{"id":250201,"date":"2021-10-08T15:07:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T14:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veganuary.com\/vegan-label-reading-guide\/"},"modified":"2024-11-11T13:10:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T13:10:01","slug":"vegan-label-reading-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veganuary.com\/en-ca\/vegan-label-reading-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it vegan? How to read labels as a vegan in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Food can suddenly feel quite foreign when you decide to try vegan. Our vegan label reading guide takes away the confusion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Image Credit: Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Do you ever find yourself thinking, \u201cIs this really Vegan\u201d when reading food labels? It\u2019s an odd sensation when you realize that you don\u2019t actually know what\u2019s in most of the foods you eat. You start to question even the most obvious, and your local supermarket suddenly feels like uncharted territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t panic! We\u2019re not talking about learning a new language here – within a week, you\u2019ll have graduated to Expert Label Reader<\/em> status, and by the end of the month, you\u2019ll be able to add another word to that title: Expert Label Speed<\/strong> Reader<\/em>. Vegans can read labels astonishingly quickly. It\u2019s like a superpower. But we\u2019ll let you in on a little secret. It\u2019s only because we know what to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are a few tips that\u2019ll have you throwing items into your shopping cart with confidence!<\/strong> Refer to this vegan label reading guide as often as necessary. And if in any doubt, it is probably best to leave it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Does it say vegan on the label? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s never been a better time to go vegan! There are more options available than ever before, and the internet means we can look up almost anything whenever we need to. Plus, plenty of companies are starting to make it really easy by sticking a vegan label right on the package. Companies may add seals like “certified plant-based”, “vegan-certified” or “vegan friendly.” The Planted-Based Foods Association brands some products with their easily recognizable “Certified Plant-Based” symbol to ensure that what you’ve selected is entirely free from animal products and is third-party verified as 100% plant-based.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, not everything that IS<\/strong> vegan SAYS<\/strong> “vegan” (see our guide to accidentally vegan products<\/a> for more on this). Some food labels are still playing catch up, and it\u2019s still somewhat uncommon to pick up something and find it labeled “vegan.” So does that mean your food choices have suddenly plummeted to the sum total of the fruit and veggie aisle? No. It just means you have to be a bit clever! So, if it looks vegan but doesn\u2019t make it clear, move to point 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Does it say Vegetarian on the label?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many labels will obviously state if something is vegetarian, so the second tip in our vegan label reading guide is to look for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legally, a company must explicitly state what allergens are contained in a product<\/strong>, and these will typically be highlighted in bold within the ingredients list <\/strong>or stated separately below it. If you see a non-vegan allergen ingredient (eggs, milk, whey, and casein are usual suspects), then that item isn’t vegan. If none are listed, then it is very likely vegan. But it\u2019s worth scanning the ingredients more closely just to be sure. This is where the list below becomes your best friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. If you see one of these listed, then the product is not vegan:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n