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 | Natural | Sometimes Vegetarian | Ingredients are not synthetic or artificial, but extracted directly from plants or animal products | |
| 2 | Citric | Sometimes Vegetarian | Emulsifier - May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol. | |
| 3 | Dextrose | Sometimes Vegetarian | Sometimes derived from animal tissues and fluids. Check the label to determine if suitable. | |
| 4 | Calcium | Sometimes Vegetarian | May be animal based. Double check the label to be sure of the origin. | |
| 5 | Vitamin | Sometimes Vegetarian | Likely animal based but may be plant based. Check the label to verify the source of the ingredient. | |
| 6 | Disodium | Sometimes Vegetarian | Flavor Enhancer - Often made from animals. | |
| 7 | Palmitate | Sometimes Vegetarian | A fatty acid most commonly derived from palm oil but may be derived from animals as well. | |
| 8 | Fish | Never Vegetarian | Fish are not considered a vegetarian food. | |
| 9 | Chicken | Never Vegetarian | Chicken is not a vegetarian option if meat or flesh from an animal. | |
| 10 | Beef | Never Vegetarian | Not a vegetarian friendly option. Beef is taken from the body of a cow. | |
| 11 | Pork | Never Vegetarian | Pork, or pig, is not considered a vegetarian option. | |
| 11 | Gelatin | Never Vegetarian | Protein obtained by boiling animal skin, connective tissue or bones, usually from cows or pigs. | |
| 12 | E471 | Sometimes Vegetarian | Mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids (sometimes derived from animal fats). | |
| 13 | Polysorbate | Sometimes Vegetarian | Derivatives of fatty acids, which are commonly sourced from animals. In cosmetics, foods. | |
| 14 | Meat | Never Vegetarian | Meat is not a vegetarian option as it is derived from an animal. | |
| 15 | Glycerin | Sometimes Vegetarian | Often derived from animal fat but may also be plant based. | |
| 16 | Propylene | Sometimes Vegetarian | Emulsifier - May contain animal fats. | |
| 17 | E120 | Never Vegetarian | Coloring - Cochineal (another name for carminic acid, a pigment made from powdered insects) | |
| 18 | Turkey | Never Vegetarian | Not a vegetarian food if derived from the flesh, meat, or tissue of a turkey. | |
| 19 | Molluscs | Never Vegetarian | Mollusca is the second largest phylum of invertebrate animals. Not a vegetarian option. | |
| 20 | Bacon | Never Vegetarian | Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork/pig. Not considered a vegetarian option. | |
| 21 | Shrimp | Never Vegetarian | Shrimp is not considered a vegetarian food. | |
| 22 | Worcestershire | Never Vegetarian | Many varieties of Worcestershire sauce contain anchovies. Check the ingredients to be sure. | |
| 23 | Cysteine | Sometimes Vegetarian | An amino acid found in the hair protein keratin. | |
| 24 | Tuna | Never Vegetarian | Tuna is obtained from the tuna fish. Not a vegetarian food option. | |
| 25 | Polyglycerol | Sometimes Vegetarian | A byproduct of soap manufacture (normally uses animal fat). | |
| 26 | Salmon | Never Vegetarian | Salmon is a kind of fish. Not considered a vegetarian food. | |
| 27 | Lard | Never Vegetarian | Fat from the abdomen of a pig that is rendered and clarified for use in cooking. | |
| 28 | E422 | Sometimes Vegetarian | Sweetener - Likely plant-based but may be derived from animal fat. | |
| 29 | Carbon | Sometimes Vegetarian | Coloring derived from animals unless otherwise described as plant based. | |
| 30 | E631 | Sometimes Vegetarian | Disodium Inosinate: Can be produced from meat, fish or tapioca starch. | |
| 31 | Sheep | Never Vegetarian | Sheep are not considered a vegetarian option. | |
| 32 | Carmine | Never Vegetarian | Red pigment extracted from the crushed carcasses of the cochineal insect, a cactus-feeding insect. | |
