Reading Labels

Want an easy way to know if the food or other product you’re purchasing is vegan? Get into the habit of reading labels!

Reading labels is an important part of the vegan lifestyle. It is essential in making sure that what is going into your body is animal free.

I grew up reading labels. My parents found reading labels so important that it’s one of the ways I learned to read.

I don’t think of reading labels as a hassle but more of an investigation process and a way of taking control of what I choose to eat.

In addition to the more obvious animal ingredients like milk and eggs that you might find on labels, there are some non-vegan ingredients that can be a little harder to spot. For example, ingredients such as whey and gelatin are derived from animal products. Keep an eye out for lactose too, as it is also not vegan.

Another note on reading labels is to be sure to re-read the labels from packaged food you buy regularly. Some companies have a way of changing their ingredients unexpectedly and including non-vegan ingredients in previously vegan food products.

I’ve actually had to stop eating some of my favorite foods because they added ingredients that weren’t vegan. Sometimes these changes will come with a change in the appearance of the packaging, but often there is nothing that will lead you to think they have changed something.

Something else that happens is that a company will sell some vegan products and some non-vegan products. For example, one snack bar made by a company may be vegan while another snack bar made by the same company may not be.

A quick review of the ingredient label will help you be sure that no animal products found their way into your favorite packaged foods.

Getting into the habit of reading food labels will take time at first but, like anything else, gets easier with practice. Start practicing today, be patient with your progress, and reading labels will become second-nature before you know it!