Ingredients in ZYN Pouches

There’s been a lot of talk around the nicotine pouch category in the US lately, prompting people to ask questions like can you swallow ZYN spit? And, is ZYN bad for you? It’s important to be an informed consumer and we believe these questions are totally valid – especially when dealing with nicotine, which is an addictive substance. That’s why we decided to peek inside a ZYN pouch and breakdown the key ingredients. 

 

The composition of all nicotine pouches is largely the same and ZYN is no exception. Manufactured by Swedish Match, here’s what you’ll find inside a ZYN: 

 

• - Nicotine salt
• - Fillers
• - Stabilizers
• - Sweeteners
• - Flavorings 
• - pH adjusters 

 

 

 

 

Nicotine salt (also known as nicotine bitartrate dihydrate or C₁₀H₁₄N₂) is found naturally in the tobacco leaf and derived from the plant. Similar to synthetic nicotine, it contains no tobacco. 

Fillers (or micro crystalline cellulose, maltitol and gum arabic) are “granulating agents” used to add bulk and texture to a ZYN. Interestingly, you’ll find some of these same ingredients in chewing gum (even though nicotine pouches are never meant to be chewed). 
 
Stabilizers (such as hydroxypropyl cellulose or HPC) are plant-based additives that help maintain the pouch’s soft but still relatively firm and slightly moist consistency. This ingredient is used as a thickener and emulsifier in some cosmetics, as well as a low-level “binder” in medical tablets. It basically holds everything together in the pouch. 
 
Sweeteners (in particular, acesulfame potassium or Ace K) are known to be flavor enhancers and are commonly used instead of sugar in sodas or confectionery, for instance. 
 
pH adjusters help regulate the pH level – or ‘potential of hydrogen’ – in a ZYN. This is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a substance is and is very important in terms of your oral health. Products with a high or low pH score can easily erode your tooth enamel and cause damage to your gums, so all products sold on Nicokick must fall within a 5.6 and 9.1 range.  

 

 

 

Now that you have a better understanding of ZYN’s chemical components, let’s take a look at some of the nutritional facts: 

 

• - One ZYN contains less than one calorie and also comprises less than 1% of your daily carbohydrate allowance (based on an adult diet of 2,000 calories per day).

 

• - There is less than 10mg of sodium in a ZYN. That means one pouch is roughly 0.5% of your recommended daily intake of sodium according to the FDA’s Dietary Guidelines, which suggests no more than a teaspoon of table salt per day.

 

• - ZYNs are lactose-free.

 

• - ZYNs are also classified as gluten-free since their gluten levels are less than 20 parts per million (the FDA’s gluten-free cut-off). 

 

• - The nicotine itself (3mg or 6mg per pouch) may have some appetite suppressing effect, but not a major one. ZYNs should only ever be consumed by adults as part of a balanced diet.  

 

• - Just like any sort of addictive substance, there are reasonable limits to the number of nicotine pouches you consume per day too. Head over to our Pouch Perfect blog if you’re unsure how much is too much. 

 

To maintain our high safety- and quality-standards, we’re introducing the requirement that every product sold on our site needs to be independently lab tested. In other words, we won't stock a product if it falls outside the acceptable levels set by the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) in the nicotine pouch category. 

All these tests will be conducted at the Eurofins laboratory in Sweden and have an extensive list of requirements to meet. 

 

 

By publishing these product reports on Nicoleaks, we open up for a more transparent and fact-based dialogue around nicotine pouches; we make sure that manufacturers are responsible when rolling out new products and, most of all, that you are protected. 

Want to know more? Check out our customers’ Frequently Asked Questions about ZYN.