VELO vs Zyn: Same, but Different?

As more people come to appreciate the health hazards associated with smoking cigarettes, cigars and pipes – not to mention chewing tobacco – they are looking for alternatives that will provide a nicotine hit with a reduced level of danger. Fortunately, the development of nicotine pouches in the 21st century demonstrates that the search has ended. In response to the use of snus, a pouch made with tobacco or by-products, the new pouches are free of any tobacco. As a result, they are free of many of that plant’s toxic components. VELO and Zyn are two such products. Let’s see what the differences are between the two top brands, Velo vs Zyn.

What is the difference between VELO vs ZYN?

There are many similarities between VELO vs Zyn nicotine pouches, but there are also some clear contrasts between the two. Let’s begin with ingredients. Both brands of pouch hold:

• Water
• Cellulose
• Sweeteners
• Fillers 
• pH adjusters
• Nicotine

The contents appear to be identical but, just like two apple pies, the recipes may not be the same. Digging deeper, we see that Zyn uses a nicotine salt — nicotine bitartrate dihydrate — as the operative component in its blend while VELO uses an extract from the tobacco plant as its source. Cellulose, meanwhile, comes from the cell walls of any plant and serves as a fiber source. However, Zyn utilizes hydroxypropyl cellulose which is derived from the cell wall tissue. VELO adopts microcrystalline cellulose, taken from purified wood pulp, which often prevents ingredients from clumping up. In addition, the sweetening agents diverge, with VELO opting for sucralose (think SPLENDA, for better or for worse) and Zyn choosing maltitol, a popular sugar alcohol.

Sodium is an important component of nicotine pouches and VELO vs Zyn is no exception. VELO simply lists salt (NaCl) as one of its ingredients; Zyn lists sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), i.e. baking soda. VELO has citric acid and artificial flavors whereas Zyn is made with acesulfame potassium and food-grade flavorings. These differences are doubtless discerned by experienced users. 

Packing a Punch

Many nicotine pouch consumers are serious about the ability of the product to give them the nicotine effect they need to quit smoking or otherwise contribute to feelings of well-being. A fruit of that seriousness is attention to the nicotine strength offered by various competitors. Both VELO and Zyn products come in multiple strengths. Zyn presents three potencies: three milligrams, six mgs and nine mgs. VELO invites users to sample from a different — mellow (four to six mgs); original (six to 11 mgs); and intense (eight mgs to 17 mgs). Longtime smokers might desire that extra strength but starting slow is the best advice.

Strength is measured in milligrams per pouch. Reputable companies like VELO and Zyn have their products tested in laboratories so they can make truthful representations, Strengths usually appear on the can as dots or some other graphic image. With Zyn, the milligram number is boldly shown on the label. Likewise with VELO. Important to remember is that strength and size are related. Zyn pouches are exclusively mini but VELO is sold as mini or slim. Zyn’s smaller size and fewer milligrams available speaks to its mission of weaning its users off of more addictive nicotine products. Think about it: an individual cigarette usually conveys less than two milligrams of nicotine but most smokers consume at least a pack daily. That is up to 36 mgs. The more you can reduce the intake, the better the prospects of quitting smoking altogether. Both brands package their pouches at 20 per can.

In Good Taste – Velo vs Zyn

Part of the pleasant aspects of the nicotine pouch encounter is the flavor. The essence of the pouch — free from the heavy presence of tobacco — makes the pouch more enjoyable and the experience feels cleaner. Both brands in question are flavored with 10 unique zests. Zyn flavors are:

• Black Cherry
• Citrus
• Menthol
• Spearmint
• Espressino
• Gold (tastes like tobacco but none is present)
• Original (flavorless)
• Lemon Spritz
• Cool Mint
• Dry Cool Mint

VELO flavors are:

• Wintergreen
• Spearmint
• Mint
• Citrus 
• Dragon Fruit
• Peppermint
• Citrus Burst
• Cinnamon
• Black Cherry
• Coffee

Worth noting is that VELO flavors are not available across its strength ranges, so some might be unavailable. Always check to ensure that your preferred flavor is offered in the nicotine strength you need.

Endurance

If online reviews are any indication, Velo vs Zyn are neck-and-neck when it comes to duration of nicotine release…but for a few minutes. Zyn gains the edge with an extra five minutes over and above the half hour of VELO pouch timeframe. Both brands offer effective nicotine delivery, but if you need that extra few minutes, Zyn might be the better choice for you. Ultimately, your personal preference and usage habits will determine which brand best suits your needs.

The Powers behind the Brands

Swedish Match, the maker of Zyn, is the biggest manufacturer of snus in all of the Scandinavian countries. It also puts out lighters, chewing tobacco, cigars and, now, nicotine pouches under the Zyn moniker. Selling all over the world — with the largest markets in the United States and Scandinavia — Swedish Match maintains production facilities in seven different countries. Its nucleus was founded in 1915 as AB Svenska Tobaks Monopolet. Merging with Svenska Tändsticks AB in 1992, the company absorbed the Procordia Group two years later. Based in Stockholm, Swedish Match operates production plants in Brazil, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Hungary, Sweden and the US. 

VELO is a product of British American Tobacco (BAT). Targeting over 170 markets worldwide, BAT makes the reduction of injury and illness from nicotine as one of its mission goals. Established at the dawn of the 20th century — 1902 — BAT now creates tobacco, e-cigarettes, vapor products and tobacco-free pouches like VELO. In its early years, it acquired assets, i.e. farms and factories, in South America. By the 1960s, global sales exceeded 280 billion cigarettes while the company explored new markets in food, paper and cosmetics. The ensuing decades saw more acquisitions, including shares of the old RJ Reynolds company in the US, and new markets developed. Over the years, BAT stressed sustainable practices and better health.

