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