A classic chewy candy which includes a joke on every wrapper. Many people grew up on these sugary treats, which are modeled after classic taffy but are flat, harder, and in sweet flavors. While original taffy is made with butter and sugar, is Laffy Taffy vegan?
Some Laffy Taffy products are vegan. Laffy Taffy Minis and Laffy Taffy Ropes are vegan. Laffy Taffy Stretchy and Tangy is not vegan as it contains egg albumin, a protein found in egg whites. Laffy Taffy Bites are also not vegan as they contain gelatin. The best vegan alternatives are YumEarth Organic Chewys and Dr. John’s Healthy Sweet Sugar-Free Taffy.
Other than feeding a sugar obsession, Laffy Taffy has little nutritional value. It has lots of sugar and some saturated fat, but it is a stretchy candy that is fun to eat. Let’s talk about its history, some of the ingredients used to make the candy, and dive into its nutritional value. We will also discuss healthier, vegan alternatives to Laffy Taffy. Let’s dig in!
Contents
History
Laffy Taffy has been around since 1883 when it was called Beich’s Caramels. Back then, taffy was made by boiling sugar, butter or vegetable oil, flavorings and coloring, and stretching or pulling it until it became aerated. Traditional taffy is still made this way and it’s fun to make and eat.
Later, the company was bought by Nestle and gained more popularity through the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in the mid 2000’s. By 2018, it was sold to its current owner Ferrero SpA, an Italian company behind such names as Nutella, Tic Tac, Ferrero Rocher, and more.
Gone are the traditional ingredients, replaced with more commercial-friendly ones. Palm oil and cottonseed oil are used instead of butter. Corn syrup and sugar are the base ingredients. Natural flavors and artificial colors make it sweet and pretty. Malic acid makes certain flavors sour.
Controversial Ingredients
- Mono and diglycerides are off the table for some vegans. These substances can come from plants or animals, but many consider these mostly vegan-friendly. It’s a personal choice.
- Albumin is a protein from egg whites, and this automatically makes it non-vegan.
- Gelatin is most often derived from pigskins or cattle bones and is definitely off the vegan list. There are vegan substitutes for gelatin including agar-agar, carrageenan, guar gum, starch, and pectin. There’s no indication that these are used in Laffy Taffy.
- Sugar is vegan in some cases, but it all depends on the refining process. Some refined sugars use bone char. We can’t tell by looking at the ingredients.
- Palm Oil is vegan, but the methods used to farm and cultivate it sometimes result in deforestation and loss of animal habitat. This controversy is debated in the vegan community and is a personal choice. There are sustainably produced palm oils, but it is not specified on Laffy Taffy packages.
- Natural flavors in candies are typically from plant sources, but that is not specified on Laffy Taffy labels.
- Food Colors need to be looked at individually. Some are from animals, and many are tested on animals. Some vegans avoid these colors altogether for the testing aspect alone.
- Yellow 5 used in the Banana flavor is a dye derived from petroleum. It is considered vegan.
- Red 40 used in Strawberry and Cherry flavors is also derived from petroleum and is considered vegan. Other Red colors, like Red, are made from beetles, but this is not used in Laffy Taffy.
- Blue 1 is used in Sour Apple and Blue Raspberry is a synthetic organic compound and is vegan.
Laffy Taffy Nutritional Information
Let’s look at each of the Laffy Taffy varieties.
Laffy Taffy Minis
Laffy Taffy Minis are vegan. They do contain soy.
Flavors:
- Banana
- Cherry
- Grape
- Sour Apple
- Blue Raspberry
- Strawberry
Cherry Flavor
Ingredients in Cherry Minis:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Palm Oil
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil
- Malic Acid
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavors
- Red 40
Nutrition Facts (per 3 pieces):
- 110 Calories
- 5g Total Fat
- 40mg Sodium
- 25g Carbohydrates (16g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Laffy Taffy Stretchy & Tangy
Laffy Taffy Stretchy & Tangy are not vegan due to the addition of egg whites.
Flavors:
- Banana
- Cherry
- Grape
- Strawberry
- Watermelon
- Sparkle Cherry
Banana Flavor
Ingredients in Banana Flavor (other flavors have the same ingredients and more such as Malic Acid or different artificial colors. Red 3, Yellow 6, Blue 1, etc.)
- Corn Syrup
- Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
- 2% or less of Egg Whites
- Sodium Alginate
- Natural Flavors
- Calcium Acetate
- Monoglycerides
- Yellow 5
Nutrition Facts (per package, 43g):
- 180 Calories
- 5g Fat (3.5g Saturated)
- 40mg Sodium
- 36g Carbohydrates (24g added Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Laffy Taffy Ropes
Laffy Taffy Ropes are vegan. They do have soy.
Flavors:
- Banana
- Cherry
- Grape
- Sour Apple
- Blue Raspberry
- Strawberry
- Mystery
Banana Ropes
Ingredients in Banana Ropes:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Palm Oil
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
- Yellow 5
Nutrition Facts (per one rope):
- 80 Calories
- 5g Fat
- 11g Sugars
- 0g Proteins
- 40mg Sodium
- 18g Carbohydrates
Laffy Taffy Bites
Laffy Taffy Bites are not vegan because there is gelatin in the ingredient list. While there are gelatins that are vegan, Laffy Taffy does not specify this. Bites contain soy.
