Answer: Yes.
Despite the fact that they contain many additives, Warheads still remain vegan-friendly.
If you’re a candy lover, you might have been frustrated from finding a candy that can keep up with your vegan lifestyle. In this article, we will talk about a certain brand of candy that might end your frustration, Warheads.
Warheads is a sour candy brand manufactured by Impact Confections. The candy is popular with its extreme sour flavor, especially among children.
Candies may be a bit problematic for vegan folks because of their gelatin and lactose content. Luckily, most Warheads varieties are gelatin and lactose-free except the Sour Twirls and Warheads Worms.
However, some vegans find Warheads a little bit controversial because of their sugar and artificial color content. Read on to learn more about Warheads, and discover which varieties can be added to your vegan treats list.
What Are The Ingredients Of Warheads Candy?
The classic Warheads candy has the following ingredients. Take note that we will first consider these ingredients as vegan, but we will further discuss some ingredients that are problematic in the vegan community.
| Sugar | Artificial Flavors |
| Corn Syrup | Carnauba Wax |
| Malic Acid* | Corn Starch |
| Citric Acid | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Magnesium Stearate (Processing Aid) | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Gum Acacia | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Ascorbic Acid |
Aside from this, Warheads may contain several allergens. It may contain soy and their derivatives, wheat, and their derivatives, and peanuts and their derivatives. If you have an allergic reaction to these allergens, make sure to check the label first.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional label for the classic flavor of Warheads Classic candy is shown in the chart below. Keep in mind that other Warheads varieties have different nutritional profiles and labels. Additionally, manufacturing processes can vary by country, so it’s important to always check the packaging for accurate information. For those wondering, Warheads are generally gluten-free, but confirming the label details each time will ensure safety, especially as formulations might change in 2025 and beyond.
This nutritional information is based on the suggested serving of the product. It is recommended that the serving size is 2 servings per container.
| Contents | Amount per serving |
| Calories | 40 |
| Total fat | 0 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Dietary Fibers | 0 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
Why Is Malic Acid In Warheads Problematic Among Vegans?
Malic acid is generally a vegan-friendly ingredient, as it is typically derived from fruits and vegetables. However, the malic acid present in Warheads candies is a combination of malic acid and palm oil. Palm oil farming has been a controversial issue among vegans because of the exploitation in its production.
While palm oil is obviously a plant-based product, vegans are against how its production affects the environment, especially the forests. Palm oil production contributes greatly to deforestation which often causes loss of habits to endangered animals. This action raises the alarm for some vegans since they are strictly against any form of animal cruelty.
Now, deciding whether you will still consume the product is purely a personal choice. However, since there is still a huge population of the vegan community consuming and patronizing the product, and the fact that it does not contain any animal product— we will still consider them as vegan friendly.
Do Warheads Contain Beeswax Or Shellac?
Most candies contain beeswax or shellac because these ingredients are good texture agents. This is because they naturally texturize candies and help them retain their original flavors. Despite the fact that this is a very popular ingredient in candy making, Warheads do not contain it.
Are All Warheads Candies Vegan?
No. Let us discuss various flavors and understand why some of them should be crossed out on your list.
Sour Chewy Cubes
Vegan. Add Sour Chewy Cubes to your sweet list as they are definitely vegan-friendly, with the following ingredients:
| Sugar | Malic acid |
| Corn Syrup | Sodium citrate |
| Dextrose | Fumaric acid |
| Modified corn starch | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Corn starch | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Citric acid | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Lactic acid | Natural and artificial flavors, artificial color |
Sour Twists
Not Vegan. Sour Twists include lactose, which is milk sugar. Milk is generally considered to be non-vegan because it is a product obtained from milking animals, such as cows, goats, and buffalos. The rest of the ingredients of the Sour Twist candy is presented in the table below.
| Sugar | Malic acid |
| Corn Syrup | Palm fat |
| Wheat Flour | Sodium Lactate |
| Modified corn starch | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Lactose | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Citric acid | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Lactic acid | Artificial flavors and artificial color |
| Salt | Trisodium Citrate |
| Mono and diglycerides | Glycerin |
Sour Dippers
Vegan. Sour Dippers actually have two flavors, Blue Raspberry, and Sour Cherry. Both flavors are vegan and have the same set of ingredients. The full list of their ingredients is presented in the tables below.
