Chicken Isn't Vegan?!

This post is in memory of the two years where I couldnt leave the house without someone screaming "chicken isn't vegan?"  at me*



*maybe a slight exageration, but if you havnt seen Scoot Pilgrim VS The World then you need to :p


I recently read a blog post about things you would expect to be vegan but are not, im not disputing this post at all, but for example the sugar, is something that (luckily) doesn't apply to us here in the UK. 

Now I just also want to say that I find being a vegan a positive experience, yes occasionally i'm out with friends and im 'forced' to eat a baked potato with beans and no butter when they have the full choice of the menu, but in the grand scheme of things its not really the end of the world. I do think articles such as this, although they may make some people more aware can be damaging with regards to promoting veganism as a whole. It is easier than people think to go vegan, no I don't live on lettuce (I rarely eat it!) This is just a collection of my thoughts and irritations about simple items which really shouldn't require an animal to give up its life for us to have a certain product. Here's a couple of things that bug the hell out of me

So first on the list, one that seasoned vegans know quite well but often surprises omnis and veggies...

Red Wine

Red wine can often contain parts of fish, milk and eggs. I was veggie for well over  a year before a random drunk in a pub informed me of the existence of isinglass (fish swim bladder) I think most people are now aware that some beers contain 'fish guts' but many non vegans are surprised to hear that it can also contain egg white and milk. These things have been used as finings, because people generally dont like to get to the bottom of a glass of wine and find sediment. Luckily now things like seaweed and natural clay are used more frequently creating more vegan option. 

So how do I know if my wine is vegan? Not many manufacturers aside from supermarket own brands label their wine as vegan. We do however have the amazing Barnivore on our side. We used to also have Veggie Wines though this is currently redirecting to a facebook page. Personally I have memorised the ones I like which are vegan or I head straight for Marks and Spencer, their wines and beers are far superior to any other supermarket in my honest opinion.

Fabric Softener

The offending item in fabric softener is cationic surfactant which can often be made from animal fat. I say often because it isnt always, but annoyingly this isnt usually differentiated on packaging.

The Vegan Womble has an excellent post about laundry detergents and updates this often. Personally I stick to Co-op because there is one close to my house and its cheap, two big factors in most of my purchasing decisions!

Washing Up Liquid

There's various nasties hiding in washing up liquid, easiest to spot is 'left over' milk products such as whey. With household items its generally better to assume its not vegan unless it clearly says it is on the label, the majority of the big brands will test on animals or be owned by a parent company that does. Supermarkets are your friend again here, Asda and Co-op label vegan but my personal favourite is Astonish which is available at waitrose, Ocado, poundshops and those amazing little treasure trove style local hardware shops that sell paint, nails, cupcake cases, bits of wood and stuff. Its also worth looking out for their chocolate orange handwash, which is mildly addictive

Something not everyone considers.....

Lactose free and dairy free are different. The lactose free milk and cheese that seems to be everywhere is not vegan and still uses cruel dairly products. Flora has recently brought out a new dairy free spread, however its isnt the one that says '100% of oils in Flora are from plants' because buttermilk isnt an oil. Flora is owned by animal testing arent company Unilever so better off spending your money elsewhere.