Top 100 Incompatible Ingredients for Every Diet
The 100 ingredients we flag most often as not fitting a diet, with the reason each one is flagged.
Top Brands Food by Diet Popular Diets Top Countries Food Keywords Food Categories Trace Ingredients Common Vitamins Common Minerals Common Allergens Palm Oil Ingredients Top Banned Ingredients Ingredients Users Avoid
Visit the Ingredient Guide for the full list for each diet.
Vegan
| Rank | Ingredient | Compatibility | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milk | Never Vegan | Not vegan if derived from an animal. Check the ingredients. |
| 2 | Natural | Sometimes Vegan | Ingredients are not synthetic or artificial, but extracted directly from plants or animal products |
| 3 | Sugar | Sometimes Vegan | A sweet material that consists of sucrose. Some sugars are processed through boneblack. |
| 4 | Citric | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol. |
| 5 | Dextrose | Sometimes Vegan | Sometimes derived from animal tissues and fluids. Check the label to determine if plant based. |
| 6 | Riboflavin | Sometimes Vegan | May contain milk. |
| 7 | Calcium | Sometimes Vegan | May be derived from the shells of marine organisms, snails, and eggs. Check the label to be sure. |
| 8 | Glucose | Sometimes Vegan | Sometimes derived from animal tissues and fluids. Check the label to determine if plant based. |
| 9 | Eggs | Never Vegan | This product contains egg in one form or another. Not vegan friendly. |
| 10 | Vitamin | Sometimes Vegan | Likely animal based but may be plant based. Check the label to verify the source of the ingredient. |
| 11 | Whey | Never Vegan | The watery part of milk that remains after the formation of curds. |
| 12 | Cheese | Never Vegan | Most likely dairy based. Some forms are plant based and should be clearly labeled if true. |
| 13 | Niacin | Sometimes Vegan | Used as a cholesterol treatment. In rare cases it can be derived from animal sources. |
| 14 | Butter | Never Vegan | Ingredient contains butter. Most likely derived from dairy but may be plant based. |
| 15 | Lecithin | Sometimes Vegan | May contain egg yolks. Can also be directly obtained from animal fat or soy. |
| 16 | Chocolate | Sometimes Vegan | Most chocolates are not vegan. Check the ingredients for dairy or milk. |
| 17 | Egg | Never Vegan | This product contains egg in one form or another. Not vegan friendly. |
| 18 | Lactose | Never Vegan | Milk sugar. A type of sugar only found in animal milk. |
| 19 | Xanthan | Sometimes Vegan | Gum produced from corn sugar. Sometimes purified using chicken lysozyme or fermentation of whey. |
| 20 | Disodium | Sometimes Vegan | Flavor Enhancer - Often made from animals. |
| 21 | Lactic | Sometimes Vegan | Typically derived from plants such as beets. When animal-derived, found in blood and muscle tissue. |
| 22 | Caramel | Sometimes Vegan | Used as a coloring. Some caramel is derived from cane sugar and not necessarily vegan. |
| 23 | Honey | Never Vegan | Sweetener - A substance secreted by bees and some related insects. |
| 24 | Palmitate | Sometimes Vegan | A fatty acid most commonly derived from palm oil but may be derived from animals as well. |
| 25 | Chicken | Never Vegan | Not a vegan food if a byproduct of an animal. |
| 26 | Fish | Never Vegan | Fish are not considered a vegan food. |
| 27 | Beef | Never Vegan | Not vegan if originating from cow flesh. |
| 28 | Ammonium | Sometimes Vegan | Another type of salt derived from Lactic Acid, which can be obtained from whey or milk. |
| 29 | Ferrous | Sometimes Vegan | Coloring - May be derived from animal source. |
| 30 | Pork | Never Vegan | Pork, or pig, is not considered a vegan option. |
| 31 | Gelatin | Never Vegan | Protein obtained by boiling animal skin, connective tissue or bones, usually from cows or pigs. |
| 32 | Buttermilk | Never Vegan | Ingredient contains buttermilk. Most likely derived from dairy but may be plant based. |
| 33 | Lactate | Sometimes Vegan | A type of salt derived from Lactic Acid, which can be obtained from whey or milk. |
| 34 | Polysorbate | Sometimes Vegan | Derivatives of fatty acids, which are commonly sourced from animals. In cosmetics, foods. |
| 35 | E471 | Sometimes Vegan | Mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids (sometimes derived from animal fats). |
| 36 | Magnesium | Sometimes Vegan | Another type of salt derived from Lactic Acid, which can be obtained from whey or milk. |
| 37 | Monocalcium | Sometimes Vegan | A salt found in rocks and bones. Used as an anti-caking agent. |
| 38 | Meat | Never Vegan | Not vegan if originating from any animal. |
| 39 | Sucralose | Never Vegan | Known as Splenda. Produced from cane sugar and tested on animals. May be filtered through bone char. |
| 40 | Glycerol | Sometimes Vegan | Sweetener - Mostly from animal fats, unless otherwise stated. |
| 41 | Glycerin | Sometimes Vegan | Often derived from animal fat but may also be plant based. |
| 42 | Stearoyl | Sometimes Vegan | When animal-derived, a fat from cows, pigs, and sheep, etc. May also be of plant origin. |
| 43 | Wax | Never Vegan | Typically produced from shellac (lac bug secretion) or beeswax. |
| 44 | Shortening | Never Vegan | Most shortening is animal based and is made from butter, suet, and/or lard. |
| 45 | Propylene | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - May contain animal fats. |
| 46 | Yogurt | Sometimes Vegan | Most yogurts are produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Check if the milk used is plant based. |
