Veganism Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-21-2023

Adopting a vegan lifestyle is incredibly rewarding. But it’s not without challenges — especially in the beginning. While you’re acclimating to this way of life, here are some tips for dining out that can help.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

There are many hidden animal products in foods. Many animal ingredients are present in very small amounts. Some animal products, such as casein and whey — both derived from dairy products — are acceptable for vegetarians to eat but are not acceptable to vegans. Others, such as rennet (which comes from the stomach lining of calves and other baby animals), is unacceptable to all vegetarians. Animal Ingredients in Foods Ingredient What It Is Where You Find It Albumin The protein component of egg whites Processed foods Anchovies Small, silver-colored fish Worcestershire sauce, Caesar salad dressing Animal shortening Butter, suet, lard Packaged cookies and crackers, refried beans, flour tortillas, ready-made piecrusts Carmine (carmine cochineal or carminic acid) Red coloring made from a ground-up insect Bottled juices, colored pasta, some candies, frozen pops Casein (caseinate) A milk protein Dairy products and some soy cheeses. Gelatin Protein from bones, cartilage, tendons, and skin of animals Marshmallows, yogurt, frosted cereals, gelatin-containing desserts Glucose (dextrose) Animal tissues and fluids (some glucose can come from fruits) Baked goods, soft drinks, candies, frosting Glycerides (mono-, di-, and triglycerides) Glycerol from animal fats or plants Processed foods Isinglass Gelatin from the air bladder of sturgeon and other freshwater fish Alcoholic beverages, some jellied desserts Lactic acid An acid formed by bacteria acting on the milk sugar lactose Cheese, yogurt, pickles, olives, sauerkraut, candy, frozen desserts, fruit preserves Lactose (saccharum lactin, D-lactose) Milk sugar As a culture medium for souring milk and in processed foods Lactylic stearate Salt of stearic acid (see stearic acid) As a conditioner in bread dough Lard Fat from the abdomens of pigs Baked goods, refried beans Lecithin Phospholipids from animal tissues, plants, and egg yolks Breakfast cereal, candy, chocolate, baked goods, margarine, vegetable oil sprays Lutein Deep yellow coloring from marigolds or egg yolks Commercial food coloring Oleic acid (oleinic acid) Animal tallow Synthetic butter, cheese, vegetable fats and oils, candy, ice cream, beverages, condiments Pepsin Enzyme from pigs’ stomachs Cheese Stearic acid (octadecanoic acid) Tallow, other animal fats and oils Vanilla flavoring, baked goods, beverages, candy Suet Hard white fat around kidneys and loins of animals Margarine, mincemeat, pastries Tallow Solid fat of sheep and cattle separated from the membranous tissues Margarine Vitamin A (A1, retinol) Vitamin obtained from vegetables, egg yolks, or fish liver oil Vitamin supplements, fortification of foods Vitamin B12 Vitamin produced by microorganisms and found in all animal products; synthetic form (cyanocobalamin or cobalamin on labels) is vegan Supplements, fortified foods Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) comes from fish liver oils or lanolin Supplements, fortified foods Whey Watery liquid that separates from the solids in cheese-making Crackers, breads, cakes, processed foods

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Going out to eat can be challenging to a new vegan. Hidden nonvegan ingredients lurk behind every menu item, and servers may not know exactly what the chef is cooking into each dish. You can use this handy list as a friendly guide. Simply print this page and cut out the following list to offer to your server the next time you go to a nonvegan restaurant: Hi! I’m vegan and CAN’T eat: Butter or cream Eggs Cheese from cows or goats Milk from cows or goats Meat, poultry, lamb, or beef Fish, shellfish, shrimp, or lobster Gelatin Honey I CAN eat: All fruits All vegetables All herbs and spices Beans Soy-based protein like tofu and tempeh Grains Pasta (that’s not made from eggs) Olive oil

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you’re first starting out as a vegan, deciding what to eat can be overwhelming. But don’t worry. The following table showing a week’s worth of vegan menus gives you a great place to start when planning your meals. Offering variety, nutrition, and plenty of different tastes, textures, and ethnic spices, these menus can help you fill up your vegan kitchen with new ingredients that you’ll be using for years to come. Day of the Week Breakfast Lunch Dinner Monday Fruit smoothie made soy yogurt, flaxseed, and nuts Burrito with black beans, brown rice, guacamole, and fresh salsa Miso stew Tuesday Fortified vegan cereal with slivered almonds, vegan milk, and a banana 1 cup hummus, ten carrot sticks, Greek olives, green salad with sprouts, and vinaigrette Beans and broccoli over polenta Wednesday 2 slices whole-grain toast spread with almond butter and apple butter and 1 cup of vegan milk 2 cups three-bean salad mixed with a diced avocado and drained marinated artichoke hearts Baked black bean burgers on whole-grain buns and topped with all the usual fixin’s Thursday Banana and ½ cup mixed raw almonds and raisins with a cup of herbal tea Pita filled with hummus, avocado slices, and chopped lettuce and drizzled with your favorite vegan salad dressing Brown rice, roasted sweet potato fries, sautéed kale and tempeh cubes drizzled with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos Friday Homemade porridge using leftover grain from preceding day; make with maple syrup, nuts, and cinnamon or bok choy, cashews, and soy sauce Amy’s low-sodium lentil soup with a side of sliced red bell pepper Cauliflower chickpea curry over quinoa Saturday Vegan British beans on toast Leftover quinoa and cauliflower chickpea curry scooped into tortillas or whole-grain pitas Creamy broccoli soup with rice balls Sunday Cornbread muffins with soy sausages and a hot mug of chocolate rice milk Leftover broccoli soup with a side of fresh crusty bakery bread and Earth Balance spread Large green salad topped with crumbled tofu cheese, garbanzo beans, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil and fresh lemon juice