Many people enjoy having a piece of gum occasionally to freshen their breath or just for the taste. However, health-minded people are usually cautious about what they put in their mouths, even when it’s gum. And vegans are no exception. Trident gum is the best-selling gum brand in the world, but is Trident gum vegan?
Yes, most Trident flavors are vegan. However, the Trident Splash and Trident Layers varieties are non-vegan, as they contain gelatin. Gelatin is derived from animal products and is avoided by vegans. The best vegan alternatives to Trident gum are Project 7 Everest Peppermint Gum, Glee Gum Spearmint Natural Chewing Gum, and Chicza Organic Rainforest Gum.
Trident gum, produced under The Hershey Company in the United States, sells more than $1 billion worth of gum annually. Let’s have a look at Trident gum and some of the better alternatives to the big gum brands. We have found several tasty, healthier vegan options for when you want a piece of gum.
Contents
Should I chew Trident gum?
If your only concern is whether a piece of gum is vegan or not, Trident has plenty of vegan flavors. You just need to avoid the flavors that are part of Trident’s Splash and Layers line of gums. Splash and Layers flavors are not vegan. But, if your biggest concern is the health value of your gum, you would not want to choose Trident gum.
Trident has been marketed as a “good for you” product since its inception. Trident gum was introduced in 1964 with the advertising slogan, “The Great Taste that is Good for Your Teeth.” But, is Trident good for your health?
Trident gum is highly processed, which most vegans and other health-conscious individuals try to avoid. However, Trident is also loaded with unhealthy ingredients. Some of the ingredients in Trident gum are known to be carcinogenic. Many Trident flavors include:
- BHT – used to help preserve the fats and oils in a product but shown to be a potential carcinogen.
- Acesulfame Potassium – as a sweetener also shown to be carcinogenic.
- Artificial sweeteners – some studies show a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer risk.
- Artificial colors – some studies have found a link between these ingredients and an increased risk for cancer, allergies, and hyperactivity.
Trident Gum Products and Nutritional Values
Trident offers seven varieties of gum, and within each type, several flavors are available. Below is listed Trident gum varieties, a flavor option from each array, and the nutritional value for each. Because information can change, it is always wise to check the label on the packet of gum before using it.
The Original Variety
- Original
- Spearmint
- Tropical Twist
- Cinnamon
- Watermelon Twist
- Lime Passionfruit Twist
- Dragon Fruit Lychee
- Bubblegum
- Perfect Peppermint
- Mint Bliss
- Minty Sweet Twist
- Wintergreen
- Pineapple Twist
- Island Berry Lime
- Black Raspberry Twist
- Strawberry Twist
- Splashing Mint
- Wild Blueberry Twist
- Passion Twist
- Purely Trident Peppermint
- Purely Trident Spearmint
Trident Original
This is the original flavor of the original variety.
Ingredients:
- Sorbitol
- Gum base
- Xylitol
- Glycerin
- Mannitol
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Aspartame
- Acesulfame potassium
- Soy lecithin
- BHT
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 0 mg Sodium
- 1 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
Trident Vibes
- Peppermint Waves
- Sour Berry Twist
- Tropical Beat
- Spearmint Rush
Trident Vibes Peppermint Waves
Ingredients:
- Xylitol
- Gum base
- Sorbitol
- Natural and artificial flavor
- Acacia
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- Blue 1
- Blue 1 lake
- Maltitol
- Soy lecithin
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
Tribes Fresh
- Trident Spearmint Cool with Cucumber Accents
- Trident Peppermint Infusion
Trident Fresh Spearmint Cool with Cucumber Accents
Ingredients:
- Maltitol
- Gum base
- Sorbitol
- Natural and artificial flavor
- Erythritol
- Maltitol syrup
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- BHT
- Blue 1
- Blue 1 lake
- Candelilla wax
- Glycerin
- Soy lecithin
- Sucralose
- Titanium dioxide
- Xylitol
- Yellow 5
- Yellow 5 lake
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 1 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
- 1 g Sugar Alcohol
Trident White
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Minty Bubble
- Micro Crystals
- Wintergreen
- Cool Rush
Trident White Wintergreen
Ingredients:
- Sorbitol
- Gum base
- Maltitol
- Mannitol
- Natural and artificial flavoring
- Acacia
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- BHT
- Candelilla wax
- Glycerin
- Sodium stearate
- Titanium dioxide
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
Trident Layers
- Cherry + Lime
- Strawberry + Citrus
- Grape + Lemonade
- Watermelon + Tropical Fruit
Trident Layers Cherry + Lime
Ingredients:
