Hi Reader,

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I'm not gonna lie, this is a long ass one today, but necessary...so, let's tuck in shall we?

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Has this ever happened to you? You make the effort to go to the store and spot something just incredible! All you wanna do is to get home to enjoy this glorious meal, yummy snack, or delicious new item you just scored for a great price (and on sale no less) am I right?

Then you actually look at what you picked up thinking it was safe and on “the good list”, only to find it’s loaded with ingredients you don’t want near you.

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Uuuggghhh! No worries, I’m going to teach you quick steps for figuring out if the ingredients in your products are safe for vegans.

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​What the heck does that even mean?

Well, for this demonstration I’ll be focusing on food items only. Household products, beauty products, clothing etc are a whole other thing on their own. One thing at a time here.

Ok, back to food. Vegans abstain from any item that is directly or indirectly derived from animal products.

So, meat, chicken and fish ( yes seafood counts) are at the top of the list. But what’s derived from them? Eggs (from chickens…usually) milk which comes from cows, goats, or sheep. Also, eggs and milk can be found in ice-cream, butter, yogurt and some breads.

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But there are other surprising places you would find non vegan items lurking. Worcester sauce has anchovies…. yes it does. Marshmallows have gelatin (made from animal collagen), and chocolate. Chocolate itself is vegan, but sometimes milk or milk products are added to it. Veggie Burgers…yes, they can sometimes have eggs or dairy added so you have to check the labels.

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So, how do you actually navigate this vast expanse of label reading without losing your mind?

• Does it say Vegan?

If it is already labeled as vegan then you are all good. It may also contain a Certified Vegan Logo or state that it is suitable for vegans.
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• Does it say Vegetarian?

If a product is labeled as vegetarian, or suitable for vegetarians, it may still contain animal or animal derived products like eggs, milk, or casein for example. It may only be suitable for vegetarians and not necessarily vegan.
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• Check if it has cholesterol.

This is a great clue. If it has any amount of cholesterol ( which is animal derived) it’s not vegan. It might be vegetarian, it ain’t vegan my friend. You won’t find any cholesterol in fruits, vegetables, or plant-based foods.
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• Is there an allergen list?

Most products, after the huge ingredient list, will put “contains wheat, soy, milk, eggs” if found in the item. This area on the label is a great one to check if the product is safe for vegans.
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• Just because it says dairy free doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain eggs.

This one annoys me because I have always associated eggs with dairy because it’s been on that food pyramid for years, but technically eggs aren’t a milk product, but still! It annoys me, but I digress. You actually have to read the ingredients themselves to find out.

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Dairy products are foods or beverages produced from the milk of mammals. Eggs come from female birds, reptiles, fish, or invertebrates. So no, eggs are not dairy.

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This is the perfect time to discuss Dairy-Free Vs Non-Dairy (back to top)

Dairy-free means the complete absence of all dairy ingredients, including lactose. Non-dairy refers to products that can contain a milk derivative. You can find milk derivatives in non-dairy protein shakes, non-dairy creamer, and non-dairy cheeses.

So all those “non-dairy” coffee creamers you love so much that taste like the one at your favorite coffee shop, nah, it’s no bueno. It’s a dairy derivative. SORRY!​
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Now, what is a Milk Derivative? The term “milk derivative” refers to any ingredient that originates from milk. In other words, a milk derivative is not milk, but an ingredient that is typically extracted from milk.

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Milk derivatives include sodium caseinate, dried whey, lactose, butter oil, dry milk solids.

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* FYI: “May Contain”. You’ll most likely see a line on the packaging that says “May Contain”. This is a legal disclaimer that companies have to put in order to protect themselves in lawsuits in case of allergic reactions caused by cross-contamination. It means that the product was made in a facility that produces items with animal products. Just because it says “may contain”, doesn’t mean it isn’t vegan.

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Below is a list of other non-vegan ingredients to look out for: (back to top)

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Beeswax and Honey

Now, while beeswax itself can be considered a vegetarian substance because it doesn’t contain animal or insect flesh, it’s not truly vegan. The concerns lie over how it’s harvested and its effects on the bees. Honey, however, isn't considered vegan. This is a long debated issue with vegans. Some vegans do consume honey, but it’s not considered to be a vegan product. Why? Well, honey is actually food for the bees, it’s their primary source of nutrition, plus the way it’s harvested is harmful to them.

Beekeepers harvest it by collecting the honeycomb frames and scraping off the wax cap that bees make to seal off honey in each cell. Once the caps are removed, the frames are placed in an extractor, a centrifuge that spins the frames, forcing honey out of the comb. The honeycomb contains bee larvae and stores of honey and pollen. So in essence, the larvae are killed and bees can be injured in the collection and harvesting process.

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Casein

Casein is derived from animal milk and is the main component in cheese making. Sometimes casein is listed as an ingredient on non-dairy food products like soy yogurt or non-dairy creamers. If you see this listed on a product, it may be vegetarian, but it’s not vegan.

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Confectioners Glaze/ Pharmaceutical Glaze

Lac beetles are killed to make confectioners and pharmaceutical glaze, so it is not vegan (for that matter it’s not even vegetarian). The glaze is a secretion of the lac beetle.

