Top 100 Incompatible Ingredients for Vegetarian Diets

The top 100 most common ingredients that aren't compatible with each diet. Visit the Ingredient Guide for the full list for each diet.

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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 Chicken Never Vegetarian Chicken is not a vegetarian option if meat or flesh from an animal.
9 Fish Never Vegetarian Fish are not considered a vegetarian food.
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 Polysorbate Sometimes Vegetarian Derivatives of fatty acids, which are commonly sourced from animals. In cosmetics, foods.
13 E471 Sometimes Vegetarian Mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids (sometimes derived from animal fats).
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 Turkey Never Vegetarian Not a vegetarian food if derived from the flesh, meat, or tissue of a turkey.
18 E120 Never Vegetarian Coloring - Cochineal (another name for carminic acid, a pigment made from powdered insects)
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 Acetate Sometimes Vegetarian Possible sources are fish liver oil, egg yolks, butter, lemongrass, carrots or synthetics.
23 Worcestershire Never Vegetarian Many varieties of Worcestershire sauce contain anchovies. Check the ingredients to be sure.
24 Oleic Sometimes Vegetarian Fatty acid occurring in animal and vegetable fats.
25 Polyglycerol Sometimes Vegetarian A byproduct of soap manufacture (normally uses animal fat).
26 Tuna Never Vegetarian Tuna is obtained from the tuna fish. Not a vegetarian food option.
27 Cysteine Sometimes Vegetarian An amino acid found in the hair protein keratin.
28 Salmon Never Vegetarian Salmon is a kind of fish. Not considered a vegetarian food.
29 Lard Never Vegetarian Fat from the abdomen of a pig that is rendered and clarified for use in cooking.
30 Carmine Never Vegetarian Red pigment extracted from the crushed carcasses of the cochineal insect, a cactus-feeding insect.
31 Carbon Sometimes Vegetarian Coloring derived from animals unless otherwise described as plant based.
32 Viande Never Vegetarian Meat - Flesh of an animal.
33 E422 Sometimes Vegetarian Sweetener - Likely plant-based but may be derived from animal fat.
34 Animal Never Vegetarian This product contains an animal derivative. May not be vegetarian friendly.
35 E631 Sometimes Vegetarian Disodium Inosinate: Can be produced from meat, fish or tapioca starch.
36 Anchovy Never Vegetarian A small fish often used to give non-vegetarian food a salty flavor.
37 Sheep Never Vegetarian Sheep are not considered a vegetarian option.
38 Pollock Never Vegetarian Pollock is a fish. Not a vegetarian option.
39 Porc Never Vegetarian Pork - Pig meat.
40 Crab Never Vegetarian Not a vegetarian option if sourced from a crab.
41 Collagen Sometimes Vegetarian Protein found in most tissues, including bone, cartilage and skin. Typically from cows or chickens.
42 Diglyceride Sometimes Vegetarian Emulsifier - May contain animal fats.
43 Fur Sometimes Vegetarian The skin of an animal. Used in clothing.
44 Marine Never Vegetarian Likely from fish or marine mammals (including porpoises).
45 L-cysteine Sometimes Vegetarian Improving Agent - Produced commercially from animal and human hair (and feathers).
46 Skin Never Vegetarian Animal based unless labeled as faux or artificial.
47 Anchovies Never Vegetarian A small fish often used to give non-vegetarian food a salty flavor.
48 Cod Never Vegetarian Not a vegetarian option if from the cod fish.
49 Diacetyl Sometimes Vegetarian Emulsifier - May contain animal fat as it is derived from Glycerin/Glycerol.
50 Amylase Sometimes Vegetarian Enzyme derived from either animal (usually porcine pancreas), fungal, bacterial or plant source.
51 Inositol Sometimes Vegetarian A sugar-like dietary supplement. Present in almost all plant and animal tissues.
52 Acetylated Never Vegetarian Can come from fish oil, egg yolks, butter, lemongrass, wheat germ oil, carotene in carrots, etc.
53 Tallow Never Vegetarian Solid fat of sheep and cattle separated from the membranous tissues. Typically found in margarine.
54 Lobster Never Vegetarian Not considered a vegetarian option if sourced from the meat or tissue of a lobster.
55 Monoglyceride Sometimes Vegetarian Often from animal fat but may be plant based. Check the label.
56 Cochineal Never Vegetarian Red pigment extracted from the crushed carcasses of the cochineal insect, a cactus-feeding insect.
57 Jambon Never Vegetarian Ham - Leg meat of a pig.
58 Bovine Never Vegetarian Another word for cows or cattle. Not a vegetarian friendly food source.
58 Retinol Sometimes Vegetarian Vitamin A obtained from vegetables, egg yolks, or fish liver oil.
59 Bonito Never Vegetarian Smaller relative of the tuna fish. Used as an ingredient in Japanese cuisine.
60 Squid Never Vegetarian Squid is a sea animal and is not considered to be a vegetarian food.
61 Albumen Sometimes Vegetarian In eggs, milk, muscles, blood, and many vegetable tissues and fluids.
62 Amino Sometimes Vegetarian The building blocks of protein in all animals and plants.
63 Allura Sometimes Vegetarian Allura Red. Derived from either coal tar or petroleum. It is not derived from insects.
64 Whiting Never Vegetarian A common type of fish. Not a vegetarian friendly option.
65 Xantham Sometimes Vegetarian A derivative of bacterial fermentation. Chicken lysozyme may be used in the manufacturing process.
66 Lamb Never Vegetarian Not vegetarian if meat or tissue sourced from a lamb/young sheep.
67 Blood Never Vegetarian From any slaughtered animal. Possibly in foods such as lecithin.
68 Duck Never Vegetarian Not a vegetarian option if sourced from a duck.
69 Bee Sometimes Vegetarian This product contains an ingredient derived from bees. May not be vegetarian friendly.
70 Seafood Never Vegetarian Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Likely animal based.
71 Bone Never Vegetarian Anti-caking Agent - Contains bones from animals.
72 Canard Never Vegetarian Duck - Not a vegetarian option if sourced from a duck.
73 Poultry Never Vegetarian Poultry is another name for domestic fowl, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
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