Is Ben & Jerry's Vegan and Cruelty Free? (April, 2024)

Trying to figure out if Ben & Jerry’s is vegan can be tricky.

The ice cream company has many flavors and some of them may contain animal products.

To make sure you’re only eating vegan ice cream, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production processes of Ben & Jerry’s.

Here’s what I found.

Table of Contents

Is Ben & Jerry’s Vegan?

Yes! Ben & Jerry’s is vegan.

Ben & Jerry’s is a brand that is known for being vegan friendly. In fact, as of the time of writing, Ben & Jerry’s have 21 vegan flavors. All these flavors are free of dairy and use sunflower butter or almond milk as a base.

Their delicious nondairy ice cream is certified vegan by Vegan Action, a nonprofit organization that verifies products that are free of animal-derived products.

These delicious ice cream flavors, as Ben & Jerry’s like to say, has everything but the cow.

Is Ben & Jerry’s Cruelty Free?

Yes! Ben & Jerry’s is cruelty free.

Ben & Jerry’s does not test their products on animals. A common ingredient that is tested on animals are artificial flavors and colors. Ben & Jerry’s only uses natural flavors and colors in their products.

Animal testing is a gruesome and unnecessary practice. I’m glad to see that Ben & Jerry’s does not support it.

What Are Ben & Jerry’s Made Of?

Here are some common ingredients found in Ben & Jerry’s nondairy flavors:

Almond milk
Sugar
Sunflower butter
Peanuts
Coconut oil
Corn syrup solids
Wheat flour
Peanut oil
Cocoa
Sunflower oil
Pea protein
Vanilla extract
Sunflower lecithin

Let’s break down the ingredients of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream:

Almond milk

Almond milk is a dairy-free milk alternative made from almonds. It is a good source of calcium and vitamin E. It is vegan.

Sugar

Sugar is a sweetener made from either sugar cane or sugar beets. It is plant based, but some refined sugar is processed with animal bone char. The sugar in Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free line is not filtered with bone char, according to Vegan Action.

Sunflower butter

Sunflower butter is a type of butter made from sunflower seeds. It is used as a butter replacement in vegan baking. It is vegan.

Peanuts

Peanuts are a type of nut. They are used in many desserts and savory dishes. They are vegan.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is a type of oil made from coconuts. It is used in many vegan recipes as a replacement for butter. It is vegan.

Corn syrup solids

Corn syrup solids are a type of sugar made from corn. It is used as a sweetener and thickener in many food products. It is vegan.

Wheat flour

Wheat flour is a type of flour made from wheat. It is used in baking and many other recipes. It is vegan.

Peanut oil

Peanut oil is a type of oil made from peanuts. It is often used in cooking and baking. It is vegan.

Cocoa

Cocoa is a powder made from cocoa beans. It is used to make chocolate and many other desserts. It is vegan.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is a type of oil made from sunflower seeds. It is often used in cooking and baking. It is vegan.

Pea protein

Pea protein is a type of protein made from peas. It is often used in vegan baking and as a replacement for animal protein. It is vegan.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract is a type of flavoring made from vanilla. It is used to flavor many desserts and baking recipes. It is vegan.

Sunflower lecithin

Sunflower lecithin is a type of ingredient made from sunflower seeds. It is used as an emulsifier in many food products. It is vegan.

Why Is Ben & Jerry’s Vegan?

Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free flavors are made without milk or cream from cows. They use almond milk or sunflower butter as a base. Ben & Jerry’s dairy-free line is also certified vegan by Vegan Action, a nonprofit organization that certifies products are free of animal products.

Is Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra Core Vegan?

Yes! Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra Core is a vegan ice cream. It is part of Ben & Jerry’s nondairy line and is made with almond milk and sunflower butter.