Answer: Yes.
An ICEE is one of the most popular frozen carbonated beverages ICEE company offers in Ontario and the US. This company offers several other products as well, but the ICEE is the main one. Now the real question is, is ICEE vegan?
Yes, all ICEE beverages are vegan. ICEEs are available in several flavors, and all of them are a combination of vegan-friendly artificial colors, flavors, cruelty-free preservatives, citric acid, and high-fructose corn syrup.
To give you a better perspective, we have explained the vegan status of ICEEs in detail in this article.
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ICEEs – Everything You Need to Know
The Icee Company is an American beverage company located in Tennessee, United States. This company is famous because of its frozen carbonated beverages that are available in soda and fruit flavors.
Other than these drinks, Icee also offers Italian ice pops and frozen beverages under the Slush Puppie and Icee brands. The company’s mascot is an animated polar bear known as ICEE Bear.
Why ICEE Products Are Considered Vegan
As we all know, vegans cannot consume dairy and animal products. In addition, some strict vegans also avoid products that are tested on animals. Due to these restrictions, finding a vegan product is not a piece of cake.
To follow your vegan diet correctly, you must invest your time and do your homework. When some companies advertise themselves as vegan-friendly, they might be offering products that are not cruelty-free. Well, fortunately, that’s not the case with ICEEs.
All ICEE products are vegan. These products contain delicious yet straightforward ingredients free from animal cruelty, dairy, or animal products. Read on to learn about different vegan ICEE beverages that you can enjoy without feeling guilty.
Vegan Flavors of ICEE
To determine which ICEE flavor is vegan, it’s essential you know the ingredients of each flavor. To help you out, below, we have compiled a list of some of the most delicious ICEE flavors that are entirely vegan:
Green Apple
Let’s start with ICEE green apple. This one is delicious and free from allergens. It is vegan, gluten-free, and FDA-approved. Along with other ICEE ingredients, it contains Green 3. Fast Green or Green 3 is a synthetic food dye that is entirely vegan.
Ingredients: Refined Brominated Soybean Oil, Ester Gum, Modified Food Starch, Refined Soybean Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Quillaja, And Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, and High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Red Cherry
Another flavor that is quite popular out there is Red Cherry ICEE. This one offers a sweet and tart flavor that is indeed mouth-watering. ICEE also provides a less sweet and tart white cherry but features a subtle note of soda flavor.
Ingredients: Caramel Color, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Quillaja and Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and FD&C Red 40.
Orange
ICEE orange is full of juicy and fresh oranges without any artificial notes. It is free from annoying sweetness.
Ingredients: Refined Brominated Soybean Oil, Ester Gum, Natural Flavors, Modified Food Starch, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Quillaja, and Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, Water High Fructose Corn Syrup, and FD&C Yellow 6.
Grape
Next, we have ICEE grape flavor. Like the ICEEs mentioned above, this one is also 100% vegan and does not contain dairy or animal products.
Ingredients: Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Artificial Flavors, Quillaja and Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, FD&C Red 40, and FD&C Blue 1.
Blue Raspberry
Like ICEE Grape, ICEE Blue Raspberry also contains Brilliant Blue aka Blue 1. This ingredient is a synthetic organic compound used in cosmetics, medications, processed foods, and dietary supplements. Thanks to its vibrant and bright blue color, it is a common ingredient in blue raspberry-flavored products.
Ingredients: Sodium Benzoate, Artificial Flavors, Quillaia and Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and FD&C Blue 1.
Banana
Another ICEE flavor that deserves a spot on our list is Banana. With other ingredients for ICEE beverages, this one also contains Tartrazine E102.
Tartrazine E120, aka Yellow 5, is a type of azo dye and offers decent lemon-yellow color. Like other azo dyes, this one was used to be produced with coal tar. However, these days it tends to be manufactured from by-products of the petroleum industry.
Ingredients: Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Artificial Flavor, Quillaja, Yucca Extracts, Citric Acid, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and FD&C Yellow 5 & 6.
