VeggieGlobal's Guide Things to Watch Out For

VeggieBite ...  You can't call yourself a vegetarian if you eat fish and eat cheeses that contain animal derived rennet. And if you're really concerned about animal welfare you won't wear animal skin or buy new leather shoes or sofas either!

There are all kinds of foods and everyday items that aren't suitable for veg*ns ... and they usually catch you out when you least expect it. Here's just some things to watch out for! Foods A to Z Use this table in conjunction with the VeggieGlobal non-vegetarian food additive tables. Remember that some additives with the same name can be either vegetarian or animal derived ... (Yes, it's a minefield of confusion! ... and all the more reason to vote for the NOVA Key) These foods... may contain ... Beers Animal-based fining etc. See wine at Q & A's. Biscuits Animal fat (and even cochineal and gelatine if filled) - Check ingredients. Bread L-Cystine (hair or fur) Breakfast Cereals ("fortified") Vitamin D3. Remember that D2 is suitable for veg*ns. Cakes Animal fat (and even cochineal and gelatine if filled) - Check ingredients. Candy Colouring such as cochneal - plus gelatine. Caviar / Roe (fish eggs) Fish are killed to obtain eggs. (see also wine at Q & A's) Cheese Animal-based rennet and also pepsin (see Q & A's) Chewing Gum Animal derived glycerine. Wrigley's is OK ... they use vegetable glycerine. Chips (fries) Animal fat (cooked in). Chips (fries) Animal derived flavouring (I.e. beef). Frozen Chips (fries) Animal fat and flavouring. Ice Creams Non-dairy fats, which may come from pigs or other animals. Ice lollies Colouring and carrier agents such as gelatine. Avoid orange and deep red coloured drinks. Jellies Gelatine and cochineal. To be safe, avoid anything which contains jelly type ingredients. Margarine and butters (particularly easy-spread) Vitamin D3 animal fat, fish oils and gelatine. Pasta Egg. Pastry Animal fat (I.e. suet). Potato Chips (snacks and crisps, etc) Animal rennet in cheese flavoured snacks or animal-based flavours in others. (Some beef and bacon flavours are actually vegetarian because flavours are artificial!) Soft Drinks Colouring and carrier agents such as gelatine. Avoid orange and deep red coloured drinks. Spirits Animal-based fining etc. (see wine at Q & A's) Stock in sauces and soups Animal Fat and / or animal / fish derived flavouring. Vitamin and Medicine Capsules Gelatine ... although vegetarian capsules are becoming popular in some countries (check label). Wines Animal-based fining etc. (see Q & A's) Worcester Sauce Anchovies. Yoghurts and chilled dairy desserts - particularly low fat Gelatine. Use the above table in conjunction with the VeggieGlobal non-vegetarian food additive tables. To V or Not To V... That is the Confusion! The Nova Key ethical labeling system is designed to apply to all foods and products, which shows whether they are natural, organic, vegetarian, tested on animals ... OR NOT. Find out more at our NOVA Key Site and vote for the NOVA Key Around the House, Cloths and General A to Z These household, fashion and toiletry items (which may have also been tested on animals)... may contain ... Books Leather binding Brushes Animal hair Car interiors, steering wheels made of... Leather Cases, holders made of... Leather Clothes and scarves made of or containing... Silk, made from the soft thread of Silk moth cocoons (killed in the process) Clothes, hats and bags made of or containing... FurRead more here Clothes, hats and bags made of or containing... Felt. Although often made from wool, can also be made from fur ... so check before buying hats in particular (possibly rabbit fur) Clothes, hats etc. made of or containing... Wool: cashmere, angora, mohair, pashmina, shatoosh, alpaca. Extreme pain, premature death, suffering during transportation, disease through crowding and neglect are just a few reasons to use alternatives to wool. For a full rundown on the treatment of animals in the wool industry see this external link to a Peta factsheet (opens separate window):http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=55 Cushions Feathers (birds are killed for feathers) Duvets and sleeping bags Feathers (birds are killed for feathers) Glue Glue made from animals (hooves, legs and hide). Although various glues are not now made from slaughtered animals, some will still not be suitable for vegans. Casein based glue is a