Other Traps For New Vegetarians

[Guest guest]

The previous article made me remember to remind about dairy. Dairy is of course

vegetarian - provided no one has tampered with it. But there is sometimes

gelatin/gelatine

in yoghurt, especially low-fat ones (a real trap for this group). Additionally,

for those who

buy margarine, which often contains dairy of course, remember that some of them

also

contain gelatin. And now we come to cheese.

 

Cheese is usually not vegetarian - not if it is made in the traditional manner.

This involves

the use of rennet, which is derived from the stomach lining of animals, clearly

without

their consent and only after they've been killed for me*t. All those wonderful

imported

cheeses, parmigiano reggiano or whatever, which we all learned early to love,

have rennet.

Not vegetarian. Some cheeses domestic to Canada and the USA *are* vegetarian,

however,

and you would be wise to find out which ones are 'safe' for vegetarians.

Possibly some

cheeses in Europe are made that way too now - but I can't speak for those,

living where I

do now and not eating cheese anyway :-)

 

While we're at it, newbies might also remember the following:

 

Worcestershire Sauce - traditionally is made with anchovies in the formula. When

we use

it, we buy the vegan form - similar thing (although purists would shudder)

without fish.

 

Some asian curry pastes and other sauces contain fish - look for those that have

no

prawns, fish, oyster sauce or the like in them. (Likewise, 'vegetarian' food at

some asian

restaurants that use fish sauce - e.g. Thai restaurants - may have fish sauce in

them. Ask.)

 

Instant or quick noodle packages often contain me*t extract of some kind in the

flavour

envelope, so read carefully. Remember that the 'bonito' in Japanese miso soup

preparations refers to a fish.

 

Actually, if you don't make it yourself at home, ALWAYS check the ingredients

label :-)

Much safer!

 

Okay, that's all that comes to mind at the moment LOL

 

Best love, Pat

[Guest guest]

For a list of vegetarian cheeses, see:

 

http://cheese.joyousliving.com/

 

 

-Erin

www.zenpawn.com/vegblog

[Guest guest]

Hi Pat

I can't speak for the rest of Europe, but here in Britain a

significant proportion of the cheese available is made with vegetable

rennet and is suitable for vegetarians and it is marked as such,

either with the Vegetarian Society symbol or with the words " Suitable

for vegetarians " . Soya cheese here is also free from casein and

therefore suitable for vegans, which I don't think is always the case

in USA. Labelling here is generally excellent and if it doesn't say

that it is suitable for vegetarians then I don't buy it. Increasingly

food is also being labelled if it is suitable for vegans which is

helpful and the Vegan Society publishes an animal free shopping guide.

HTH

Christie