Answer: No.
However, Hot Tamales are considered vegan by a tiny group of vegans, and we’ll see later why. After all, there isn’t a universal vegan guide.
Candies are something that we all have a love-hate relationship with. We don’t want to consume them for dietary reasons, but once we attempt, we can’t control them anymore. Hot Tamales are a popular candy with a distinctive cinnamon flavor that is somewhat sweet and spicy.
Don’t be confused about these candies as Mexican Tamales just because it’s a sweet name. No matter how hard you try during the whole year to avoid eating sweets, you will still surrender on Halloween.
So the question of whether or not Hot Tamales are vegan emerges. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Table of Contents
What Are Hot Tamales?
One of the most popular candies is Hot Tamales. It’s made by Just Born, and the end result is an oblong-shaped cinnamon-flavored chewy candy that people of all ages love. It was once the most popular cinnamon candy on the market.
This candy comes in a variety of flavors, ensuring that each consumer has a flavorful and refreshing experience. Unfortunately, due to the above-mentioned two non-vegan components, confectioners glaze and/or shellac, all flavors of Hot Tamales are now non-vegan. These flavors are namely Tropical Heat flavor, Fire & Ice flavor, and The Classic Cinnamon taste.
You may have grown up eating this spicy snack, but since being vegan, you’ve become more aware of what you eat. If you’re curious about what’s underneath the cinnamon flavor, chewy texture, and spicy aroma of this candy, you’ve come to the correct spot.
What Makes Confectioners Glaze & Shellac Non-Vegan?
Shellac is produced by lac bugs, and confectioners glaze contains shellac. Shellac is non-vegan since it’s created by lac bugs, which means it’s an animal product by default. To make it in huge volumes, the lac bugs are subjected to tremendous exploitation, enslavement, and confinement, and their lives and well-being are routinely ignored at all stages of their existence.
Vegan Status of Hot Tamales
Veganism is divided into many levels, with some abstaining from eating the most evident animal products such as meat, milk, eggs, and the like. Then there are the hardcore vegans who go a step farther and refuse to eat any food that contributes to any type of animal cruelty, whether directly or indirectly.
Hot Tamales are a good option for those in the first group since it doesn’t contain the most noticeable non-vegan ingredients used in candy production, such as gelatine, egg albumin, milk or other dairy products, and animal-derived products.
Hot Tamales used to include gelatine, which is generated from animal body parts’ collagen, but they recently updated their formula to eliminate gelatine. Many chewy candies include a large number of aerators such as albumin; however, Hot Tamales do not.
Though some vegans wouldn’t mind it, the fact that Hot Tamales utilize coal tar-derived Red 3 and Red 40 colorings mean there’s one less non-vegan component to worry about.
Why Are Hot Tamales Considered Not Vegan?
Even though Hot Tamales do not contain the aforementioned animal substances that are typical in candy, Hot Tamales are still not purely vegan. Because the producers continue to incorporate ingredients that are not suitable for vegans.
As previously stated, they comprise confectioner’s glaze and shellac, which necessitates intense exploitation and control of the lac bags during production.
As if that wasn’t horrible enough, when the material is scraped from branches, numerous bugs are brutally murdered. Confectioner’s glaze is not only made with animal products, but it also contributes to animal cruelty, which is something vegans extremely oppose.
Secondly, Hot Tamales have sugar, which is a vegan ingredient in and of itself. Although some sugar producers now use vegan-friendly purifying agents in their manufacturing, it’s difficult to track down where a large corporation like Just Born sources their sugar. To put it another way, there’s no way of knowing whether the sugar in your Hot Tamales is vegan.
Vegan Alternatives
Vegan-friendly candies aren’t difficult to find. In reality, there are many plant-based, vegan alternatives in the sweets section of your local supermarket. The greatest thing is that they are free of confectioners’ glaze.
Below are some of the finest vegan Hot Tamales substitutes you can try.
