You see it on coffee, packaged foods, soups, protein powder, and more…“Artificial Flavors”. Is this one of those sneaky non-vegan ingredients that you need to avoid, or can you actually eat artificial flavors with a good conscious? It’s rather frustrating since all the ingredients label says is “artificial flavor,” and never expands on what that artificial flavor is. Long story...
Most “natural” food coloring is vegan, as they are derived from plants. The only exception is carmine (a.k.a cochineal), which is made from bugs. But the most common type of food coloring that you’ll see in food are artificial colors; this includes names like Red 40, Blue 1, and so on. Artificial colors are controversial among vegans. In this post, I’m going to look at...
Raw nuts are relatively hard to digest because they contain phytates and tannins (antinutrients that bind to minerals). Soaked and cooked nuts are fairly easy to digest for most people, and only cause stomach issues like gas and bloating in those with a nut intolerance or allergy. If you’d like more details about how hard nuts are to digest, read on. Can Nuts Cause Digestive Problems? There...
Long story short: It’s probably safe to assume caramel color is vegan, but it’s possible that it’s not. You’ll find it mainly in drinks like soda, but also in a variety of foods. Whether or not it’s vegan depends on what sweetener it was made from. Read on to learn why. How is Caramel Color Made? Caramel color is made by heating carbohydrates (i.e. sugar), which is the caramelization...
Verdict: Some lecithin is vegan, and some is not. Summary: Lecithin describes a type of fatty substance, and it can come from both plant and animal sources. It’s used for baking (in powdered form) and as a health supplement. While lecithin typically comes from plants these days, it’s often packaged together with animal products like gelatin in capsules. Most powdered lecithin is vegan...