- Gum base
- Maltitol
- Maltitol syrup
- Sorbitol
- Natural and artificial flavoring
- Mannitol
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- Blue 1
- Gelatin
- Partially hydrogenated coconut oil
- Red 40 lake
- Soy lecithin
- Sucralose
- Titanium dioxide
- Yellow 5
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 2 mg Cholesterol
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
Trident Unwrapped
- Original
- Spearmint
- Tropical twist
- Cinnamon
- Bubblegum
Trident Unwrapped Original
Ingredients:
- Sorbitol
- Gum base
- Xylitol
- Maltitol syrup
- Natural and artificial flavorings
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- BHT
- Mannitol
- Partially hydrogenated coconut oil
- Soy lecithin
- Sucralose
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 1 g Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugars
- 1 g Sugar Alcohol
Trident Splash
- Peppermint Swirl
- Strawberry with Lime
Trident Splash Strawberry with Lime
Ingredients:
- Maltitol
- Gum base
- Maltitol syrup
- Sorbitol
- Glycerin
- Gelatin
- Natural and artificial flavorings
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- BHT
- Blue 1
- Candelilla Wax
- Gelatin
- Red 40 lake
- Soy lecithin
- Titanium dioxide
- Xanthan gum
- Yellow 5
- Yellow 5 lake
Nutritional Facts (per 1 stick):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 mg Total Carbohydrate
- 0 g Sugar
Vegan Alternatives to Trident Gum
Most of the above gum flavors are indeed vegan. However, you will also find that some Trident flavors are not vegan as they contain gelatin. Gums and candies, like Starburst, that contain gelatin should be avoided by vegans, as gelatin is made from animal products.
As you can also see from the list above, Trident gums contain many harmful other ingredients. Luckily, several alternative gum options taste great and are healthier options. Below are some more nutritious favorites:
Project 7 Everest Peppermint Gum
This Project 7 gum contains no artificial flavors and is vegan, keto, and non-GMO. It also has rave reviews for its taste!
Ingredients:
- Xylitol
- Gum base
- Natural flavor
- Glycerin
- Gum Arabic
- Spirulina extract
- Stevia
- Sunflower lecithin
- Carnauba wax
Nutritional Facts (per 2 pieces):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g Xylitol
Glee Gum Spearmint Natural Chewing Gum
Glee Gum is a non-GMO Project Verified, Fairtrade, and is Kosher. It’s a great-tasting and healthier alternative to Trident gums.
Ingredients:
- Cane sugar
- Glucose
- Gum base
- Brown rice syrup
- Natural spearmint flavor
- Gu Arabic
- Resinous glaze
- Beeswax
- Carnauba wax
- Chlorophyll
Nutritional Facts (per 2 pieces):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g Sugars
Chicza Organic Rainforest Gum, Cinnamon
This gum is vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and certified organic. It also comes in 3 additional delicious flavors.
Ingredients:
- Organic evaporated cane juice
- Organic gum base
- Organic glucose
- Organic agave syrup
- Organic cinnamon flavor
Nutritional Facts (per 1 piece):
- 6 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrate
- 5 g Sugars
PÜR Gum, Wintergreen
This Swiss-made gum is vegan, non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Soy Free, and Keto Friendly. It is also a favorite among the health-minded.
Ingredients:
- Xylitol
- Gum base
- Gum Arabic
- Natural flavors
- Glycerol
- Carnauba wax
- Tocopherols
Nutritional Facts (per 2 pieces):
- 5 Calories
- 0 g Total Fat
- 0 mg Sodium
- 2 g Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g Xylitol
Final Thoughts
While Trident gum is the most popular chewing gum globally, it is certainly not the healthiest choice. Most Trident gum flavors are vegan; however, they are also full of harmful ingredients.
There are many healthier chewing gum options available for those looking to avoid artificial sweeteners and other chemicals. The alternative gums listed above are all tasty and much more nutritious choices.
Related Questions
Is Trident gum healthy?
No. Although Trident markets itself as “good for your teeth,” the many harmful ingredients in their gum make it unhealthy for your body.
Is Trident gum keto-friendly?
Yes, because most flavors contain only artificial sweeteners, they are primarily keto-friendly. However, the gum does contain carbohydrates. Since those following a keto diet restrict their carbohydrate intake, they would want to limit their consumption of Trident gum.
Is Trident gum gluten-free?
Yes. According to Trident, all its gum flavors are gluten-free. However, those sensitive to gluten are often very cautious about their diet. Like vegans, those following gluten-free diets may also want to avoid harmful ingredients like those found in Trident.
Is Trident gum Kosher?
No. Trident gum is not certified kosher. The inclusion of gelatin in the gum base renders it unfit for kosher consumption.