Animal By product, What is it?
- wannabevegans
- Jan 30, 2018
- 5 min read
When you google vegan you will come across a lot fancy definition that defines what veganism is.
In whole, vegan is lifestyle in which you choose to not partake in any activities and/or actions that harms any living thing
- that of course includes animals, our environment and its natural resources and as well as for various ethical reason such as world hunger, and climate change. Ideally we want to move towards living a cruelty free life, perfection is not the aim but trying our very best is and that comes with sensitizing our selves to the conditions around us.
Many of these are just some of what we call vegan. Others such as I, started my venture looking for more beneficiaries towards my health and body. I have done some book research on vegan and plant based eating and what I have come to find is that, although challenging, it offers great possibilities that you will soon come to face as you venture deeper into this lifestyle.
Vegans eat plants and plenty of it. This form of diet-lifestyle is a combination of plentiful and colorful plant foods such as Swiss chard, Apples, Bananas, Oranges, colorful Bell peppers of all sorts, and I could go on and on about the many things nature have for us to indulge in.
As you may be aware vegans do not consume animals and animal based foods. This include Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Fish, Beef, Eggs, Cheese, Milk (goat,cow etc.), Eggs, Seafood and all animal derived ingredients used in many packaged food. And then there's honey.
There are a thousands of information and debates regarding the use of honey. Is it vegan or not? Is it ethical? Is it healthy to consume? Those are just few of the questions that hinders many of us.
All questions aside, I would like your input in regards to honey, What do you think? Do you use it?
tytAre you vegan, vegetarian or still transitioning?
What differs a vegetarian to a vegan is that ones diet consist of plants only.
On the other hand, vegetarians are more lenient to their consumption of animal based products like cheese, milk, eggs, some seafood, as well as other animal based ingredients.
Let explore more on What is animal by product and how it is defined.
"Any material/substance/fluid/solids derived from the body of an animal such as fat, flesh,blood, milk, eggs, isinglass (fish) and rennet (mammal stomach) that people do not consume"
"Including carcasses and parts of carcasses from slaughterhouse, animal shelters, zoos, vets and products of animal origin not intended for human consumption including but not limited to catering waste"
"These products go through a process called "Rendering" to be made unto human and non human foodstuffs, fats, and other material that can be sold to commercial products such as paint,cleaning products, polishes, glue, soap and ink"
USDA Definition:
"Products harvested or manufactured from livestock other than muscle meat"
"Animal feed based on fish meal or processed animal protein, fertilizer and soil improvers i.e manure
technical products such as pet foods hides and skins for leather wool blood for producing diagnostics tools"
"Products made from fossilized or decomposed animals such petroleum formed from ancient marine animals are not considered animal products"
"Crops grown in soil fertilized with animal remains are rarely characterized as an animal by product"
Blood-blood sausage
Bone-bone char bone meal
Broths and stocks made from animal fat, bone or connective tissues
Carmine-cochineal in food dye
Casein found in milk cheese yogurt
Eggs
Gelatin
Honey
Honeydew secretion
Isinglass
L-cysteine from human hair, pig bristles used n the production of biscuits/bread
Lard
Meat
Rennet-found in cheese
Shellac
Whey
Coral, Feathers, Furs, Leather, Lanolin, Mink oil, Manure, Horn, Pearl, Scales, Silk, Venom, Wool
**For a more precise list of animal derived ingredient list visit
Lets cut to chase and forget about all that fancy words the internet uses to describe and define what animal by product is. In truth animal by product compose mainly of carcass' left overs- like bodily juices, oil, fluids, hair, fat, organs, and all that yucky stuff, extracted from dead animals during the process in which they turn a living thing into a store product for consumption.
Not so appetizing now I bet.
Now the question is how do we limit and avoid consuming these on a basis. Here are 3 simple ways that will get you there.
1. Research - is key!
The more you know the better right? Therefore knowing and having the right information at hand would be your greatest ally. I have added a link (above) of a list of animal derived ingredients contained in many and I mean many store bought products. Research is key, do some reading and get acquainted with some of the names and then be surprise to how much of them your already familiar with, and others that are completely new to you. Many of these simple food we consume daily contains a lot of animal mixture so get ready to learn and learn a lot!
2. Limit your consumption of prepackaged (store bought) goods
Simple but not as simple as it may seem. The best way to avoid non-vegan ingredients is to limit your intake of prepackaged store bought goods. Some may find this difficult especially if your are new to veganism or going through a transitional phase. If you have the extra loot to spend, what you can do is actually look our for that "V" logo which stands for vegan.
This stamp is in almost all vegan packaged products that you find in stores. With this, you can feel a lot more secure knowing your eating vegan and that the ingredients contained in the food are vegan.
3. Eat More - fruits and vegetables of course!
This is the best way to go. Avoiding all prepackaged food all together and instead purchase some fresh, organic healthful fruits and vegetables. Its much cheaper and far more efficient than buying packaged goods. This will definitely keep your health in check as well as your pocket. The only challenge people find who are transitioning to veganism is finding recipes and ways to cook and eat their meal in a way that will keep em satisfied enough to not want to revert to meat again.
**In terms of recipes resources there are recipes available here and as well many many websites, blog, vlogs etc..
Every options and path you choose to take will always lead you to challenges you have to face. Overall challenges are a learning tool we should all take pride in. It doesn't hurt to try and overcome the obstacle we face. I know that when I first started on my journey with veganism I found myself learning a lot. I learned and still am learning about myself, my capabilities and possibilities and as well as my weakness and compliance.
There is no perfection to who you become unless you believe so, I see the perfection in the process. The more I learn the more I care and there is much more learning and caring to do :)
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