Spotting Animal Products

It can be a little overwhelming when you are trying to go vegan grocery store. You will become a label checking fanatic. This is actually really great because in checking for animal products, you will become more conscious of all the other chemicals, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors in so many products. Hopefully, you will also adapt another of my favorite things: buying organic. But whether or not you change other habits is another blog entirely.

Today, I want to put together a list of commonly used animal products that might be lurking in the most unassuming places. If you see these things in the ingredients list, steer clear!

Albumen/Albumin- in eggs and milk among other things. It's a coagulating agent.
Beeswax, Bee Pollen, and other bee products- I've heard people try and claim that bees are not animals or that they are not harmed in the acquisition of these products. But, insects are just as living as animals to me... we'll look into this argument in more detail later
Bone char- often used to make sugar white... check with your sugar company or switch to evaporated cane sugar, turbinado sugar, or another sweetener like agave nectar.
Bone meal- often used in vitamins or toothpastes.
Carmine- red pigment from the crushed hulls of cochineal beetles. Used in many, many red colored foods, and also makeups.
Carotene- found in animal tissues and plants. Used in making vitamin A. Make sure it is plant derived.
Casein- milk protein. Careful because many soy cheeses contain this.
Gelatin- made by boiling skin and bones of cows and pigs. Found in jello, pudding, marshmallows, and many other foods. Also used on photograph film.
Glycerin- usually from animal fat. In food, gum, soap, medicines. Find products that use vegetable glycerin.
Insinglass- a gelatin from fish bladders used in filtering some wines and food. Find vegan wine.
Keratin- ground up horns, hooves,c of animals. Found in hair care products.
Lactic Acid- from blood tissue. In many products that require fermentation.
Lactose- milk sugar. In many foods.
Lanolin- from sheep wool. In many beauty products.
Lard- hog fat. Many restaurants fry food in lard. Also in beauty products.
Lecithin- most typically obtained from eggs or soybeans. Find products made with soy lecithin
Lenoleic Acid- fatty acid from calves. Used in cheeses.
Rennet- enzyme from the stomach of baby cows. Used in cheese making- especially softer cheeses.
Stearic Acid- fat from cows and other animals. In gum and food flavorings.
Tallow- beef fat. In crayons, margarines, paintslipsticks, etc.
Vinegar (distilled white)-uses animal charcoal for filtering.
Vitamins- (A) can come from fish liver or egg yolk, (B12) usually animal source, (D) can come from milk, egg yolk, fish liver. Find vegan or plant derived vitamins.
Whey- serum from milk. Careful... this is slipped into all sorts of things.. breads, seasoning mixes, and even some veggie burgers.

That is just the beginning of the list. If we start talking about cleaners, cleansers, and personal care products, the list would be tripled. There are many sources to help you find vegan products, like shopping at places like Vegan Essentials where you know the products are ALL vegan. Also, you can visit PETA for a list of vegan products.

For more detailed and extensive lists of animal ingredients, check here and here.

And don't be discouraged. It's getting easier and easier to find vegan products. Many companies are even marking vegan on the labels thanks to the Vegan Certification Symbol.



So, let's keep affirming life and being conscious, compassionate people. It's really not hard.