Animal Products
Adopting a vegan diet and lifestyle requires that you refrain from eating or using any animal products. While vegeterians refuse to consume any products that are obtained through the death of an animal, vegans also refuse those products produced by animal labour, or otherwise obtained from animals.
Products obtained by directly killing animals
These products are obtained directly by the death of an animal, the most obvious being meat. These products are the most strongly and strictly opposed by both vegeterian and vegan diets. The moral argument against their use is the strongest.
- Ambergris
- Castoreum
- Civet oil, found in some perfumes
- Gelatin, found in Jell-O, marshmallows and many candies
- Isinglass, used to clarify beer and wine
- Ivory
- Lard
- Leather of any kind
- Meats of any kind
- Mink oil
- Musk
- Seafood of any kind
- Tallow
- Whale oil
Products obtained from live animals
These products are produced by animals and are generally obtained without causing the death of the animal in question. Some vegeterians will allow the consumption of these products. Vegans, however, do not believe that any of these products may be ethically consumed.
- Casein, found in some energy bars/drinks and supplements
- Cheese – see Dairy Farming
- Eggs – see Egg Farming
- L-Cysteine
- Lanolin, found in some cosmetics and creams
- Milk – see Dairy Farming
- Rennet
- Swiftlet’s nest
- Whey
- Wool
Animal products from insects and lower animals
Insects and some other animals present more of a grey area for some vegans. There are many vegans that view all life as sacred, and others who equate anything produced by animals as a form of slave labour. These vegans tend to view all animals as being absolutely equal. As such, products like honey, which is produced by bees without directly harming them, are refused by strict vegan diets.
On the other hand, some vegeterians still consider themselves to be vegans, but will consume animal products that are derived from insects. Because insects, and some other animals, such as starfish and coral, have nervous systems completely different from our own, and often much less complicated than our own, it seems to be less certain, and indeed less likely, that they suffer or feel pain in meaningful, or at least recognizable, ways. Additionally, some of the products produced by these animals, such as honey, are done without harming the animal itself.
Because the consumption of these products is philosophically ambiguous, they have been placed into a seperate category. For those who are uncertain, it is recommended to review each one to determine the risk to each animal.