protein derivative of skimmed milk. Jewellery containing pearls Both natural and cultivated pearls are harvested from mussels, oysters or scallops. All such clams (bivalve molluscs) are killed to retrieve the pearl. Even some imitation pearls can be made from coral or conch - both which are sea creatures. Jewellery containing elephant hair Although elephant hair jewellery has traditionally been harvested from the ground around trees where elephants have rubbed their bottoms on the tree-trunks, there is an increasingly potential risk that the hair has also come from poached elephants. Read more here Jewellery containing porcupine quills The large amount of commercially available porcupine quill jewellery and trinkets far exceeds a naturally harvested supply of quills dropped in the wild by a live porcupine. Most porcupine quill is sourced from killed animals.Read more here Jewellery containing amber Although not directly animal related, a lot of amber is extracted from the Baltic sea in a manner that's very harmful to the environment. Apart from the mining process itself the sea in the locality of the mining process is heavily polluted by millions of tons of waste, destroying sea-life in its wake. As you may know, VeggieGlobal regularly reminds its visitors that detrimental effects to the ocean is a major cause of planetary deterioration. When buying amber products make sure it has come from traditional gathering methods and ethically processed for use as jewellery. Old photographic film (not applicable for digital photography) Gelatine Pillows Feathers (birds are killed for feathers) Shampoo Lanolin and Glycerine. However, lanolin (vitamin D3) obtained from sheep's wool without slaughter is OK for veggies. Shoes Leather Shoes, which are synthetic, but the soles could be stuck on with... Glue made from animals (hooves and legs). Always ask about the glue used in synthetic (leather-free) shoes when buying. Sofas made of or containing... Leather. Brazil is destroying the globally important Amazon rain forest to raise cattle for cheap leather (i.e. sofas and other furniture). (Read more here) Sponges (for bathing) made from... Sea animals. (A real sponge is a marine creature ... not a vegetable) Toothpaste Animal derived glycerine Washing Powder Animal Fats Wood - boarding such as plywood Glue made from animals (hooves, legs and hide) (see also "glue") To V or Not To V... That is the Confusion! The Nova Key ethical labeling system is designed to apply to all foods and products, which shows whether they are natural, organic, vegetarian, tested on animals ... OR NOT. Find out more at our NOVA Key Site and vote for the NOVA Key Whether you are veg*n or not, your everyday demand for these products below is destabalizing our entire planet These foods and items, if sourced from environmentally damaging areas... are destroying rain forests, rare wildlife and oceans ... Palm Oil More than one in ten products you buy from a supermarket contains "ape killing" palm oil. Precious rain forests and their rare animal habitats are destroyed to create palm oil plantations. Act right now before it's too late. (Read more here) Organic Soy Brazilians are destroying the globally important Amazon rain forest to grow organic soy beans. (read more here) Beef Brazil are destroying the globally important Amazon rain forest to raise cattle for cheap beef (i.e. burgers). (read more here) Fur A new generation of fashion followers are buying and wearing real fur clothing again ... brainwashed into believing that real fur is cool, even though it is killing millions of animals and threatened species each year. (read more here) Leather Brazil is destroying the globally important Amazon rain forest to raise cattle for cheap leather (i.e. sofas, other furniture and accessories). (read more here) Fish - (i.e. cod, plaice, haddock etc.) Many areas of the northern oceans have been completely depleted of cod from over-fishing. Sea-life in general is dwindling rapidly due to over-fishing. If you are just turning veggie, then fish should be one of the very first things you should stop eating. (More on Veggieglobal's news site) To V or Not To V... That is the Confusion! The Nova Key ethical labeling system is designed to apply to all foods and products, which shows whether they are natural, organic, vegetarian, tested on animals ... OR NOT. Find out more at our NOVA Key Site and vote for the NOVA Key