Vegan marshmallows are made without animal-derived ingredients, including gelatin, which is typically made from animal bones and hides. They use plant-based ingredients like seaweed-based gels to replicate the texture of standard marshmallows. Vegan marshmallows are also typically considered kosher and can be consumed by those who follow strict Islamic practices. However, they are not necessarily a healthy food and some concerns have been raised about the use of certain plant-based ingredients.
Vegan marshmallows are marshmallows made under dietary restrictions followed by those who live a vegan lifestyle. This type of lifestyle is similar to vegetarianism, but goes beyond some vegetarian diets to prevent the ingestion not only of meat, but also of any foods that come from animals. These restrictions mean that vegan foods do not contain eggs, butter, milk or other animal-derived ingredients. Vegan marshmallows are therefore made without those products and use other ingredients to replace them, usually through plant-based ingredients that replicate the gelatin found in standard marshmallows.
Sometimes also labeled as vegetarian marshmallows, vegan marshmallows are available from a variety of manufacturers and can even be made in a home kitchen. The main difference between vegan marshmallows and regular marshmallows is the use of gelatin, which is a major ingredient used to provide texture in marshmallows. Gelatin is typically made by extracting collagen from byproducts of the meat and leather industries, often from animal bones and hides. This means that the use of gelatin violates the culinary restrictions of veganism and may be considered too similar to eating meat for many vegetarians.
The vegan marshmallows are therefore made without using gelatin and plant-based products are used instead which can provide a similar texture. Some of the more common products used are seaweed-based gels such as carrageenan and agar-agar. The resulting marshmallows are considered vegan since no animal products are used to make them. Typical additional ingredients in vegan marshmallows include corn syrup, sugar, vanilla extract and soy protein.
Because vegan marshmallows are made without the use of gelatin, they are also typically considered kosher as well. Other types of kosher marshmallows may be products that aren’t vegan, however, such as those that use gelatin from cows or fish, rather than the more common porcine gelatin. Islamic dietary restrictions also typically prevent the consumption of pork-derived products, including gelatin, so these marshmallows can be consumed even by those who follow strict Islamic practices.
Vegan marshmallows typically contain high amounts of sugar anyway, so they’re not necessarily a healthy or diet-conscious food. They are simply made without gelatin which comes from animal sources. There are some concerns about products used to replace such gelatin, however, such as carrageenan. Some research has indicated that there may be some potential health risks associated with ingesting carrageenan in large quantities, especially for infants or young children.
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