14k Followers
Refined, Responsible, Resilient | Discover More
Åland Islands (EUR €)
Albania (ALL L)
Andorra (EUR €)
Armenia (AMD դր.)
Australia (AUD $)
Austria (EUR €)
Belarus (USD $)
Belgium (EUR €)
Bosnia & Herzegovina (BAM КМ)
Bouvet Island (NOK kr)
Bulgaria (BGN лв.)
Canada (CAD $)
China (CNY ¥)
Croatia (EUR €)
Cyprus (EUR €)
Czechia (CZK Kč)
Denmark (DKK kr.)
Estonia (EUR €)
Faroe Islands (DKK kr.)
Finland (EUR €)
France (EUR €)
Georgia (USD $)
Germany (EUR €)
Gibraltar (GBP £)
Greece (EUR €)
Greenland (DKK kr.)
Guadeloupe (EUR €)
Guernsey (GBP £)
Hong Kong SAR (HKD $)
Hungary (HUF Ft)
Iceland (ISK kr)
India (INR ₹)
Ireland (EUR €)
Isle of Man (GBP £)
Israel (ILS ₪)
Italy (EUR €)
Japan (JPY ¥)
Jersey (USD $)
Kosovo (EUR €)
Latvia (EUR €)
Liechtenstein (CHF CHF)
Lithuania (EUR €)
Luxembourg (EUR €)
Macao SAR (MOP P)
Malaysia (MYR RM)
Malta (EUR €)
Mayotte (EUR €)
Moldova (MDL L)
Monaco (EUR €)
Montenegro (EUR €)
Netherlands (EUR €)
New Zealand (NZD $)
North Macedonia (MKD ден)
Norway (NOK kr)
Poland (PLN zł)
Portugal (EUR €)
Réunion (EUR €)
Romania (RON Lei)
San Marino (EUR €)
Saudi Arabia (SAR ر.س)
Serbia (RSD РСД)
Singapore (SGD $)
Slovakia (EUR €)
Slovenia (EUR €)
Spain (EUR €)
Svalbard & Jan Mayen (NOK kr)
Sweden (SEK kr)
Switzerland (CHF CHF)
Taiwan (TWD $)
Türkiye (USD $)
Ukraine (UAH ₴)
United Arab Emirates (AED د.إ)
United Kingdom (GBP £)
United States (USD $)
Vatican City (EUR €)
English
Doshi FCSA
Cart 0
  • Women
    • All Women's Vegan Bags
      • Vegan Handbags
      • Vegan Briefcases
      • Vegan Backpacks
      • Vegan Totes
      • Vegan Pouches & Sling Bags
    • All Women's Vegan Wallets
      • Compact Wallets
      • Clutch-Style Wallets
    • Women's Vegan Belts

    New collection

  • Men
    • All Men's Vegan Belts
      • Casual Belts
      • Dress Belts
      • Ratchet Belts
      • Belt Sizing Guides
    • All Men's Vegan Wallets
      • Bifold Wallets
      • Trifold Wallets
      • Card Holders
    • All Men's Vegan Bags
      • Vegan Briefcases
      • Vegan Backpacks & Travel Bags
      • Vegan Pouches & Sling Bags

    New collection

  • Sale & Gifts
    • All Sale
    • Gift Cards
    • Customer Favorites
  • Featured

