What is vegan? The foods vegans do and don’t eat

From metro.co.uk

Whether you’ve gone the whole hog (or the opposite, in this case) and have gone vegan on a permanent basis, or you’re thinking of attempting veganuary, there’s no denying that veganism became one of the biggest food trends of the last decade. It went from being considered somewhat extreme to being embraced by the likes of Greggs, McDonalds and KFC But even with major food chains getting on board, there’s still some confusion surrounding what vegans can and can’t eat.

                                          Is it all just leafy greens for vegans? (Picture: Getty)

Vegans cannot eat any product or ingredient made from an animal product.
This is where it differs from vegetarianism – instead of just avoiding the actual meat, vegans won’t eat anything made from or produced by an animal.

So the most obvious exclusions are: Meat (beef, lamb, pork etc.) Poultry Fish and seafood Cheese Eggs Yoghurt Butter Cream Milk However, being vegan can sometimes mean having to be extra cautious, as there are some less-obvious exclusions to the diet.

These include:
Some beer and wine – check to see if egg white, gelatin or casein has been used in the brewing process.
Honey – this is a contentious one. Some vegans will eat honey, but others don’t because when humans give the bees a sugar substance to replace the honey taken, it lacks essential nutrients they need and can affect their lifespan.
Sweets – non-vegan ingredients in sweets can include gelatin, shellac or a food dye called carmine which is made from cochineal insects.
Chips – some are fried in animal fat.
Pesto – many store-bought pestos contain Parmesan cheese.
Roasted peanuts – can often include gelatin to help the spices stick together.
Fresh pasta – often made with eggs.
Natural flavourings – check the ingredients for additives such as E120, E322, E422, E471, E542, E631, E901 and E904 as these are animal-based.

And if you see castoreum on an ingredients list, vegans will want to avoid it as that’s made from the secretions of a beavers anal scent gland. Yum. Of course, there are often vegan alternatives to a lot of these foods, but it’s always best to check the packaging.

What can vegans eat?
Vegans can eat anything plant-based. A healthy vegan, as instructed by the NHS, should:
eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates (choose wholegrain where possible);
have some dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts (choose lower fat and lower sugar options);
eat some beans, pulses and other proteins;
choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat in small amounts;
drink plenty of fluids (the government recommends 6 to 8 cups or glasses a day)

https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/01/vegan-foods-vegans-dont-eat-11985353/