoate is one of the widely used preservatives in Fanta. Although it is plant-based and is purely vegan, these preservatives are being tested on animals and so, they are not 100% cruelty-free.
Modified food starch:
It is used as a stabilizer and thickener and is not derived from any animal source.
Glycerol ester of resins:
It is widely used as an emulsifier or stabilizer in the preparation of Fanta and is usually derived from pine trees. However, the glycerin content may be derived from vegetable oil or animal fat. So, it may or may not be vegan-friendly, depending on their origin.
Coloring agents:
Yellow 6 and Red 40 are commonly used as coloring agents in Fanta. Unlike caramel color, which is totally vegan, these agents are not directly derived from animal sources, but they are usually tested on animals, so they may have some ethical concerns.
Vegan Alternatives of Fanta:
Those brands that do not utilize any animal-derived ingredients during the entire manufacturing process, not even during their testing, and still produce a good quality fizzy drink can be a good vegan substitute for Fanta.
Some brands that claim to produce vegan-friendly flavorful fizzy drinks are:
- IZZE
- Zevia
- Blue sky soda
- LaCroix
- Spindrift
- Dr pepper
It’s always preferable to check the ingredient list before consuming any product because, over time there may be changes in the formulation of that product.
If you are really addicted to these sodas but still have concerns about their vegan profile, then other than using these above-mentioned vegan-friendly brands, you may replace them with other drinks like;
Fruit juices: Apple, orange, pineapple or other fruit juices are 100% vegan if used without added sugar and artificial flavoring or sweetening agents. These can be a good vegan replacement for sodas like Fanta.
Sparkling water: Flavored or plain sparkling water without added sugars or sweeteners can be a refreshing alternative to sodas.
Iced tea: Unsweetened iced tea, whether black, green, or herbal, can be a great choice. You can add a slice of lemon or a few mint leaves for extra flavor.
Is Fanta Vegan PETA?
PETA does not declare Fanta as vegan due to animal-derived ingredients and animal testing. Its preservatives and food dyes are not vegan.
Is Fanta Lilt vegan?
Fanta Lilt is not vegan. Ingredients of Fanta Lilt are Carbonated Water, Fruit Juices (Pineapple or Grapefruit),, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Sweeteners (Aspartame), Flavourings, Stabilisers, Colour (beta Carotenes), Citric Acid, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), fish gelatin, and antioxidants like ascorbic acid. Fish gelatin and preservatives are not vegan.
Is Fanta Zero Vegan?
Fanta Zero is totally vegan. There are no animal-derived products in Fanta Zero. Its ingredients include yellow 6, aspartame, modified food starch, potassium citrate, natural flavors, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, glycerol ester of rosin, medium chain triglycerides, carbonated water, citric acid, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), acesulfame potassium, red 40.
Is Fruit Twist Fanta Vegan?
Fruit Twist Fanta is vegan as it contains plant and vegetable-derived ingredients. It contains the following ingredients that are 100% vegan:
- Carbonated Water
- Acids (Citric Acid, Malic Acid)
- Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)
- Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K)
- Natural Flavourings
- Stabilisers (Glycerol Esters)
- Fruit Juices From Concentrate 4.4% (Orange 3.4%, Peach 0.5%, Apple 0.4%, Passion Fruit 0.1%)
- Vegetable And Plant Concentrates (Carrot, Safflower)
Are Fanta Frozen Vegan?
Fanta Frozen is vegan. All Fanta Frozen slushies are also vegan. Ingredients of Fanta frozen are Carbonated Water, Quillaia Extract, Citric Acid, High Fructose Corn Syrup, natural and artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate, Yucca Extract, and Blue 1. All these are vegan.
Is Fanta Lemon vegan?
Fanta lemon is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It is also gluten-free. It contains the following ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Lemon Juice From Concentrate (5%)
- Acids (Citric Acid, Malic Acid)
- Sweeteners (Acesulfame K, Aspartame)
- Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)
- Acidity Regulator (Sodium Gluconate)
- Stabilisers (Acacia Gum, Glycerol Esters Of Wood Rosins)
- Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid)
- Natural Lemon Flavouring
All these ingredients of Fanta lemon are vegan.
Is Fanta Pineapple Vegan?
Fanta pineapple is not vegan as it contains two animal-derived products: fish and gelatin. Vegans should avoid it.
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