    New Vegan Items 17

    Professional & Travel Bags 28

    Sustainable Materials 14

  • About Us
    • Why Not Leather?
      • Why Not Leather?
      • Leather and the Environment
      • Our Materials
    • About Doshi
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Blog
    • Five For The World
    • Work with Us!
    • PRESS
My Account
Log in Register
Åland Islands (EUR €)
Albania (ALL L)
Andorra (EUR €)
Armenia (AMD դր.)
Australia (AUD $)
Austria (EUR €)
Belarus (USD $)
Belgium (EUR €)
Bosnia & Herzegovina (BAM КМ)
Bouvet Island (NOK kr)
Bulgaria (BGN лв.)
Canada (CAD $)
China (CNY ¥)
Croatia (EUR €)
Cyprus (EUR €)
Czechia (CZK Kč)
Denmark (DKK kr.)
Estonia (EUR €)
Faroe Islands (DKK kr.)
Finland (EUR €)
France (EUR €)
Georgia (USD $)
Germany (EUR €)
Gibraltar (GBP £)
Greece (EUR €)
Greenland (DKK kr.)
Guadeloupe (EUR €)
Guernsey (GBP £)
Hong Kong SAR (HKD $)
Hungary (HUF Ft)
Iceland (ISK kr)
India (INR ₹)
Ireland (EUR €)
Isle of Man (GBP £)
Israel (ILS ₪)
Italy (EUR €)
Japan (JPY ¥)
Jersey (USD $)
Kosovo (EUR €)
Latvia (EUR €)
Liechtenstein (CHF CHF)
Lithuania (EUR €)
Luxembourg (EUR €)
Macao SAR (MOP P)
Malaysia (MYR RM)
Malta (EUR €)
Mayotte (EUR €)
Moldova (MDL L)
Monaco (EUR €)
Montenegro (EUR €)
Netherlands (EUR €)
New Zealand (NZD $)
North Macedonia (MKD ден)
Norway (NOK kr)
Poland (PLN zł)
Portugal (EUR €)
Réunion (EUR €)
Romania (RON Lei)
San Marino (EUR €)
Saudi Arabia (SAR ر.س)
Serbia (RSD РСД)
Singapore (SGD $)
Slovakia (EUR €)
Slovenia (EUR €)
Spain (EUR €)
Svalbard & Jan Mayen (NOK kr)
Sweden (SEK kr)
Switzerland (CHF CHF)
Taiwan (TWD $)
Türkiye (USD $)
Ukraine (UAH ₴)
United Arab Emirates (AED د.إ)
United Kingdom (GBP £)
United States (USD $)
Vatican City (EUR €)
English
  • Women
    • All Women's Vegan Bags
      • Vegan Handbags
      • Vegan Briefcases
      • Vegan Backpacks
      • Vegan Totes
      • Vegan Pouches & Sling Bags
    • All Women's Vegan Wallets
      • Compact Wallets
      • Clutch-Style Wallets
    • Women's Vegan Belts

    New collection

  • Men
    • All Men's Vegan Belts
      • Casual Belts
      • Dress Belts
      • Ratchet Belts
      • Belt Sizing Guides
    • All Men's Vegan Wallets
      • Bifold Wallets
      • Trifold Wallets
      • Card Holders
    • All Men's Vegan Bags
      • Vegan Briefcases
      • Vegan Backpacks & Travel Bags
      • Vegan Pouches & Sling Bags

    New collection

  • Sale & Gifts
    • All Sale
    • Gift Cards
    • Customer Favorites
  • Featured

    New Vegan Items 17

    Professional & Travel Bags 28

    Sustainable Materials 14

  • About Us
    • Why Not Leather?
      • Why Not Leather?
      • Leather and the Environment
      • Our Materials
    • About Doshi
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Blog
    • Five For The World
    • Work with Us!
    • PRESS
Doshi FCSA
Account Wishlist Cart 0

Search our store

Doshi FCSA
Account Wishlist Cart 0
Popular Searches:
T-Shirt Blue Jacket
The Doshi Blog - Vegan Fashion For The World

The History of Oreos as a Vegan Product

by Paras Doshi on Dec 21, 2021
A broken Oreo cookie standing upright.

(Oat)Milk’s favorite cookie. That yummy chocolate cookie sandwiching a sweet creamy filling. For many, Oreos bring on the nostalgia of childhood (or of last night) straight to the forefront.

Many vegans starting out are disheartened by all the old treats that they need to give up or find alternatives to while embarking on their vegan lifestyle. But our good friend the Oreo stayed true to us by being unintentionally vegan. The joy that comes to the eyes of many vegans when first discovering the contents on the ingredient list can only be matched to winning the lottery.

An Oreo cookie sits face up on a stack of others.

The Early Oreo

Oreos weren’t exactly created in a vacuum. There was an earlier predecessor to the ever-popular cookie; the Sunshine Biscuit Co. invented a similar chocolate cookie sandwich with a cream filling in 1908 called Hydrox. Strangely, Nabisco never claimed inspiration or credits the sunshine biscuit co in the development of their Oreo cookies.

Hydrox has been outshined by Oreo since its inception, and that continues to this day. Today Hydrox is owned by Leaf Brands, and they have alleged that Mondelez continues in bad sportsmanship by having their cookies intentionally stocked in more prominent places and blocking the display of Hydrox cookies in grocery stores. Thus, the great saga continues between the warring sandwich cookies.

 

Oreos in modern times do not contain any animal products on their ingredient list, and this recipe hasn’t changed much since its invention by Nabisco in 1912. Prior to the 1990s, though, lard was included in the recipe which is derived from animal fat as well as whey which is also derived from dairy. So those Oreo’s that you or your parents were eating back in the day did contain animal products.

But what about today?

Are they really vegan?

If you go to the Oreo website, you’ll see that they state that their cookies are not vegan. What gives? There aren’t any animal products in the ingredients; how’s it not vegan?