Where do you find these items? Candy Corn, Hershey Whoppers and Milk Duds, Tootsie Rolls and Jelly Beans to name a few. But don’t fret, there are vegan alternatives for these popular treats if you so desire.

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Gelatin

Gelatin is made from decaying animal hides, boiled crushed bones, and the connective tissues of cattle and pigs. It’s not vegan, it’s not even vegetarian. So all those jello snacks and marshmallows we used to eat as kids, no bueno. There is a vegan alternative called agar agar however which is made from red algae.

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​Glycerin

Glycerin can be sourced from animal fat, or can be 100% vegetarian, or a combo of both. So it’s best to check what you’re dealing with. Plant glycerin can be sourced from soybeans, coconut oil, palm oil, or other plant oils.

Glycerin can be found in many foods, cosmetics or even medicines. When in doubt, you can just stay away.

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​Ininglass (beer/wine)

Isinglass is also known as fish glue. (Yummy right?) It’s taken from the swim bladders of fish and used to make beer and wine clear. Now, I’m not telling you not to enjoy your red wine or beer, oh no, not that. However, there are TONS of beverages out there (beer and wine included) that don’t contain isinglass. In fact, the other ingredients you can sometimes find in beer are casein, gelatin, and glycerin.

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But for your peace of mind, here are a few varieties that are safe for vegans. For a comprehensive list, check out PETA’s website.

• Budweiser and Bud Light
• Coors and Coors Light
• Guiness
• Amstel
• Stella Artois

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L. Cysteine

L. Cysteine is found in many products ranging from hair care products to bread. It’s derived from a variety of natural ingredients but all of them aren’t vegan. Most of it is sourced from feathers, animal hair, or even human hair or coal tar.

If in doubt about a product and the source isn’t clear, you may just want to google it as I'm sure some dedicated vegan already contacted the company and did the legwork for you.

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Whey

Whey is a by-product of dairy, so it’s not vegan. It shows up a lot in protein powders and some processed foods. Fortunately there are alternatives to whey in products. Many protein powders for example use pea protein or brown rice protein instead.

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Lactose

Lactose is a sugar that is derived from dairy. (Another doggone derivative). Our bodies use an enzyme called lactase to break down these sugars so we can absorb it into our bodies. The magic happens in the small intestine. There are millions of people out there who can’t produce enough of the enzyme and so they have a lot of discomfort after consuming dairy. These people are lactose intolerant. So, my friend, if you fall into this category… stay away from dairy and its derivatives.
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Lactic Acid

The good news is that most lactic acid IS VEGAN! Whoo Hoo! It occurs during the natural fermentation process of plants, or can be man-made using plants. You can also find it in fermented dairy and meats so it’s those sources you want to avoid.

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Castoreum

Oh, THIS IS A GOOD ONE! Buckle up and hold on kids. Castoreum is an anal secretion that beavers use to mark their territory. Oh, it gets better…wait for it. It also just happens to smell like vanilla. It’s been used in food and perfume preparations for years. The FDA calls it “generally safe” and it’s been labeled a “natural flavoring”. So….just what foods can you find this in you wonder? How about your Artificial Vanilla Extract! Let that one marinate in your minds a bit.

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Ok, 1st of all, I would just pony up the cash and stick to NATURAL Vanilla Extract (and all other flavor extracts from now on). But the question remains, what about my desserts when I go out to eat?

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The truth is, the chances of you consuming beaver butt goo is really small. That’s because it’s (as you can imagine) very difficult to source this material. (Wow, the visual right now is absolutely crazy, that poor soul trying to lift a beaver's butt up, LOL. Ok, fine, that’s not actually how it’s done…but it’s still a crazy visual). You have a better chance of this substance showing up in your makeup or perfume instead. You might want to check your makeup kit, just saying.

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Cochineal or Carmine ​
Oh dear, what’s this now? If the thought of eating bugs makes you squeamish, sorry to tell you you’ve probably been doing this most of your life.

This is because one of the most widely used red food coloring, carmine, is made from crushed up bugs.

The insects used to make carmine are called cochineal, and are native to Latin America where they live on cacti. The product is also used extensively in the cosmetics industry and is found in many lipsticks. A food label might say "natural red four", "crimson lake" or just E120, which is its European Union food additive classification number. The red color comes from carminic acid, which makes up almost a quarter of the bugs' weight, and deters predation by other insects.

Ok, I think know we’ve covered A LOT today. Now, I’m not expecting you to memorize this whole list of ingredients listed above, but it’s meant to get you into the habit of being more conscientious when you are making purchasing decisions.

Listen, there are going to be times when you may mess up, you might accidentally consume something which contains a non-vegan ingredient. That happens to everyone at some time. We are only human.

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This isn’t about being perfect so don’t beat yourself up about it too much if it happens to you.

What I want you to remember is that the end goal is about making better choices, and informed decisions. Just try your best and over time reading labels will become a lot easier and what you’ll gain is knowledge, and knowledge is power my friend.

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*Bonus: OH! You can also download an app (there are a ton) that lets you scan the label/or barcode on a product to let you know if it’s suitable for vegans or not!

​Is It Vegan is a great one!

Let me know if you come across any challenges with the labels or need any clarification of the above.

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Until next time!

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Thanks again,

Hugs and chocolate kisses! Kadae

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