Hello there! If you're wondering whether marshmallows are vegan or not, you've come to the right place. The short answer is: it depends on the ingredients used to make these fluffy treats. But let's dive into the details and find out more.

Mini marshmallow photo by Joanna Kosinska.

Traditional Marshmallows

Marshmallows, traditionally, are not considered vegan. We?re talking about the usual Jet-puffed variety you find at your local grocery stores. They contain gelatin, a substance derived from animal bones, skin, and connective tissue. Gelatin is commonly used in many foods, including regular marshmallows, as a thickening and stabilizing agent. The process of making gelatin involves boiling animal parts in water, extracting the collagen protein, and then processing it into a powder or sheets. Woof. I?m glad we have all the unpleasantness out of the way. 
On to the good news! So, if you're a vegan, you might want to avoid the usual store-bought marshmallows made with gelatin, however, not all marshmallows are made with gelatin. Some companies use alternative ingredients that are vegan-friendly.

Vegan Marshmallows 

For example, Dandies marshmallows are vegan-friendly and made without any animal products -- and are in my opinion the best vegan marshmallows. Instead of gelatin, they use a combination of tapioca starch and carrageenan to achieve the same texture and consistency as traditional marshmallows. Other brands, such as Trader Joe's marshmallow...