Vegans can't eat...?

Question

I'm hearing lately that vegans can't eat TONS of stuff. I haven't believed it's true, but I NEED TO KNOW before I turn vegan.

I didn't know that vegetarians couldn't eat gelatin when I turned veggie, so that was a mistake...anyway, PLEASE HELP!!

I really don't know - I know about meat, dairy, and eggs, but that's about it.

Answer 1

Julie has a point about not being able to completely avoid animal products. However, I won't buy a tablet with lactose or a gelcap with gelatin if I can find a tablet or caplet that doesn't have those two icky ingredients.

"Skinny *****" is an excellent book, as Mockingbird says.

Some of the biggies I avoid: meat and meat stock, gelatin, dairy, lactose, eggs, casein (milk protein), whey, honey, beeswax, propolis, carmine (crushed cochineal beetles), shellac. Many items will let you know if it contains milk, eggs, or fish ingredients, so you can look there first. If it doesn't, do read the labels for ingredients that typically don't cause allergies, such as honey or gelatin.

You're going to make a few mistakes; you're human. Learn from them, get back up, and keep on striving to find animal-friendly foods.

Answer 2

There are animal products in just about everything - car tires, medicines, film, soap, etc. I personally feel it's more effective to focus on eliminating meat, dairy, and eggs (which cause the most suffering) and not worry about the marginal products. You're not going to save animals lives' by refusing to take Advil because of the gelatin in it. Being obsessive about avoiding every little animal ingredient makes veganism look hard or even impossible, and that hurts animals. See this essay: http://www.veganoutreach.org/howvegan.html for a longer explanation.

There are plenty of things you can eat as a vegan - fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, beans, faux meats, etc. - and there are so many delicious vegan versions of products like ice cream, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese butter, and mayo. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Gelatin is not from animal hooves, it is the natural protein from bone marrow. Since it is a meat derivative, vegetarians and vegans dont eat it. Vegans dont eat any animal product, including all meats, dairy, eggs, butter, seafood, etc. They also dont wear fur, leather, or buy any product made with these materials, such as leather coats and shoes. Vegan is a commited lifestyle, not just a way of eating.

Answer 4

You can define for yourself what you will eat. You shouldn't restrict yourself because of how somebody else defines a diet/lifestyle.

If you are going to be a strict vegan, it's not just your food choices; you would be eschewing all animal products for food, clothing, or anything else. Examples include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, honey, fur, leather, wool, and silk. Common animal by-products include gelatin, lanolin, rennet, whey, beeswax and shellac.

Perhaps you might consider the various forms of vegetarianism instead.

Answer 5

Vegans CAN eat whatever they choose. They CHOOSE to not eat unhealthy products from companies that torture animals for profit. Vegans don't eat meat, eggs, dairy, or anything containing animal ingredients, like whey, casein, and gelatin.

Remember that veganism is a lifestyle, not just what you eat. Vegans don’t wear leather, fur, or wool, buy products from companies that conduct non-required animal toxicity tests:
http://www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDoTest.pdf
Or frequent zoos, rodeos, circuses, or other places where animals are held in captivity or forced to perform.

Answer 6

Anything that has a protect that came from an animal. If gelatin was made using stuff from an animal then no you can't.

Answer 7

IF you want to choose that lifestyle, stick to your beliefs and live by them. One mentioned try vegetarianism at first, then if you can live without the other products that some vegetarians don't consume, then move onto veganism.

Answer 8

Why not try to stick to vegetarian for some time, and then decide whether or not to turn vegan? I for one can't become a pure vegan.

Answer 9

Vegans Dot eat Meat ,Pultrey, milk from cows, or eggs-- any thing that comes from an animal

Answer 10

Gelatin (US spelling) or gelatine (British spelling) (used to make Jell-o and other desserts) is made from the boiled bones, skins and tendons of animals. An alternative substance is called Agar-Agar, which is derived from seaweed. Another is made from the root of the Kuzu. Agar-Agar is sold in noodle-like strands, in powdered form, or in long blocks, and is usually white-ish in color.