14 Foods That Shockingly Aren't Vegan?

Plant based diet fads are on the rise. Even with some people that don’t want to go completely vegan, having a plant based meal occasionally has become a disciplinary norm for a lot of us. On top of that, many are choosing to be 100% vegan.

Whether it be the rise of mistreatment in factory farming, the data showing that raising robust amounts of livestock can be attributed to climate change, or just the stance of becoming an herbivore for the sake of health, there are many reasons people are making this lifestyle choice.

Thanks to the trend, it’s probably easier now than ever to go vegan, but on the contrary there can be many instances where buying packaged food or going out to eat might contain some sort of animal product without you even knowing it.

Sometimes it’s something you just don’t think about and other times it can be a dirty secret of the food industry that companies feel more comfortable if you just don’t know. Here is a short list I’ve compiled of foods that I found shocking they aren’t vegan.

1. McDonald’s Fries

Turns out McDonald’s uses beef fat from the burgers in their fryer oil. Originally dunking fries in animal lard at one point, the restaurant did switch to vegetable oil… but due to a rise in complaints they switched back.

Not to mention McDonald’s fries also contain milk derivatives, so apparently they aren’t even kosher.

2. Frosted Pop-Tarts

Something we all grew up enjoying without thinking twice about, but milk and pork products are used to make the sweet, sweet topping on your favorite PopTart. Gelatin and whey are the animal product ingredients in this one.

3. Refried Beans

Back again with the lard. You can likely find refried beans made with plant oil instead of animal fat at your local grocery store, packaged in a can stating they’re vegan friendly. But watch out for that bean dip at your favorite Mexican restaurant if you’re vegan!

4. Marshmallows/Gummies

The fact that candies like gum, gummies, and marshmallows are made with animal products has gained mainstream knowledge over the years but still may shock some new to veganism. Again with the gelatin.

Gelatin is made from animal collagen, so if your grandma or a friend ever told you your gum is made out of sheep’s hooves, well they weren’t exactly fibbing…

5. Beer/Wine

A glass of beer and a glass of wine next to each other on a bar.

I remember the first time I saw a wine bottle and then later a beer can claiming the drink inside is vegan friendly. I’ll admit, I scoffed to myself thinking this was some marketing scheme using buzz words. I mean, how can fermented grapes and malt from grains contain animal products?

I later found out that traditionally made wine is filtered through fish bladders and one of the older methods of making beer more clear was adding some animal gelatin.

Of course there’s the obvious, too: milk stout or any craft beer made with lactose sugars (milkshake IPA for example) are not vegan.

6. Apple Juice

A basket of apples next to a glass of apple juice.

Okay, apple juice? How is juice from an apple not vegan? Turns out we’re back with filtering through fish bladders. Like with beer and wine, this is an old method that isn’t necessary with today’s technology as there are plenty of vegan methods of filtering and clearing available. But be weary – if you are truly vegan you can’t just blindly pick up any apple juice and be in the clear for this method is still sometimes used.

7. Sugar

A spoon of sugar amongst a pile of sugar.

Really… Sugar? Well, turns out the more common method of turning that sugar cane into the refined sugars we bake with and put in our coffee uses bone char as a decolorizing filter to achieve that pure white color. Bone char filtering is sometimes even used in brown sugar. Luckily with the wide spread of awareness, certain brands make animal-free options for those vegan folks.

8. Red Dyed Foods (Candy, Drinks, Yogurt)

Carmine is a coloring agent made from cochineal beetles. Though it’s not the most common thing this day and age (red 40 made from coal is generally responsible for red coloring in modern products), it should be noted that if you’re not reading the label, carmine could still be in your food. One time I purchased red sponge cakes imported from France and saw cochineal in the ingredients listing.

This also applies to makeup products.

9. Worcestershire Sauce

A bottle next to a bow of worcestershire sauce.

Many may already know this one, too, but sometimes when you think of a marinade or sauce the idea that it could contain an animal product might not come to mind. Anchovies are used in the traditional making of Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to read labels for in today’s world many vegan options are available, including alternatives like coconut aminos.

10. Breads

A sliced loaf of bread exposing the center.

Geez, even bread isn’t safe. Though many vegan choices are available and bread in the traditional sense is vegan, many options on the supermarket shelf have whey or even eggs used as stabilizers.

11. Omega 3 Boosted Orange Juice

Glass of orange juice next to a cut open orange.

It doesn’t stop at orange juice either, so if choosing a vegan diet be weary when you see the words “omega 3 boosted” on the label, or even words indicating it’s good for you brain. A major source of omega 3 is fish oils, thus making omega 3 products not vegan friendly. Mmmmm, fish juice.

12. Miso Soup

Though the miso part of miso soup comes from soybeans the base may not be vegan friendly. Skipjack tuna is commonly used in this Japanese soup that’s a popular meal starter at sushi restaurants.

Miso soup base is also sometimes made out of seaweed, so all bets are not off, but if vegan is your diet it should be noted that maybe you need to check the ingredients or ask someone at your local Japanese eatery before diving in.

13. (Some) Veggie Burger Patties

Remember the craze of Impossible and Beyond meat hitting the menus of fast food chains? Though the burgers themselves may be plant based, they still share a grill with the meat burgers. Installing a completely new grill would not be cost efficient, so your plant based fast food veggie burger will most likely be cooked with the grease of a meat burger.

Also something to note: some (but not all) grocery store patties claiming to be plant based may contain eggs or whey, so just be sure to read the labels.

14. Altoids

Wow, you’d think a mint with the purpose of combating bad breath after a meal would surely be vegan, right? Gelatin and the before-mentioned sugar are the culprits that prevent Altoids from being vegan-friendly.

The Truth About Commercial Products

Health trends will always give birth to new buzz words. Sometimes the phrases on packaging can be a guide to being more conscious about what we are consuming. More often than not, during the height of a dietary trend companies will use language to convince you their product is the right choice for you.

With time, laws that help prevent false advertising will be put in place but, especially with new trends, this is not always the case. By the end of the day most companies that make commercial products are in the business of making money. Hiring lawyers to find loopholes in what they can and can’t say is cheaper and more convenient than completely changing the ingredients or methods used to make their products.

All in all, if vegan is the life choice you want to make, be weary out there. Don’t be afraid to read labels and ask questions.