Cola
ICEE Cola is probably the most popular frozen carbonated beverage available out there. To offer a perfect cola color, this drink includes Allura Red or Red 40.
Red 40 is a common coloring agent found in numerous children’s medicines, popsicles, candies, and sodas. It is worth noting that Red 40 is quite different from Red 4. Red 40 is derived from petroleum, while Red 4 is produced from bugs, making it unsuitable for vegans.
Ingredients: Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, Quillaia and Yucca Extracts, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and FD&C Red 40.
Other ICEE Flavors
Besides these flavors, Icee Company also produces several other flavors that are entirely vegan. these ICEE beverages include:
- White Cherry
- Watermelon
- Strawberry Kiwi
- Strawberry
- Raspberry Lemonade
- Watermelon Lemonade
- Pink Lemonade
- Pina Colada
- Lemon Lime
- Lemon
- Cherry Lime
- Boysenberry
ICEE also offers cream flavor. Even though this drink does not feature milk as an ingredient, there’s limited allergen info available on the side.
Coca Cola ICEEs
Did you know some stores offer the Coca-Cola flavor of the ICEEs?
In North America, some 7-11 convenience stores sell Coca-Cola ICEEs that are entirely vegan-friendly. However, most Coca-Cola flavors contain beta carotene – a plant-based version of vitamin A, often stabilized through gelatin.
Some Coca-Cola products that contain beta carotene are Schweppes Orange Squash, Lilt Zero, Lilt, and Kia-Ora Orange Squash. Due to the fish gelatin, we suggest avoiding these flavors and sticking to products that don’t contain the beta-carotene additive.
Dietary Information About ICEEs
If you are sensible about your diet and what to know more about the dietary content of ICEE drinks, you are at the right place. In this part of the article, we will give you some essential nutritional ingo about ICEEs.
Icees and Calories
Let’s start with the most important thing, calories. How many calories does an ICEE drink contains? Well, the answer to this question differs from flavor to flavor. For instance, the Strawberry flavor contains up to 80 calories per eight ounces, while lemon-lime offers 117 calories per eight ounces.
Compared to other sweet drinks, ICEE products are less harmful to you as they contain fewer calories. The calorie content in ICEE drinks can fall anywhere between 60 calories to 120 calories per eight ounces.
So, if you want to control your calorie intake, remember to read the label before purchasing a drink.
Icees and Gluten
Are ICEE drinks gluten-free? According to the official website, ICEE drinks are free from wheat and other sources of gluten. So, if you have gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, or wheat allergy, these beverages are perfect for you.
Icees and Kosher
Kosher food is one that is manufactured according to Jewish dietary laws. If you are following a kosher diet, it’s rational to ask, are ICEEs kosher? The answer to this question is simple, YES, all ICEE products are 100% kosher certified.
Icees and Caffeine
If you are lessening your caffeine intake as well, you’ll be happy to know that most ICEE drinks are free from caffeine. However, it is worth noting that some ICEE flavors do contain a tiny amount of caffeine. To be sure, we recommend reading nutritional facts and ingredients before making a purchase.
Sugar-Free ICEEs
Are there any diet or sugar-free ICEEs available out there? According to ICEE Company, there are no sugar-free ICEE flavors in the market. This is because sugar plays a vital role in these beverages.
Besides the delicious taste, sugar acts as a freezing agent in ICEE drinks. Without a specific quantity of sugar, these drinks would freeze up and won’t dispense from the machine into the cup. Furthermore, there are no perfect alternatives to sugar available at this time, so it’s nearly impossible to find a sugar-free ICEE.
In Conclusion
Are ICEEs vegan? Yes, all ICEE products are vegan. They contain plant-based and synthetic ingredients that are entirely free from animal cruelty. Furthermore, these frozen carbonated beverages do not have any dairy or animal products, making them suitable for all vegans.
The only thing you should worry about is sugar content and synthetic color. As there are no sugar-free ICEEs available and sugar is quite harmful to your health, we recommend controlling your ICEEs intake.