Vegan Guide
Short answers to real-world questions about veganism — food, health, shopping, and everyday life.
You cannot tell from the name alone. In the EU a natural flavouring may come from plants or animals (meat, milk). The only sure trail is the producer, a certification, or a specific source (“vanilla flavouring from vanilla”).
It depends. Many popular crisps are 100% plant-based, but just as many hide animal-derived ingredients — sometimes in very unexpected flavours. The vegan’s golden shopping rule: always read the ingredients on the pack.
Plain wheat or rye bread with water, flour, salt and yeast — yes. Traps: milk, butter, whey, lard, L-cysteine (E920 can come from feathers), honey, egg on a shiny crust.
Most classic colas, lemon-limes and flavoured waters are. Exceptions: some drinks with carmine, honey or lanolin-derived vitamin D3, and red colourings.
It depends on refining. Cane sugar is sometimes filtered with bone char, especially in parts of the US market. EU table sugar is mostly beet sugar, which does not use bone char.
Dark chocolate often is; milk chocolate usually is not. Classic milk chocolate contains milk powder. 70%+ dark is frequently vegan, but still read the label — butter, whey or lactose sneak in.
It depends. Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids may come from plant oil or animal fat. Without a producer declaration the status is “depends”.
Yes. Mushrooms are fungi, not animals. Button mushrooms, porcini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms are fully vegan.
No. Casein is a milk protein from cows (and other mammals), common in cheese, coffee creamers and “lactose-free” products that are still dairy.
Not as an ingredient — lactose is milk sugar. Vegan products do not contain it. Someone with lactose intolerance may still eat lactose-free dairy, which is not vegan.
No. Lanolin is wax from sheep’s wool, common in lip balms and vitamin D3. Vegan balms use plant waxes.
Not always. It may come from keratin (feathers, hair) or from fermentation. In bread it improves dough. Ask the bakery or read the spec.
No. The scale of the apiary does not change the fact that it is a bee product. You can argue about biodiversity — that is a different axis from veganism.
Traditional mayonnaise is not vegan, because its key ingredient is hen egg yolks emulsified with oil and mustard. There are, however, plenty of plant-based mayonnaise alternatives that match the original in texture and flavour.
Dried durum-semolina pasta (wheat + water) usually does not. Fresh pasta, noodles, nests and “pasta all’uovo” often include egg. In Poland, “jajeczny” on the pack means eggs.
No. Bees make honey for the hive, not for toast. Veganism excludes animal products — including beeswax and pollen. Swaps: maple, date syrup, agave.
It depends on the job the egg was doing. For scramble: crumbled tofu. For baking: aquafaba (chickpea liquid), ground flax mixed with water, or ripe banana. For coating: plant milk with flour, or aquafaba.
Yes, almost always. Vinegar comes from fermenting alcohol (grapes, apples, grain). Exceptions are balsamic with honey, or products fined with gelatin — rare on supermarket shelves.
Chilli, pepper, paprika — yes, they are plants. Blends may contain cheese powder, meat flavourings or honey in a glaze. Read the blend, do not fear heat.
Often yes, but not always. Some beers (especially traditional ales) are fined with isinglass from fish. Lagers are usually filtered another way. Check the brewery.
No. Whey is a milk protein fraction, popular in supplements and bread. Vegan protein is pea, soy, rice or hemp.
No. Shellac is a resin from the secretion of Kerria lacca insects, used as a glaze on sweets and tablets.