Flavors:
- Mixed
- Gone Bananas
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Palm Oil
- Citric Acid
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavors
- Gelatin
- Acacia (Gum Arabic)
- Carnauba Wax
- Blue 1
- Red 40
- Yellow 5
Nutrition Facts (per 4 pieces):
- 120 Calories
- 1g Total Fat
- 5mg Sodium
- 27g Total Carbohydrates (17g added Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Alternatives to Laffy Taffy
YumEarth Organic Chewys
Allergy Friendly, Non-GMO, Gluten Free, and Vegan.
Flavors:
- Lemon
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Orange
Ingredients:
- Organic Rice Syrup
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Palm Oil
- Organic Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Organic Sunflower Lecithin
- Colored from Organic Concentrates (Carrot, Blackcurrant)
- Organic Turmeric
- Pectin
Nutrition Facts (per 30g):
- 110 Calories
- 5g Total Fat (1g Saturated)
- 0mg Sodium
- 23g Total Carbohydrates (16g Added Sugars)
Zollipops Zaffi Taffy Clean Teeth Taffy
Designed to be eaten after a meal, Zaffi Taffy neutralizes the acidity in your mouth to prevent cavities. They are gluten-free, dairy=free, vegan, natural, and kosher. 10% of their profits go to promoting oral health education.
Flavors:
- Strawberry
- Grape
- Orange
- Cherry
- Pineapple
Ingredients:
- Maltitol Syrup
- Xylitol
- Citric Acid
- Erythritol
- Natural Flavors
- Beetroot Juice
- Annatto
- Turmeric
- Grape Juice Extract
- Stevia
Nutrition (per 5 pieces):
- 70 Calories
- 3g Total Fat (1.5g Saturated)
- 50mg Sodium
- 20g Total Carbohydrates (20g Sugar Alcohol)
- 25mg Vitamin
Angel’s Tropical Salt Water Taffy by Florida Candy Factory
This company proves that where there’s a will, there’s a way. While it’s hard to compare classic taffy with a new recipe, it’s a good alternative for those who miss this candy. It is free of soy, gluten, dairy, and nuts. No artificial flavors or colors, and sustainably sourced vegan ingredients. It comes in five flavors.
Flavors:
- Cherry
- Key Lime
- Lemon
- Orange
- Vanilla
Ingredients:
- Non-high fructose corn syrup
- Non-bone char pure cane sugar
- Organic sustainably sourced palm oil,
- Sunflower lecithin
- Natural vegan flavors
Nutrition Facts (per 6 pieces):
- 170 calories
- 4g Total Fat (2.5g saturated)
- 10mg sodium
- 33g Carbohydrates (22g sugars)
- 0g Protein
Mamba Fruit Chews
Available in packages of sour, fruity, and tropical combinations with several flavors each, these are 100% vegan. They do contain wheat, so they are not gluten-free.
Flavors:
- Lime
- Green Apple
- Strawberry
- Raspberry
- Mango
- Tropical
- Pineapple
- Orange
- Lemon
Ingredients:
- Glucose Syrup (from wheat or corn)
- Sugar
- Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil and/or Sheanut Oil)
- Sorbitol
- Humectant
- Modified Food Starch
- Citric Acid
- Artificial Flavors
- Concentrated Elderberry Juice
- Colors: Turmeric, Paprika
- Emulsifier Polysorbate
- Antioxidant Alpha-Tocopherol
Nutrition Facts (per 6 pieces):
- 100 Calories
- 1g Total Fat (.5g saturated)
- 0mg Sodium
- 22g Carbohydrates (14g sugars)
- 0g Protein
Airheads Candy Bars
A chewy candy that is kosher, gluten-free, and allergy-free. They are free of milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish, and wheat.
Flavors:
- Watermelon
- Blue Raspberry
- White Mystery
- Cherry
- Orange
- Grape
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Maltodextrin
- Dextrose
- Modified Food Starch (Corn)
- Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
- Citric Acid
- Water
- Artificial Flavors
- Artificial Colors
- Red 40
- Blue 1
- Yellow 6
- Yellow 5
Nutrition Facts (per 2 bars):
- 120 Calories
- 5g Total Fat (1g Saturated)
- 15mg Sodium
- 28g Carbohydrates (17g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets Sugar-Free Taffy Lover’s
Sugar Free, low-calorie candies that come in a variety of flavors. Gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan, Kosher, and made in a nut free facility.
Flavors:
- Strawberry
- Lemon
- Blue Raspberry
- Green Apple
- Banana
- Peach
- Grape
Ingredients:
- Polyglycitol
- Xylitol
- Coconut Oil
- Natural Flavor
- Monoglyceride
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Gum Acacia
- Xanthan Gum
- Fruit and Vegetable Juice for Color
- Spirulina Extract
- Turmeric
Nutrition Facts (per 5 pieces):
- 135 Calories
- 4g Total Fat (3.5g Saturated)
- 5mg Cholesterol
- 33g Total Carbohydrates (33g Sugar Alcohol)
- 4g Protein
Related Questions
Are Laffy Taffy Gluten-Free?
Yes, All flavors of Laffy Taffy Chews and Laffy Taffy Ropes are gluten-free. They contain no wheat ingredients.
Is Laffy Taffy Kosher?
Yes, even though they do not bear the U kosher symbol, they are certified kosher by the Orthodox Union.
Is Laffy Taffy Healthy?
Dentists don’t like Laffy Taffy because it sticks to your teeth and increases your risk for cavities. Laffy Taffy products are fairly low in calories as long as you stick to the serving size. In terms of nutritional value, they provide very little benefits for a healthy diet, but that’s probably not why most people eat it.