What are some common unvegan foods?!
What are some common unvegan foods?
I'm trying to become vegan, and I've been researching it for quite a while. I know all about the nutrients I need and things like that. I told my parents all I needed to cut out where ice-cream and cheese.
Or so I thought.
I'd forgotten about all those tricky little foods that are HIDING their dairy content from you. So as not to slip up and become animal-unfriendly, I've been looking for a list of common foods that contain dairy that you'd never think of.
So far I have:
-marshmallows
-chocolate
-cake
-doughnuts
-graham crackers
-pretty much anything baked
-anything squishy ((containing gelatin, like gummy bears or Starburst))
-cotton candy
-honey
-peppermints? maybe?
-cane sugar??
-pancake mix?
Is there anything I've missed? I'm trying to just go through vegan catalogs and see what they offer, but when it says 'organic' that throws me off. What's 'organic' mean? :D
So. Anyone that could help me is truly a lifesaver.
Answers:
To be vegan you also need to exclude animal products, which are lurking around every corner. Some food colouring and ingredients are named in such a way that it's near impossible to tell if they're animal- or dairy-based unless you research them.
http://www.isitvegan.info/ - This site will give a lot of information on vegan-friendly foods. It is from the UK, though, so it may not match-up to all of your dietary preferences in terms of products.
http://web.archive.org/web/2003042218222... - This site gives the A to Z list of animal/dairy ingredients vegans need to avoid.
http://vegcooking.com/vegfastfood.asp... - This is a compiled list of safe fast food options for dining on-the-go.
http://www.vegdining.com/home.cfm... - And this is a list of vegan restaurants worldwide, if you're interested.
Oh, one more.
http://www.caringconsumer.com/searchcomp... - If you want products that are safe for you to use, non-animal-tested, check this site out.
Hope this helps. :)
REFRIED BEANS often have milk added.
Actually, PETA lists starburst as being a vegan product on their website. I don't like them anyway so I never looked at their ingredients. Go to their list here to see what you CAN eat... the list is pretty long.
http://www.peta.org/accidentallyvegan/ve...
organic means it was grown without any & all pestisides, (all natural) What about powered milk?
Okay, organic means it was grown without the use of genetically modified organisms, pesticides, etc. Since a lot of vegans also care about these issues, a lot of vegan products are also organic.
As for your growing list: Dark chocolate can be okay if you make sure there isn't any butter or milk in it. If you live in the States, a lot of mainstream sandwich bread has dairy products in it. As for sugar, yes, some sugar is processed with animal bone char, but it is possible to find sugar that isn't. Turbinado sugar and evaporated cane juice or Sucanat are good alternatives. Other things to watch out for include some breakfast cereals, powdered convenience mixes for things like soup, veggie broth cubes can have lactose, and some soy and rice cheeses actually contain casein, a milk protein. Some faux meats also have egg or dairy products. And don't listen to the idiots that try to tell you that Jello isn't made out of gelatin. They're wrong! You're going to have to become a label reader. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but don't panic! You'll be a pro in no time.
Also, keep in mind, there are vegan alternatives to everything on your list. I hope you don't feel like you have to give up all these things if they are foods you enjoy eating. Check out the following websites for recipes and vegan products. The last one is a list of mainstream foods that happen to be vegan.