Sneaky Non Vegan Ingredients in Candies
Vegans avoid animal products of any kind, including dairy. When following a vegan diet, you’ll want to be aware of a few non-vegan ingredients that may be hiding in foods. Always read your labels and watch for the following ingredients in everything you buy.
Sometimes, the manufacturers may change an ingredient, and your favorite item is no longer vegan, or vice-versa. Also, some countries differ in their ingredient list for the same product. For example, did you know that LAYS Salt and Vinegar Chips are vegan in the United States but NOT so in Canada since they contain lactose? Always double check to be sure!
Here’s a quick list of a few ingredients that you may not realize aren’t vegan. So if these are on your label and you are a strict vegan, put it back on the shelf.
Beeswax is not vegan
Beeswax is an ingredient that many vegans avoid. The wax is produced by worker bees in hives and is used to build honeycombs, which does not meet the standard of being a non-animal product.
Honey is not vegan
Honey is produced by bees, therefore non-vegan.
Casein is not vegan
Casein is a protein derived from animal’s milk—usually cow or sheep—and is the main component in cheese making. This ingredient is also listed as calcium caseinate or sodium caseinate.
Lactose is not vegan
Lactose is a sugar present in milk.
Carmine is not vegan
Carmine is a red pigment made from the crushed female cochineal insect.
Confectioner’s Glaze is not vegan
Confectioner’s Glaze also listed as resinous glaze, shellac, natural glaze, or pure food glaze. This glaze comes from the hardened resinous material secreted by the lac insect and creates a super glossy sheen.
Gelatin is not vegan
Gelatin and Gelatin Products, derived from animal collagen. Gelatin is a colorless odorless gelling agent often found in candies or other processed foods, particularly marshmallows, fruit snacks, and jelly candies. It’s also sold under the brand-name of Jell-O.
- If you are looking for a vegan alternative to gelatin, perhaps for a recipe, Carrageenan is one and is a powder derived from seaweed. Agar-agar is another, made from cooked and pressed algae, a plant product.
L. Cysteine is not vegan
L. Cysteine is an ingredient, often sourced from feathers or human hair! It is a dough conditioner listed in some pre-packaged breads and baked goods.
Whey is not vegan
Whey is a common ingredient in many foods, especially bread and candies, and is a by-product of cheese making. Whey is the liquid that remains once milk has been curdled or churned and then strained. Once milk has been curdled, it easily separates into curd (solid) and whey (liquid).
Lard is not vegan
Lard is fat from the abdomen of a pig that is rendered and clarified for use in cooking. You may find this in baked goods.
Bone Char Sugar is not vegan
Another thing some vegans worry about is bone-char sugar. Bone char is widely used by the sugar industry as a decolorizing filter, which allows sugar to achieve its white color. The bone char is made from the bones of cattle from countries like Afghanistan, Argentina, India, and Pakistan. To dive deeper into the topic of bone char sugar, check out the following websites on the topic.
https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/are-animal-ingredients-included-in-white-sugar/
https://ordinaryvegan.net/vegansugar/