Zachary Cinnamon Bear
This chewy candy has the same cinnamon flavor as Hot Tamales but doesn’t have the confectioner’s glaze, which makes the candy best for vegans. In addition, carnauba wax is the only wax used, along with corn soup, sugar, modified food starch, artificial and natural flavors, and Red 40 coloring.
Brach’s Cinnamon Imperials
This is another sweet that tastes like Hot Tamales but does not include any problematic substances. It has natural and artificial flavors, corn syrup, sugar, and vegan-friendly food colorings. There’s nothing in the ingredient list that says it contains animal products, and there’s definitely no confectioner’s glaze.
Other Options
If you don’t like spicy candy, there are a few vegan options that are sweeter. Here’s a list to guide you.
- Jolly Ranchers
- Skittles
- Smarties
- Swedish Fish
- Nerds
- Airheads, etc.
Vegan Candy Concerns
While the previously stated candies are commonly accepted in the vegan community, there are a few factors that may cause strict vegans to reject them entirely.
To begin with, certain vegan candies are made in the same factories as non-vegan products such as dairy. Furthermore, vegan flavors are created with the same equipment as non-vegan flavors. The truth is that, despite the manufacturers’ best efforts, cross-contamination and cross-contact are inevitable. Because of this risk, some candies will never be verified as vegan, so you’ll have to determine if cross-contamination concerns you.
In vegan candies, sugar is a common ingredient. Even though it’s made from plants, it’s commonly made with bone char to eliminate contaminants and give it a pristine white appearance. Bone char is made by burning animal bones, contributing to animal exploitation. This may not sit well with extreme vegans.
Vegan candies, last but not least, include artificial colors. Even though synthetic ingredients are derived from fossil fuels, they are often tested on animals before being approved for human use. Because animals do not have the same anatomy as humans, the destructive use of animals in research is harsh and generally useless. And not only do such inaccurate results from animal experiments waste limited scientific resources, but they also put humans in danger.
Are Hot Tamales Healthy?
Vegan candy, like other types of candies, is not the healthiest option. Hot Tamales are high in sugar, which can elevate blood sugar levels and potentially lead to diabetes if taken in large amounts. Sugar consumption also adds to oral health problems such as gum disease and tooth decay.
Moreover, Hot Tamales include benzidine-containing artificial food coloring. It is a carcinogen that is safe to use on humans at limited levels. This suggests that eating too many Hot Tamales regularly raises cancer risk.
Aside from the risks presented by benzidine, these artificial dyes have been connected to a variety of health issues, including behavioral issues in kids, allergic responses, hyperactivity disorders, and extreme hypersensitivity, to mention a few.
Based on this information, it is reasonable to conclude that consuming Hot Tamales frequently harms your health. This is true not only for Hot Tamales but for all candy in general. Thus, whichever type you consume, do so in moderation or, better yet, disassociate yourself from it before it becomes too severe.
However, because we all desire something sweet now and again, maybe you can make healthier vegan sweets at home. Various recipes are available online to assist you in accomplishing this, so look them up and get started.
Can Diabetics Eat Hot Tamales?
You should generally avoid eating traditional Tamales if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. Instead, I would suggest making a dozen or so healthy tamales with all of our healthy substitutes.
Are Hot Tamales Fat-Free?
Hot Tamales Brand, manufactured by Just Born, Inc., is the most popular cinnamon candy in the United States. Each chewy candy contains just 7 calories and no fat.
Moreover, Hot Tamales contain the following:
| Amount Per Serving Calories | 110 |
| Saturated Fat | 0% |
| Trans fat | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0% |
| Sodium | 0% |
Final Thoughts
Hot Tamales can be a vegan candy or not, depending on how strict you are in your vegan diet. This cinnamon spicy candy will give a little excitement to your journey. There are also some vegan candy brands you can try if Hot Tamales doesn’t seem to satisfy you.
Candies are highly addicting. However, regardless of if they are vegan or not, none of the candy is healthy. You can’t expect to live a healthy lifestyle if you eat candy all the time. So, keep Halloween candy to a minimum and be healthy. As a result, being a vegan will help both your health and the animal world.