Are Lucky Charms vegan? That is the question of the day! We know that Lucky Charms have a “marshmallow” component, but how much of that is a real marshmallow that would typically contain gelatin or other animal based ingredients.
In order to dive deeper into that question, we must first look at Lucky Charm ingredients:
- Whole Grain Oats
- Sugar
- Oat Flour
- Corn Syrup
- Modified Corn Starch
- Corn Starch
- Dextrose
- Salt
- Gelatin
- Trisodium Phosphate
- Yellows 5 & 6, Red 40, Blue 1 and Other Color Added
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Zinc and Iron (mineral nutrients), Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), B Vitamin (niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (thiamin mononitrate), Vitamin A (palmitate), B Vitamin (folic acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.
Are Lucky Charms Vegan??
You can see in the ingredient list above, I’ve highlighted a key ingredient. Lucky Charms are NOT vegan because this breakfast cereal contains gelatin. Gelatin is sourced from animal hooves and helps sticky candies and marshmallows get that gelatinous consistency.
Is this a problem? Only if you love Lucky Charms and you’re following a vegan lifestyle. I will say, there are a lot of other cereals out there and I know you’ll find another one (that’s vegan) that you’ll enjoy! If you’re looking for cereal recommendations from a vegan dietitian, I would recommend Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes (7g of fiber, 5g of protein, only 5g of sugar). This is a great, healthier option. Add some blueberries or walnuts to increase nutritional density and add some variety! If you have any questions about other vegan cereals or you have suggestions for other readers, comment below – we’d love to hear from you. Happy Eating!