When following a vegan diet, you'll want to be aware of a few ingredients that may be lurking in foods that don't quite meet the definition. Vegans avoid animal products of any kind, including dairy.
Some ingredients are trickier to spot, especially those used as additives or fillers in processed foods. These are not as easy to detect as the obvious no-no’s like meat, eggs, and milk, but they are still derived from animals. Therefore, they are generally avoided on a vegan diet.
Here’s a quick list of a few ingredients that you may not realize aren’t vegan, or in some cases, not even vegetarian.
Beeswax and Honey
Beeswax can be found in candies and many beauty products. Commonly used in lip balms or lotions, beeswax is an ingredient that many vegans avoid. The wax is produced by worker bees in hives and is used to build honeycombs, which means it does not meet the standard of being a non-animal product.
Honey is used as a sweetener in a variety of products and is a popular enhancement for tea. But if you're sticking to the true definition of vegan foods, honey should be avoided.
Casein or Milk Byproducts
Casein is a protein derived from animal’s milk—usually cow or sheep—and is the main component in cheese making. Sometimes casein will be listed as an ingredient in non-dairy food items, such as soy cheese or coffee creamer, but many non-dairy items exist which do not contain casein.
Be sure to read labels and check for this additive. Many true vegan types of cheese, such as Daiya, Follow Your Heart, and GoVeggie!, are all casein-free. This ingredient is usually listed as casein, calcium caseinate, or sodium caseinate.
Confectioner’s Glaze on Candy
Also listed as resinous glaze, shellac, natural glaze, or pure food glaze, this glaze comes from the hardened resinous material secreted by the lac insect (not the most appetizing source). It is mainly harvested from the trees in which these insects reside. You can most likely find this ingredient on candies that have a super glossy sheen, which is a result of confectioner's glaze.
Gelatin and Gelatin Products
Derived from animal collagen, gelatin is a colorless odorless gelling agent often found in candies or other processed foods, particularly marshmallows, fruit snacks, and jelly candies. It's also sold under the brand-name of Jell-O.
There are vegan alternatives to gelatin if you need it for a recipe. Carrageenan is one and is a powder derived from seaweed. Agar agar (yes, you say it twice) is another, made from cooked and pressed algae, a plant product. Either of these is a fine substitute for gelatin.
Isinglass in Beer and Wine
Isinglass is a clarifying agent used when making wine and brewing beer. It is derived from fish bladders and is therefore not vegan. There's no way of knowing by tasting whether your beer or wine has been filtered through fish bladders, but many brewers and wineries list their ingredients on their websites.
L. Cysteine in Bread Products
This ingredient, often sourced from feathers or human hair, is a dough conditioner listed in some pre-packaged breads and baked goods. Check labels carefully for this ingredient as it may be hiding in the ingredient lists of white and wheat bread.
Whey in Bread and Sweets
Whey is a common ingredient in many foods, especially bread and candies, and is a by-product of cheese making. Whey is the liquid that remains once milk has been curdled or churned and then strained. Once milk has been curdled, it easily separates into curd (solid) and whey (liquid). Whey protein is often added to nutritional supplements and protein shakes.
FAQs
Candy includes many possible non-vegan ingredients, including sugar, honey, carmine, gelatin, shellac, and dairy. Most of these ingredients should sound familiar. Shellac is a “confectioner's glaze” and a varnish, the same as used on floors.
What is secretly not vegan? ›
Beer and Wine. Isinglass, a gelatin-based substance derived from fish, is used as a clarifying agent in some beer and wine. Other non-vegan ingredients sometimes used are casein (from milk) and egg whites.
How do you know if something is not vegan? ›
To know if a product is vegan or not, check for the ingredients. The first thing is to buy vegetarian products, i.e., they must have the green logo. You should make sure that no animal product is mentioned. Also, if you find the word 'milk solids', it is NOT vegan.
What are non-vegetarian ingredients? ›
Animal Ingredients in Food Products:
- Amino acids (Extensively used in Japanese processed foods. Probably animal-derived.)
- Bee pollen.
- Carmine.
- Casein.
- Cholesterol.
- Confectioner's glaze.
- Fish oil.
- Gelatin.
Common Candies that Contain Animal Products
Gummy bears (contains gelatin) Candy corn (contains gelatin, although they do make vegan options) Starburst (contains gelatin derived from beef) Gummy worms (contains gelatin)
What candy is 100% vegan? ›
A little candy, as a treat, every now and then is fine. If you're limiting your sugar intake, look for the brands SmartSweets (vegan-friendly) or Zolli Candy (100 percent vegan).
Are Oreos vegan? ›
Many vegans refer to Oreos as “accidentally vegan,” meaning they don't contain animal products — but they weren't created to be a specifically vegan treat. Oreos do not contain milk, eggs, or any other animal-derived products, so they are technically vegan in that sense. Plant-based cookies and cream lovers rejoice!
Is ketchup vegan? ›
Yes, generally tomato ketchup is suitable for vegans. Its core ingredients are usually tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, herbs and spices, all of which are vegan friendly. But the ingredients list isn't the only thing we need to look at in order to get to the bottom of this question.
Is honey vegan? ›
In the strictest definition of the word, honey is not vegan. As the product of a living being –honeybees, though there are other some 20,000 bee species to be found around the world – honey falls into the same category of non-vegan food products as milk and eggs.
Which things are not vegan? ›
Foods That Aren't Vegan
- Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat.
- Chicken, duck, and other poultry.
- Fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels.
- Eggs.
- Cheese.
- Butter.
- Milk, cream, ice cream, and other dairy products.
- Mayonnaise (because it includes egg yolks)
What is a vegan product? A product is vegan if it does not contain any animal extracts or animal by-products in the product or manufacturing process. It also means that the product hasn't been tested on animals. To be sure, look for the Vegan Trademark.
What spices are non vegan? ›
Spices are generally plant-based. However, some seasonings aren't. Dried shrimp, anchovy paste, and bonito (fish flakes) are both directly sourced from animals. Stepping a little further away from the strict definition of spice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and worcestershire sauce are also typically not vegan.
What foods are secretly not vegetarian? ›
9 Foods You Thought Were Vegetarian But Actually Aren't
- Parmesan Cheese. ...
- Worcestershire Sauce. ...
- Salad Dressings. ...
- Non-Fat Yogurt & Marshmallows. ...
- White Sugar. ...
- Tortillas. ...
- Beer. ...
- Vegetable Soups.
A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.
What makes Skittles not vegan? ›
Until approximately 2010, Skittles contained gelatin, which is not a vegan ingredient. Gelatin is derived from animal collagen, the protein found in connective tissues, and used to give foods a chewy, gel-like texture. Skittles' manufacturer has since removed gelatin.
Why are sweets not vegan? ›
A big recurring ingredient in non-vegan sweets is gelatine. Gelatine acts as a gelling agent in the sweet making process and raises its melting temperature for a more durable shelf-life. Gelatine is generally made from unused parts of the meat production industry.
Why are some sweets not vegan? ›
Gelatine plays a big part in the manufacturing process of confectionery, and you'll notice it's one of the main ingredients in some of the worlds biggest sweet brands, including Haribo. The problem with gelatine is it's made from animal bones, which is why it's not vegan friendly.
What makes candy vegan? ›
Vegan candies don't have animal products like milk, whey, butter, gelatin, etc. Vegan candies have plant-based substitutes for the dairy products like almond, soy, or coconut milk, agar agar, vegan butter, etc. Vegan candies are healthier than non-vegan ones.
