You’ve probably done it at least once or twice. You and the rest of the vegan tribe have likely at some point during your vegan life grabbed something in the store assuming it was vegan because it was only logical that it was. Of course there have always been those foods that you thought were vegan only to discover that you couldn’t be more wrong.
For newly transitioned, unsuspecting vegan souls here are some foods that you may think are vegan, but actually aren’t.
Beer and Wine
I know it’s a sad truth, but believe it or not some beers and wines are in fact clarified using gelatin, bone marrow, casein and isinglass (fish bladders). Specifically, isinglass is what you’ll likely see on the label and it is used in wine to improve vintage clarity. Meanwhile, in beer isinglass helps to regulate buoyancy in water, thus giving your beer that much adored thick and creamy texture.
Foods Labeled ‘Dairy-Free’
Don’t be fooled by the non-dairy label. According to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulations on food labeling, companies are permitted to label products as “non-dairy” even when the ingredients include milk derivatives, such as sodium caseinate. Consequently, there are several brands out there that totally take the liberty of adhering to this regulation. So “buyer beware.”
Jelly
Jelly is not typically vegan as it often contains gelatin, which is made from beef bones, hides and pork skin. Specifically, gelatin is used as a thickening agent and is what makes the jelly ‘set.’
Red Colored Foods
The infamous Natural Red #4 (aka Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Carminic Acid) food coloring is not vegan. Red food coloring is actually carmine, which is a red dye derived from tiny red parasitic scale insects.
Marshmallow
Marshmallows are another gelatin based food item. Again gelatin is made up of the ligaments, tendons, and skin of animals, predominantly pigs and cows, which are boiled to extract a protein called collagen. There is, however, a delightfully delicious vegan marshmallow option, Dandies. Dandies marshmallows are 100% vegan and look, feel and taste just like conventional marshmallow brands minus the collagen.
Ramen Noodles
I know that Ramen noodles are a convenient go to for a lot of vegans. However, several brands of Ramen noodles contain seasoning packets that are not vegan. Many contain flavoring from beef sources. However, one exception is the Top Ramen brand Oriental flavor. This brand and flavor actually contains no animal ingredients at all.
Refried Beans
It’s easy to assume that beans are vegan. However, many refried beans are not vegan and contain lard, a form of rendered and un-rendered pig fat.
White Sugar
As you know, sugar is not naturally white. White sugar gets its color by way of the manufacturing process, which uses bone char.
Dark Chocolate
Not all chocolate labeled ‘dark chocolate’ is vegan. Sometimes milk or milk products are added. So be sure to check the label.
Pesto
Traditionally, pesto sauce is made with Parmesan cheese and is therefore not vegan. However, finding vegan pesto sauces typically isn’t too challenging. So just be sure to check the label before grabbing.
Figs
Now this one may be the biggest shocker because its actually a fruit. However, figs have been quite controversal in the vegan community. This is primarily because figs rely on wasps to reproduce, just as much as wasps rely on figs to do so.
Specifically, figs rely on the help of pollinator wasps to reproduce. The female wasp crawls through the tiny opening of the inverted fig flower to lay her eggs, dying there shortly after. While her eggs prepare to hatch, her body is digested by an enzyme within the fig. Upon hatching, male larvae mate with female larvae, then they crawl out of the fig with pollen attached to their bodies, thus continuing both species’ lifecycle.
Galaxy Veggie Slices
Back in my early days of veganhood when vegan cheese brands were minimal I was a huge fan of Galaxy Veggie Slices (aka Go Veggie!). That is until I realized it wasn’t vegan. Yes, despite it’s label, the early flavors of Galaxy Veggie Slices were not vegan as they contain casein. However, today they have 3 offerings, which include Lactose Free, Lactose & Soy Free, and Vegan. Now the vegan flavored option is in fact vegan. So just take note of the packaging color and label before grabbing. Look for the purple label.
What foods have you recently discovered are not vegan that you once thought were?