| 33 | Animal | Never Vegetarian | This product contains an animal derivative. May not be vegetarian friendly. | |
| 34 | Anchovy | Never Vegetarian | A small fish often used to give non-vegetarian food a salty flavor. | |
| 35 | Acetate | Sometimes Vegetarian | Possible sources are fish liver oil, egg yolks, butter, lemongrass, carrots or synthetics. | |
| 36 | Fur | Sometimes Vegetarian | The skin of an animal. Used in clothing. | |
| 37 | Crab | Never Vegetarian | Not a vegetarian option if sourced from a crab. | |
| 38 | Diglyceride | Sometimes Vegetarian | Emulsifier - May contain animal fats. | |
| 39 | Pollock | Never Vegetarian | Pollock is a fish. Not a vegetarian option. | |
| 40 | Marine | Never Vegetarian | Likely from fish or marine mammals (including porpoises). | |
| 41 | Collagen | Sometimes Vegetarian | Protein found in most tissues, including bone, cartilage and skin. Typically from cows or chickens. | |
| 42 | Oleic | Sometimes Vegetarian | Fatty acid occurring in animal and vegetable fats. | |
| 43 | Skin | Never Vegetarian | Animal based unless labeled as faux or artificial. | |
| 44 | Cod | Never Vegetarian | Not a vegetarian option if from the cod fish. | |
| 45 | Viande | Never Vegetarian | Meat - Flesh of an animal. | |
| 46 | Lobster | Never Vegetarian | Not considered a vegetarian option if sourced from the meat or tissue of a lobster. | |
| 47 | Diacetyl | Sometimes Vegetarian | Emulsifier - May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol. | |
| 48 | Porc | Never Vegetarian | Pork - Pig meat. | |
| 49 | Tallow | Never Vegetarian | Solid fat of sheep and cattle separated from the membranous tissues. Typically found in margarine. | |
| 50 | Anchovies | Never Vegetarian | A small fish often used to give non-vegetarian food a salty flavor. | |
| 51 | Acetylated | Never Vegetarian | Can come from fish oil, egg yolks, butter, lemongrass, wheat germ oil, carotene in carrots, etc. | |
| 52 | Monoglyceride | Sometimes Vegetarian | Often from animal fat but may be plant based. Check the label. | |
| 53 | Retinol | Sometimes Vegetarian | Vitamin A obtained from vegetables, egg yolks, or fish liver oil. | |
| 54 | Cochineal | Never Vegetarian | Red pigment extracted from the crushed carcasses of the cochineal insect, a cactus-feeding insect. | |
| 55 | Amino | Sometimes Vegetarian | The building blocks of protein in all animals and plants. | |
| 56 | Squid | Never Vegetarian | Squid is a sea animal and is not considered to be a vegetarian food. | |
| 57 | Lamb | Never Vegetarian | Not vegetarian if meat or tissue sourced from a lamb/young sheep. | |
| 58 | Duck | Never Vegetarian | Not a vegetarian option if sourced from a duck. | |
| 58 | Amylase | Sometimes Vegetarian | Enzyme derived from either animal (usually porcine pancreas), fungal, bacterial or plant source. | |
| 59 | Bovine | Never Vegetarian | Another word for cows or cattle. Not a vegetarian friendly food source. | |
| 60 | Blood | Never Vegetarian | From any slaughtered animal. Possibly in foods such as lecithin. | |
| 61 | Xantham | Sometimes Vegetarian | A derivative of bacterial fermentation. Chicken lysozyme may be used in the manufacturing process. | |
| 62 | Seafood | Never Vegetarian | Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Likely animal based. | |
| 63 | L-cysteine | Sometimes Vegetarian | Improving Agent - Produced commercially from animal and human hair (and feathers). | |
| 64 | Bee | Sometimes Vegetarian | This product contains an ingredient derived from bees. May not be vegetarian friendly. | |
| 65 | Inositol | Sometimes Vegetarian | A sugar-like dietary supplement. Present in almost all plant and animal tissues. | |
| 66 | Bonito | Never Vegetarian | Smaller relative of the tuna fish. Used as an ingredient in Japanese cuisine. | |