Well, it comes down to how you choose to live a vegan lifestyle. Some people are stricter than others and we all have to make decisions that are right for us and how we want to live our vegan lifestyles. What comes into Oreos non-vegan status has to do with the nature of production and sourcing of ingredients.

Oreos arranged in a pattern (closed, open, closed, etc.) on a blue background.

It’s All in the Manufacturing

Oreos are manufacture by Nabisco which is a division of Mondelez International. The company does produce food items that contain animal products. Because of this, due to the shared production facilities, the Oreos could come into contact with dairy from other production lines.

That being said, there are still no actual dairy or animal products of any kind in the Oreo recipe. So, this depends on how concerned you are about trace amounts of dairy that could potentially be in Oreos.

Not So Sweet Ingredients

The next ingredient that may raise concerns for some vegans is the use of processed sugar.

Sugar may contain bone char, which is a refining agent used to whiten sugar. Bone char is made from the bones of cattle. The issue of bone char comes up for many vegans who usually choose to forgo processed sugar due to the difficult nature of tracking the usage of bone char from sugar suppliers. Therefore, it’s hard to determine whether or not Oreo is getting sugar from suppliers that use bone char.

It is kind of hard to get the idea of bone char out of your head once you know. It might or might not make you think twice when choosing sweeteners. But ultimately, some people who live a vegan lifestyle are ok with eating sugar, especially due to the fact that it can be hit or miss if a particular supplier of sugar uses bone char.

If you cool with the chance it, right on, and enjoy that Oreo!

A close image of unbleached sugar crystals.

It’s Up to You

Now you know more about the iconic accidentally vegan-(ish) cookie. You learn something new everyday, right?

Go out and find yourself something sweet. Whether or not you determine that Oreos are the cookies for you is just that – up to you!

You can check out other articles on vegan eats here and here!

 

Sources From This Article:

Are Oreos Vegan? - The Vegan Review

The Truth About Grass Fed Beef Might Surprise You - Spoon University

Oreo's FAQ Page

Are Oreos Vegan? - Veggl

Are Animal Ingredients Included in White Sugar? - PETA

Are Oreos Vegan? - The Picky Eater Blog

The History of the Oreo Cookie - Thought Co

The Cookie War Between Oreo and Hydrox Is Getting Ugly - The Thrillist 

Tags: history, Is it vegan, vegan food, vegan history
Previous
Eco-Friendly Self-Care Ideas
Next
How To Go Vegan

Related Articles

How to Choose the Right Belt Size (Without Trying It On)

How to Choose the Right Belt Size (Without Trying It On)

Why Microfiber Vegan Leather Belts Outperform Cheap PU Alternatives

Why Microfiber Vegan Leather Belts Outperform Cheap PU Alternatives

A pink hardside luggage set.

Traveling Light: Top 10 Minimalist Packing Tips for Eco-Conscious Explorers

The Best Vegan Belts of 2025

The Best Vegan Belts of 2025

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Tags

  • All About Doshi
  • Beauty and Wellness
  • Body positivity
  • Business of Fashion
  • Cat's Reviews
  • Cleaning and Maintenance
  • Culture
  • Fashion
  • fashion guide
  • frequently asked questions
  • Funny
  • Gifting
  • history
  • holidays
  • How to Style
  • impact of leather
  • Is it vegan
  • leather alternatives
  • Press Releases
  • Sales and Special Events
  • Spotlight
  • Sustainable Fashion
  • Top 10
  • Vegan accessories
  • Vegan backpacks
  • Vegan beauty
  • Vegan belt
  • Vegan Belts
  • vegan briefcase
  • Vegan Briefcases
  • Vegan fashion
  • vegan food
  • vegan gift giving
  • Vegan Handbags
  • vegan history
  • vegan lifestyle
  • vegan materials
  • vegan memes
  • vegan recipes
  • vegan resources
  • vegan travel
  • vegan wallets

Doshi At Your Service!

  • Use My Doshi Rewards!
  • The Doshi Blog
  • Become an Affiliate!
  • Contact Us
  • Packaging, Shipping, Duties, Returns, and Exchanges
  • Warranty & Repair
  • Do not sell or share my personal information

Connect with Us!

What new products are on the horizon?  What did we just eat? Where are we going?

Find the latest on Instagram @doshishop 

© MINIMOG 2024
Payment options:
  • Amazon
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Google Pay
  • Mastercard
  • PayPal
  • Shop Pay
  • Visa
Cart 0

Confirm your age

Are you 18 years old or older?

Come back when you're older

Sorry, the content of this store can't be seen by a younger audience. Come back when you're older.

Shopping Cart

Your cart is currently empty.
Add note for seller
Estimate shipping rates
Add a discount code
null
Subtotal $0.00
View Cart