Questions About Veganism
1. Is ____ vegan/ What can vegans eat? Vegans absatin from eating all forms of meat (beef, pork, chicken, seafood, etc.), eggs, honey, all dairy products, and other animal by-products. A great list of animal products is at Animal Ingredients A-Z, that includes a list of vegan alcoholic drinks. For specific brand name foods you are unsure about, you can usually check the ingredients online or email the company. As quoted from Kiri, a member of the Peta2 boards, "i think it's important to stress that we choose not to eat animals or animals products, and not that we simply 'can't,' because veganism isn't about rules and restrictions, it's about respecting the animals."
2. What about refined sugar? Refined sugar is often, but not always, processed with bone char. Many vegans still eat refined sugar because the sugar is proccessed with the bone char, but its not one of the ingredients. It is a personal choice.The following sugar companies DO NOT use bone-char filters:
Florida Crystals Refinery
P.O. Box 86
South Bay, FL 33493
407-996-9072
Labels: Florida Crystals
Refined Sugars Incorporated
One Federal St.
Yonkers, NY 10702
914-963-2400
Labels: Jack Frost, Country Cane, 4# Flow-Sweet
Pillsbury
Makes powdered brown sugar
Supreme Sugar Company (subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland)
P.O. Box 56009
New Orleans, LA 70156
504-831-0901
Labels: Supreme, Southern Bell, Rouse's Markets
The following sugar companies DO use bone-char filters:
Domino
1114 Ave. of the Americas
25th Fl.
New York, NY 10036
212-789-9700
Savannah Foods
P.O. Box 335
Savannah, GA 31402
912-234-1261
California & Hawaiian Sugar Company (with the exception of its Washed Raw Sugar)
830 Loring Ave.
Crockett, CA 94525-1104
510-787-2121
Supermarket brands of sugar (e.g., Giant, Townhouse, etc.) buy their sugar from several different refineries, so there is no way of knowing whether it is vegan at any given time.
Brown sugar is generally made by adding molasses to refined sugar, so sugar companies that use bone char in the production of their regular sugar will also use it in the production of their brown sugar. Confectioner's sugar (refined sugar mixed with cornstarch) made by such companies also involves the use of bone char. Fructose may, but does not typically involve a bone-char filter.
If you want to avoid all refined sugars, I recommend alternatives such as Sucanat and turbinado sugar. Neither of these sweeteners are ever filtered with bone char. Additionally, beet sugar--though normally refined--never involves the use of bone char. When drinking soda, eating desserts look for cane juice or fructose.
3. Why isn't honey vegan? This site explains why much better than I can.
4. What can I eat from fast food? Straight from Peta2.com:
To keep up with the times, McDonald�s is now offering a McVeggie Burger in some areas of California, New York City, and Canada. Because this is considered a trial run, we encourage everyone to support this tremendous addition so that the rest of the world can taste the damned thing!
Burger King�s new BK Veggie��a flame-broiled vegetarian burger�has had a successful welcome. BK will only continue to add vegetarian options to its menu if we continue to support this great alternative!
Remember going to Baskin-Robbins when you were just a wee tot? Well, fear not�you can keep on strollin� down memory lane. Go for the dairy-free and gelatin-free Ices and Sorbets, which are just as yummy and cooling as ice cream, sans the pus.
The French fries, hash-brown nuggets, breadsticks, English muffins, and CrissCuts at Carl�s Jr. are all vegan. In the restaurant, there is an all-you-can-eat salad bar that offers tons of fresh vegetables and a three-bean salad that can be topped with fat-free Italian dressing. Finally, the restaurant offers Great Stuff� baked potatoes, which can be ordered with all-vegetable margarine.
Head to Wendy�s for a plain baked potato, side salad or Deluxe Garden Salad (ask for �no cheese�) with the red Italian dressing, or large order of French fries.
Several of Taco Bell�s dishes can be veganized by simply deleting a few ingredients. The �7 Layer Burritos� can be vegan with five layers�just forgo the cheese and sour cream. The tacos, nachos, and Mexican pizzas are newly vegan after withdrawing the meat, cheese, and sour cream.
Subway�s Veggie Delite�on Italian bread, minus cheese and mayo�is deelish!
We never said this stuff was good for you, and Arby�s is no exception. OK, so you can get the garden salad or the side salad with Italian dressing and the baked potato, of course. But then go for the French fries, the curly fries, and the potato cakes dipped in the Arby�s Sauce. Finish it all off with an apple or cherry turnover.
5. What are some vegan candies? Another list from Peta2.com
Airheads taffy
Blow Pops
Charms lollipops
Chick-o-Sticks
Goldenberg�s Peanut Chews
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Mambas
Mike and Ike
Now and Later
Smarties (the US variety, not the ones in Canada, which are similar to what Americans know as M&M's)
Sour Patch Kids
Starburst (jelly beans and hard candy)
Sweet Tarts
Twizzlers