Meatless Monday: Hidden Non-Vegetarian Food Ingredients

When I was 13, I called myself a vegetarian, but I wasn't very informed on where my food came from, what came in contact with it, and what hidden ingredients might be in the food I was eating. I would turn up my nose at the beef in my mom's beef stroganoff, but would take the sauce and liberally apply it to my egg noodles, even despite the meat having been in there or, I'm sure, beef stock having been used for that very sauce.

(Now I have my very own "beef" stroganoff recipe that I adore and that comforts me like my mom's own recipe, but without the actual beef!)

I'm now 26 and have been, for all intents and purposes, a pretty strict byproduct vegetarian for almost five years. There are times when I slip up, sure, but I make an honest attempt to be sure there are no animal byproducts in any of the canned, packaged, or otherwise non-fresh foods I eat. This meant a lot of learning on my part, as some animal-derived products are easily identifiable, like beef stock, and others are a lot harder to identify... like gelatin.

In fact, once you learn what these hidden ingredients really are, you come to discover that they are pretty much everywhere! It's difficult to pick up a package of marshmallows without gelatin, or fruit snacks without cochineal, or vitamin supplements without vitamin D3. It makes finding some products that omnis (and veg*ns who don't pay that much attention) take for granted very difficult for more strict vegetarians to find.

Below are some of the most prevalent that I, as a consumer of prepackaged, frozen, and other convenience foods, keep an eye out for, as well as good replacements when available.
Gelatin: Made from boiled skin, cartilage, and bones of animals, these are used as traditional binding ingredient. Surprisingly, they're used in frosted Frosted Mini Wheats and Altoids! Marshmallow Fluff is completely vegetarian and great for hot chocolate, and there are other cereals and breath mints out there that don't use gelatin -- just check the ingredients list.Sugar: Conventional sugar is often processed with bone char to whiten it. It's best to stick with non-refined, raw sugar or plant-derived stevia. It's also better for you!Isinglass: Many wines use fish bladders to refine their products. There are great sources for vegetarian wines, beers, and spirits available at Barnivore.com. You can also check if your alcohol of choice is suitable for veg*ns.Casein: Some non-dairy cheese still use this milk protein. Might be good for the lactose-intolerant to avoid even faux cheeses with this! This is often a really hidden ingredient, so much so that there's a website designed to help you choose a veg*n-friendly cheese: Joyous Living.Albumin: More a concern for vegans, these are egg whites used in baked goods and other products.Cochineal: Found in some red fruit juices, this is made from insect blood. Otherwise known as carmine, natural red #4, or crimson lake.Lactic Acid: Unless specified that this is plant-derived or vegan, it could come from blood or muscle tissue. Ask the company before consuming!Whey: Another milk derivative, more a concern for vegans.Vitamin D: Cholecalciferol/D3 is typically taken from lanolin, found in sheep's wool. Stick with vitamin D2 (less effective, but vegan!) and get out into the sun, which is a great natural source!Honey: Vegetarians are okay with this sweet bee treat, but strict vegetarians and vegans avoid it. Good replacements are agave nectar and maple syrup, though note that honey is still a prevalent ingredient in energy bars, granola, baked goods, and drinks.Obviously, this is not extensive by any means, but it's a good start when determining where animal byproducts sneak into our foods and products. It's essential to do your research and know the facts about your food -- whether you're veg*n or omni! -- and to question the companies that come out with products you use every day if you have a concern. After all, you are what you eat!