| 47 | Pasta | Sometimes Vegan | Some pasta noodles are made with eggs. Check the label or ask if vegan. |
| 48 | Humectant | Sometimes Vegan | Sweetener - Mostly from animal fats, unless otherwise stated. |
| 49 | Enzyme | Sometimes Vegan | Protein produced by living cells. Can be derived from animals, plants, bacteria, fungi and yeast. |
| 50 | Yolk | Never Vegan | This product may contain egg yolk. Check the ingredients to be sure. |
| 51 | Glaze | Sometimes Vegan | A pure food glaze and natural glaze. Made with shellac from the lac bug. Also known as beetle juice. |
| 52 | Acetic | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol. |
| 53 | Rennet | Sometimes Vegan | Extract usually obtained from a newly-born calf stomach. This can also be derived from synthetic sources or from bacteria and fungus. |
| 54 | Turkey | Never Vegan | Turkey is not considered a vegan food. |
| 55 | Bacon | Never Vegan | Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork/pig. Not considered a vegan option. |
| 56 | Molluscs | Never Vegan | Mollusca is the second largest phylum of invertebrate animals. Not a vegan option. |
| 57 | Confectioner | Never Vegan | Glazing Agent - Most likely a resin secreted by the lac bug. |
| 58 | Stearate | Sometimes Vegan | Salt of stearic acid. An emulsifier and/or stabilizer. |
| 59 | E120 | Never Vegan | Coloring - Cochineal (another name for carminic acid, a pigment made from powdered insects) |
| 60 | Tartaric | Sometimes Vegan | May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol. |
| 61 | Acetate | Sometimes Vegan | Possible sources are fish liver oil, egg yolks, butter, lemongrass, carrots or synthetics. |
| 62 | Fatty | Sometimes Vegan | Fatty Acids: Organic compounds - Saturated, polyunsaturated and unsaturated. |
| 63 | E322 | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - From soy or eggs. Check for vegan labeling or contact the supplier. |
| 64 | Shrimp | Never Vegan | Shrimp is not considered a vegan food. |
| 65 | Sucrose | Sometimes Vegan | Sugar - Some sugars are processed through boneblack. |
| 66 | Tricalcium | Sometimes Vegan | A mineral salt found in rocks and bones. The tribasic form of calcium phosphate. |
| 67 | Dairy | Never Vegan | Dairy products are a type of food produced from or containing milk of mammals. |
| 68 | Sorbitan | Sometimes Vegan | From stearic acid. Stearic acid is found in both vegetable and animal fats. |
| 69 | Oleic | Sometimes Vegan | Fatty acid occurring in animal and vegetable fats. |
| 70 | Worcestershire | Never Vegan | Many varieties of Worcestershire sauce contain anchovies. Check the ingredients to be sure. |
| 71 | Shellac | Never Vegan | Glazing Agent - From a resin secreted by an insect called the lac beetle. |
| 72 | Monostearate | Sometimes Vegan | Manufactured by reacting stearic acid with sorbitol to yield a mixture of esters. |
| 73 | Viande | Never Vegan | Meat - Flesh of an animal. |
| 74 | Polyglycerol | Sometimes Vegan | A byproduct of soap manufacture (normally uses animal fat). |
| 75 | Porc | Never Vegan | Pork - Pig meat. |
| 76 | Tuna | Never Vegan | Tuna is obtained from the tuna fish. Not a vegan food option. |
| 77 | Beeswax | Never Vegan | Wax usually obtained from melting honeycomb with boiling water, straining it, and cooling it. |
| 78 | Taurine | Sometimes Vegan | Found in the bile of mammals. Can be, but not likely, plant based. |
| 79 | Salmon | Never Vegan | Salmon is a kind of fish. Not considered a vegan food. |
| 80 | Cysteine | Sometimes Vegan | An amino acid found in the hair protein keratin. |
| 81 | Carmine | Never Vegan | Red pigment extracted from the crushed carcasses of the cochineal insect, a cactus-feeding insect. |
| 82 | Carbon | Sometimes Vegan | Likely derived from animals unless otherwise noted. |
| 83 | Lard | Never Vegan | Fat from the abdomen of a pig that is rendered and clarified for use in cooking. |
| 84 | Lysozyme | Never Vegan | Enzyme - From eggs. |
| 85 | Anchovy | Never Vegan | Not vegan if sourced from an animal. |
| 86 | Animal | Never Vegan | This product contains an animal derivative. May not be vegan friendly. |
| 87 | E422 | Sometimes Vegan | Sweetener - Likely plant-based but may be derived from animal fat. |
| 88 | Biotin | Sometimes Vegan | A whitish powder. It can be derived from animal cells, milk plants, or produced synthetically. |
| 89 | E631 | Sometimes Vegan | Disodium Inosinate: Can be produced from meat, fish or tapioca starch. |
| 90 | Sheep | Never Vegan | Sheep are not considered a vegan option. |
| 91 | Pollock | Never Vegan | Pollock is a fish. Not a vegan option. |
| 92 | Crisp | Sometimes Vegan | May contain dairy ingredients such as casein, whey or animal-derived enzymes. |
| 93 | Crab | Never Vegan | Not a vegan option if sourced from a crab. |
| 94 | Casein | Never Vegan | The main protein present in milk and cheese. |
| 95 | Collagen | Never Vegan | Protein found in most tissues, including bone, cartilage and skin. Typically from cows or chickens. |
| 96 | L-cysteine | Never Vegan | Improving Agent - Produced commercially from animal and human hair (and feathers). |
| 97 | Diglyceride | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - May contain animal fats. |
| 98 | Fur | Never Vegan | The skin of an animal. Used in clothing. |
| 99 | Glyceryl | Sometimes Vegan | Emulsifier - May contain animal fats. |
| 100 | Marine | Never Vegan | Likely from fish or marine mammals (including porpoises). |