Vegan ... Ingredients?

Question

What do I need to look out for when reading the label for ingredients in the food I eat?

Half the time I don't understand what the words mean or what it is. I don't want to eat something which contains any kind of animal. What do I need to look out for and also what is it?

Answer 1

I had the same problem when I first became vegan. Obvious ones such as gelatine, honey etc were fine but chemical names really threw me!!

The best list I have found of A-Z animal products (including chemical names) is:

http://www.happycow.net/health-animal-in...

The list is very comprehensive so I am in awe of anyone who has the entire thing memorised!

My favourite discovery to date is the following link which provides a handy-dandy list of animal ingredients (including chemical names and e numbers) that you can store on your ipod/any mp3 player with a notes section.

http://thirty5.org/ipod/

It makes life so much easier :)

The staggering amount of animal ingredients found in everyday products can be overwhelming, especially for a new vegan. Don't stress too much about it, just try to inform yourself, and slowly work animal friendly alternatives into your everyday life.

Best of luck and remember: veganism is about giving a d**n, not being perfect.

Answer 2

geletine,casein, whey, lactic acid, stearic acid

also stuff that has stearate and stuff that looks like lactic acid and stearic acid.

Answer 3

mono and di glicerides are from animal if not stated vegetable scorce

casin is from milk is the protien of milk

lactose is from milk and is the sugar part of milk

whey is the leftover part of milk after seperating milk.

calcium chloride is the left over part of making cheese

this is the easy ones to find first off the top of my head.

hope this will help

Answer 4

You might enjoy this essay:

How Vegan?

http://www.veganoutreach.org/howvegan.ht...

Also, see:

A Note About Small Amounts of Animal Products in Foods

http://www.vegcooking.com/anote.asp

I wouldn't worry about obscure animal products. Personally, I look for egg and dairy products on the label... also carmine or cochineal (crushed bugs). That's about it.

Being vegan isn't about a quest for personal purity; it's about doing what we can (within reason) to reduce animal suffering. I hope this helps!

Answer 5

Rennet - from cow's stomachs

Casein - comes from milk

Collagen - connective tissue from meat

Fatty acids - can sometimes be animal-derived

Gelatin - made from bones

Glycerine - can sometimes be animal-derived

Lecithin - usually soya, but can come from eggs

Marine oils - from fish

Whey - from milk

Any kind of lactate or Lactic acid - from milk

Cochineal - colour made from crushed insects

Honey - bees

These are mostly found in processed foods. Read the labels carefully to check it doesn't contain any of these ingredients.

Answer 6

heres a great list of animal ingredients:

http://www.caringconsumer.com/resources_...

if you browse the website you can find other great lists