How Far You Are Vegetarian?

How Far You Are Vegetarian?

Many people stop eating non-vegetarian food during Navaratri. If you are one of them, then you need to exercise some caution - there are some common food items which are easily passed with a 'vegetarian' tag but can actually be 'non-vegetarian'. Some of the ingredients used to make these items are actually derived from animal fat or even meat products. So the next time you crave for one of these foods, you need to know which food category they fall in to…

Soups

We Indians love soup. But do you know your favourite Manchow soup is actually non-vegetarian? If you are having this soup in restaurants then beware. Restaurants often add sauces to your soup which are made using fish or are fish sauces. So, if you think you are having something vegetarian, you are not! Next time do ask before ordering.

Naan

Our typical Indian lunch-out is incomplete without naan. But how the hell are naan non-veg? Well, not all naans are non-veg but many recipes for authentic naan call for use of eggs for kneading the dough to keep it soft and give it good elasticity. That's absolutely fine if you're an eggitarian but dear vegetarian, you better find some other option for your paneer tikkas.

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Cheese

Indians have taken to cheese like a fish to water and we now add cheese to each and every recipe! So you have cheese pav-bhaji, cheese poha, cheese dosa and even cheese paratha! But did you know that the cheese you love might contain rennet, which is an enzymes derived from animal guts. Unfortunately for you, the cheese packets do not list the actual enzyme used but just a generic term "enzyme"

Oils

Remember that advertisement of 'heart-friendly' oil? That's actually not heart-friendly at all! Oils and juices that contain Omega-3 acids, advertised to be good for your heart are derived from fish oil. Also, some juices claim to have Vitamin D which is derived from Lanolin, obtained from sheep.

Salad Dressings

You ordered lettuce salad thinking you are safe. Think again! You know the vegetables are, well, vegetarian but have you ever wondered about the sauces? What exactly is in those sauces that make your salad so tasty? Most often salad dressings are not completely vegetarian and contain eggs. So the next time you order a salad or are buying your favourite salad dressing, please check the ingredients list thoroughly.

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White Sugar

Did you know that while processing white sugar, to make it precisely as you like it, white, manufacturers send it through a cleansing process? And the cleansing process is done using 'natural carbon'. Wondering where that 'natural' in carbon comes from? Bone char. Yes, you thought right. Charred animal bones! The safest way out is to buy unrefined sugar or stick to brown jaggery.

Beer/Wine

Beer or wine makers often use isinglass - or fish bladders to clarify their beer. So the colour you love about, thanks to fish bladder! Well, most of the famous beer and wine brands in the world use isinglass.

Jelly

We all know what the main ingredient of jelly is. That's right! Gelatin. And gelatin is an animal derivative. However, in recent times, gelatin is being replaced by starch or other similar food products and chemicals so you might just be safe.

Potato chips

It's hard to believe but yes, even potato chips are non-vegetarian. Many chips, especially barbecue flavor, contain chicken fat. So next time you buy any chips packet, double check the ingredients

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Cake Mix

For people who eat egg, cake mixes doesn't makes any difference but for a hard-core vegetarian, it's difficult to digest. Some cake mixes contain pork fat or lard, especially imported ones.

Sauces

Here are some sauces usually added to dishes for flavouring or added as accompaniments with other foods or drinks.

Worcestershire Sauce – Lea & Perrins – contains anchovies (small, silvery fish).

Apple Sauce – certain brands contains carmine which is a red food colouring made from ground up cochineal beetles.

Cesar Salad Dressing – contains egg and Worcestershire sauce.

Along with the ingredient names, there are many ‘E’ numbers that are not vegetarian. E Numbers are codes for food additives. Therefore, once again labels should be observed in detail to ensure the food does not contain animal content.

E numbers that are definitely based from animal content include: E120 (Cochineal – colouring that makes many foods red), E441/E485 (gelatin), E542 (bone phosphate), E631 (Disodium inosinate – flavor enhancer), E635 (Disodium 5′-ribonucleotides – flavor enhancer), E1105 (Lysozyme – made from eggs), E913 (Lanoline – A wax from sheep), E904 (Shellac-a glazing agent which is derived from the lac insect) and E570 (Stearic acid). (From google search)

Keeping track of ingredients in food requires vigilance and understanding, therefore, read labels more carefully, if you are a vegetarian, following a strict animal free diet.