For their stick, the following ingredients are present:
| Dextrose | Magnesium Stearate |
| Citric Acid | Anti Caking Agent |
| Malic Acid | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Maltodextrin | Blue 1 Lake (May Contain) |
| Fumaric Acid | Artificial Flavors |
| Sucralose |
For the powder, the following ingredients are present:
| Dextrose | Tricalcium Phosphate |
| Citric Acid | Anti Caking Agent |
| Malic Acid | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Silicon Dioxide | Blue 1 Lake (May Contain) |
| Fumaric Acid | Artificial Flavors |
| Sucralose |
Sour Jelly Beans
Vegan. This is interesting because most jelly beans are considered to be non-vegan because of their gelatin contents. So, this is actually good news for jelly bean lovers out there. The full list of Sour Jelly Beans ingredients is presented in the table below.
| Sugar | Citric acid |
| Glucose Syrup | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Fumaric Acid | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Modified corn starch | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Corn starch | Natural and artificial flavors |
Super Sour Spray Candy
Vegan. Again, there’s nothing alarming about this variation’s ingredients except the palm oil contents in the malic acid that we have discussed earlier. For the full list of its ingredients (apple flavor), see the table below.
| Sugar | Potassium sorbate |
| Water | Artificial flavors |
| Glycerin | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Malic acid | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Lactic Acid | Preservative |
Super Sour Double Drops
Vegan. Add this to your candy list as it does not contain any ingredients that can be problematic. See the table below for the list of all its ingredients.
| Sugar | Potassium sorbate |
| Water | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Glycerin | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Malic Acid | Preservative |
| Citric Acid | Artificial flavors |
| Lactic Acid |
Sour Cooler
Vegan. This is another Warheads variation that does not include any problematic non-vegan ingredients. Its full ingredients are listed in the table presented below.
| Dextrose | Magnesium Stearate |
| Citric Acid | Anti Caking Agent |
| Malic Acid | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Maltodextrin | Blue 1 Lake (May Contain) |
| Fumaric Acid | Yellow 5 Lake (May Contain) |
| Sucralose | Artificial Flavors |
Warhead Worms
Not vegan. Warhead worms contain gelatin. Aside from gelatin, warhead worms variations often include lactose and other alarming ingredients such as glycerin and glycerides. The European version contains lactose, while the American version contains gelatin.
The American version of the Warhead Worms include the following ingredients:
| Sugar | Titanium dioxide |
| Corn syrup | Red 40 (May Contain) |
| Modified cornstarch | Blue 1 (May Contain) |
| Gelatin | Yellow 5 (May Contain) |
| Citric Acid | Natural flavors |
| Lactic Acid | Artificial flavors |
Why Is Gelatin Considered Non-Vegan?
Gelatin is considered non-vegan simply because it is made from animal tissues. Gelatin is mainly made from animals’ tendons, ligaments, bones, and skin.
Gelatin is a popular ingredient in candies because it is a good thickening and stabilizing agent. It is also very affordable and easy to access. Thus, the vegan communities are very careful in selecting and consuming candies because most of them use gelatin.
Fortunately for Warheads, the only variation (so far) that uses gelatin is their American Warheads Worms. All other products are gelatin-free.
Are Warheads Gluten-Free?
Another major problem with candies is their gluten content. For warheads, there are some variations that you should look out for as they have wheat in their ingredients. Those that are gluten-free are their Extreme Sour Hard Candy and Double Drops.
Moreover, there are some variations that are made with gluten such as their Sour Twist candy. Always check the labels for gluten contents, especially if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet.
Warheads Candies Should Be On Your List
Feel free to include Warheads in your vegan treats as most of their variations are vegan. However, you should be careful as some of them contain lactose or gelatin. Sour Twist candy includes lactose and is not gluten-free either. The Warheads Worms, on the other hand, include gelatin.
If you have issues with palm oil, you should watch out for the Warheads variations that include malic acid. You can definitely enjoy the rest of Warheads variations!