Does It Really Matter? Isn’t Nicotine the Problem?

Yes, it does matter. Smoking took off as a habit because of the very rapid manner in which it carries nicotine to the brain, exciting the adrenal glands and releasing adrenaline into the body. For smokers, the brain gets that reward within seconds. Yet tobacco carries a lot of chemical baggage above and beyond nicotine. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are organic compounds that make up part of that cargo. Other substances are ammonia and arsenic. Yes, arsenic. Granted, nicotine has powerful addictive pull. Still, isolating it from these poisons can only be beneficial to the user.

Tobacco also stains the teeth, fouls the breath and discolors the skin. VELO pouch ingredients do not cause these effects. Furthermore, ex-smokers should be better able to wean themselves off of nicotine if they can first eliminate these oppressive chemicals. For example, the addition of acetaldehyde actually intensifies the addictive power of nicotine, making dependence more likely. When looking at the big picture, we discover that smoking brings with it a host of problems that aggravate simple nicotine craving. So, no: it is not just the nicotine.

Nicotine Sources without tobacco

The U.S. Surgeon General first warned of the dangers of smoking in 1966. Over the years, more smokers decided to kick the habit but needed help. Technology soon rode to the rescue with two products in particular — nicotine gum and the nicotine patch. Nicotine polacrilex gum was created in Sweden in the 1970s and came to the United States in the 1980s. While supplying a portion of the nicotine one would inhale from cigarettes, this substitute also helps to blunt the effects of withdrawal like nervousness, inattention and frustration. Although the user chews it initially, the gum then works between gums and lip.

Nicotine lozenges work in very much the same way. Key to its success in alleviating short-term cravings is to let it dissolve totally in the mouth and not to prematurely swallow it. Optimally, ex-smokers should use one or two lozenges per day though they may serve in conjunction with a nicotine patch. Other avenues for nicotine intake are oral inhalers and nasal sprays. These mimic smoking in that the nicotine is at least partially absorbed through the respiratory system. Each and all of these methods are subject to the approval of a physician. 

The skin patch, or nicotine transdermal patch, affixes to the skin each morning and remains there throughout the day. Nicotine is absorbed through the epidermis and the patches come in various sizes. They also come in three distinct strengths: seven milligrams, 14 mgs and 21 mgs. In consultation with a physician, a smoking cessation participant can select which potency works best depending on how long he or she smoked and how many packs per day. Ordinarily, the patch stays on for a full 24 hours. After this, the old patch is discarded and the new one should attach to a different part of the body.

Advantages of the Nicotine Pouch

From the 1700s going forward, many nicotine users have enjoyed a sort of nicotine pouch known a snus. Inside this receptacle one would find a powdery mix of ground tobacco leaves, sodium carbonate and water. These main ingredients are sometimes flavored with essences like mint or menthol. Packaged in cans of 15 to 25 pouches, snus, at first glance, is often confused with other, younger forms of nicotine pouch. The key visible difference is that snus contents are darker — because of the presence of tobacco. While snus is a smokeless product, it remains tobacco-based nonetheless.

Because of this, snus brings with it some of the problems of tobacco smoking, e.g. foul breath and tainted teeth. Also, snus users have a longer wait for the nicotine to “kick in” than do users of more recently developed pouches. The good news is that progress marches on and the newer nicotine pouches are free from the occupancy of tobacco. VELO pouch ingredients, for instance, contain plant-based cellulose and fillers; H2O; pH regulators; sweeteners; and extracted nicotine. This means the pouches are usable without offending the eyes or noses of others.

Another win for the non-tobacco pouches is the tempo at which they deliver the nicotine’s rewards to the brain. Due to their less acidic ingredients and water content, the pouches like VELO and Zyn transport the nicotine to its receptors faster than snus. Meanwhile, they are less dangerous in the physiological sense. Snus users run a higher risk of problems with their:

• Lungs
• Pancreas
• Colorectal tract
• Esophagus
• Mouth

A whole host of dental problems accompany the frequent use of snus as well.

Beyond these considerations, the newer pouches offer customers a wider variety of choices in terms of flavors, potency and even storage. Snus has a shelf life of up to 30 weeks provided it remains refrigerated. VELO or Zyn, on the other hand, keep for a full year and are storable at room temperature, although their preservation lasts longer if you choose to freeze the pouches. With regard to flavors, snus is more limited because of the strong impact of the tobacco on its taste. Offering a fresher nicotine experience, the tobacco-less pouches come in a range of essences — up to 20 different ones — that are noticeable and enjoyable.

Looking for alternatives?

While Velo vs Zyn is in this closer look, it may be that neither of them is the thing for you. You can find a wide variety of the best alternatives from our selection! Here are some of the most popular pouches besides Velo and Zyn.

In Summary of VELO vs Zyn

When comparing VELO vs Zyn, customers have many variables to consider. Both manufacturers are rooted in tobacco but Zyn pouches reflect less interest in mimicking tobacco and more focus on supplying only the nicotine ex-smokers need to successfully free themselves from what is widely known now as a lethal habit. VELO, on the other hand, offers a wider variety of flavors and options, catering to those who might still enjoy a taste reminiscent of traditional smoking. The rewards program offered by Zyn can be a main factor in the choice of many users.

Ultimately, the choice between VELO and Zyn will depend on your individual preferences and what you find most effective in supporting your journey to quit smoking.