Is Heartburn relief chews Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When analyzing the ingredients list for these chews, we find a mix of standard active ingredients and a complex list of inactive ingredients. While the active ingredient is simply calcium carbonate, the additives used to create the chewable texture and color are where the vegan issues arise.

The primary non-vegan culprit is carmine. Also known as cochineal extract, this is a red pigment derived from crushing the cochineal insect. It is a common natural colorant used to achieve a red or pink hue in candies and medicines, but it is strictly off-limits for vegans.

Equally concerning is shellac. This is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is often used as a glazing agent to give the chews a shiny appearance or to coat the tablet. Like carmine, it is an animal-derived product.

Additionally, while the product contains sugar and corn syrup, strict vegans sometimes avoid refined white sugar because it is often processed using bone char (animal bone) to filter and whiten it. However, the presence of insect ingredients makes the sugar processing a secondary concern for most.

Nutritional Value

Nutritionally, these chews function as a high-dose calcium supplement with added sweeteners. Each chew contains 300 mg of calcium, which is a significant amount contributing to the recommended daily intake for bone health.

The product is relatively low in sodium (1 mg per chew), which is excellent for those monitoring blood pressure. However, the inclusion of sugar, corn syrup, and sorbitol adds to the carbohydrate count. While the calorie count per chew is likely negligible, the sugar content makes it less than ideal for those on a strict ketogenic or low-sugar diet if consumed in large quantities.

It also contains various oils (hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil) and waxes (carnauba wax, white wax) which provide the fatty mouthfeel of a chew but add no significant nutritional value.