Vegan help?

[mommy2bugnbugga]

My kids and I are already pretty much 100% vegetarian. Ok, take that back, I am 100% vegetarian, but my kids still get Cow's milk and Yogurt (do to a disorder my children have their pediatrician, who is also vegan, recommends them stay with dairy for a few more years and they are out of the "danger zone"). I am trying to go completely vegan, which I thought was doing by removing eggs, dairy, fish, meat, poultry, etc. But what about small ingredients? Someone told me that things like gelatin is not vegan and that there are lots of other "little" things similar that are in foods that I need to watch out for if I am going to go 100% vegan. Any tips?

[masja]

Here's a list of some common ones. Always read labels!!

Canned Goods and Non-Perishables

* Soup base / stock / bouillon: meat or fish fat
* Vegetable soup: meat or poultry broth
* Worcestershire sauce: anchovies
* Lard: solid animal fat
* Caesar salad / dressing: anchovies, possibly bacon
* Refried beans: lard
* Beans in tomato sauce: pork

Bakery, Bread and Crackers

* Crackers: may contain animal-derived enzymes
* Amino L-cysteine: derived from animal hair or feathers
* Whey protein: a milk product
* Omega-3 enriched bread: may contain fish oil

Candy, Desserts and Confectionary

* Marshmallows: gelatin (made from animal bones)
* Hard / chewy candies like Skittles or Starburst brands: gelatin
* Jell-o or gelatin desserts: gelatin
* White sugar: filtered using animal bone char
* Pie crusts: store-bought and some homemade contain lard and/or butter
* Glazed/candied cherries: cochineal/carmine (insect colouring)
* Candies made with red food colouring: cochineal/carmine

Produce

* Apples, candy apples: shiny read coating made from beetles (cochineal/carmine)
* Caesar salad (pre-packaged): anchovies, possibly bacon

Dairy/Frozen/Refrigerated Products

* Frozen hash brown potatoes: some contain lard
* Yogurt or sour cream (especially low-fat brands): gelatin
* DHA-enriched products (for example; milk, orange juice, margarine, cheese, bread but not omega-3 eggs): gelatin
* Cheese: rennet (scraped from the stomachs of cows)
* Margarine: gelatin, whey powder, casein
* Soy cheese: most contain casein (a milk protein) to help them melt

Beverages (again, read the labels. Some alcohols, contain Isinglass, a clarifying agent, which is made from fish.)

* Beer
* Wine

Note: not all beers and wines are made using animal products. Whether a beverage is made using animal products or not, this information is not listed on the label. No animal ingredients are present in the final product (beer, wine) but some are filtered with animal products like isinglass.

* Bloody Mary cocktail: anchovies (in Worcestershire sauce)
* Bloody Caesar cocktails: clam juice and anchovies (in Worcestershire sauce)
* Fruitopia brand drinks: some flavours contain carmine (crushed insects) as a colouring

Other

* Medications: anything listed as a "gel-cap" contains gelatin
* Medications: red colouring in capsules may contain carmine
* “Natural colour”; “Natural flavour”: may be animal- derived (such as beef broth) or vegetable-derived. The source does not have to be specified on the label.

Non-Food Items

For many, vegetarianism and veganism extend beyond food to clothing and lifestyle. Many do not use:

* Leather, fur: animal skin, pelt
* Down bedding/comforters and pillows: duck or goose feathers
* Soap: most contain animal fat (sodium tallowate)

Here's another link with hidden ingredients:

http://www.cyberparent.com/nutrition...odproducts.htm



And here's a great resource from PETA of a list of "accidentally" Vegan foods, everyday stuff you can find in the grocery store!

http://www.peta2.com/stuff/s-accvegan.asp

[mommy2bugnbugga]

You are wonderful! Thank you so much for all the information and the links. I am off to start doing some reading so that I can be educated on my choice.