What are some not well known products that vegans should avoid?

Question

Some people were giving me **** about being a vegan and a smoker, and one person joked that animal products are used in the tabacco production. Now, I think this person may just be pulling my leg, but I have to be sure, and I was wondering also what are some other things that may not be clearly non-vegan.

Also, if you know a website with like a list of things that contain non-vegan products, that would be great.

Answer 1

No, that person is not joking. Some brands of cigarettes contain animal by-products.

Plus cigarettes and their by-products can also be tested on animals.

I believe you can buy certified vegan cigarettes; I just don't know which brands are considered vegan and which ones aren’t.

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Answer 2

Many products- especially vegan cheeses- have casein in them. It makes the cheese melt. It is made from the lining of a calf;s stomach.

"Natural Ingredients"- careful here. It should tell if it's from vegetable or animal ingredients.

Many vegetarian and vegan companies sneak egg white and milk solids into their products. That's why it's better to eat closer to the stem whenever possible.

Peta has a page of things "You Won't Believe are Vegan", found in the grocery store.

(I stopped smoking and started again- BAD!)

Answer 3

I'm no expert on the vegan lifestyle, but I do know that most people are unaware of where gelatin comes from.  (Without grossing everybody out, suffice to say it is an animal product).    Gelatin is used in a number of food and medical products like Jell-o, jellies and jams, and medicines that come in capsule form.

Answer 4

Let me address the smoking part of your question because I happen to know about it.  If you are a vegan smoker, you should be smoking American Spirits.  They have no additives, they are the only tobacco company that does not test on animals, they offer organic tobacco, and they have fair business practices.  Brands like Marlboro do test on animals, and their cigarettes contain 1,000 chemicals and additives which are way worse for you than pure tobacco.

Answer 5

Lady Mala: Casein is vegetarian, just not vegan; it is milk protein (from, unsurprisingly, milk).  You are thinking of rennet, which is in a lot of regular cheese.

Edited to clarify: You're right, sort of.  Rennet is sometimes (though not always) used in the production of casein, but the actual casein comes from normal milk.  Either way it is not vegan, though, obviously, and just like pretty much any animal products, its production contributes to mistreatment of animals.

Many people don't know:

rennet (mentioned above)

isinglass (fish gelatin, used in the fining process for beers and wines)

Here's a list:

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

Answer 6

JELLYYY!!!!!!

anything that uses pectin or gelatin

also, any product that has to be farmed kills thousands of animals.

Answer 7

Someone mentioned casein already.  To clarify, yes it is milk, but its milk scraped out of a young cows stomach lining.  So therefore, not vegan or vegetarian friendly.  MARS candy products use it, and it definitely contributes to hurting animals.  I'm talking M&Ms which most people wouldn't guess, but its the sad truth just look up all the ingredients in MARS brand candy bars and you'll see.

Another thing already mentioned is gelatin, its not only in the obvious jello products, but in gummy bears, yogurt and many jelly/gummy candies, and marshmallows.  They do have vegan marshmallow mix though if you want to make rice crispies, I personally love it.