When most people think of going vegan, they do so in terms of food products and don't consider a full-circle vegan lifestyle. But, going truly vegan encompasses one’s entire life. There are many hidden animal products in every day items that many tend to forget about. These animal-based products are hidden in alcohol, beauty items, dyes, and much more.
Here are a few of the hidden animal products in everyday items you may have overlooked:
Plastic Bags
Did you know plastic bags contain animal fat? In the making of plastic bags, animal fat is used as in internal lubricant and gradually makes its way to the surface. A simple way to avoid this is bringing your own animal-free re-usable grocery bags to the store. This both avoids the excess use of plastic bags and avoids the use of animal fats used in the production of plastic.
Beauty Items
Lotions, shampoos, soaps, and beauty cosmetics also contain animal products. This site has listed over twenty possible animal chemicals that can be found in these products. One of our favorite brands is Dr. Bonner’s!
Beer and wine
Many people assume alcoholic beverages are all animal-free but this is a common misconception. Most varieties of beer are clear of animal products, but, Guinness is the one exception. Now for our wine lovers, not all wine is vegan, either! Although derived from grapes, part of the production of wine uses animal products when the liquid is put through a fining agent. These fining agents are commonly animal derived from blood and bone marrow, casein, chitin, egg albumen, fish oil, and gelatin. Lastly, almost every brand and variety of hard liquor is vegan.
Opting to go vegan is truly a lifestyle choice. Animal products are laden in even the most inconspicuous products that we use every day. It can be an overwhelming venture to adopt a vegan lifestyle. As if food choices weren’t enough, being conscious of everyday products can be difficult. If all else fails, you can fall back on certified vegan Tahoe Trail Bars to take one small step towards a plant based lifestyle!
Interested in learning more about the vegan lifestyle? Read 4 Reasons to go Vegan for the Environment.
If you are looking for non GMO, vegan, gluten free energy bars for on the trail or off shop Tahoe Trail Bars. Read about our mission to build 1,000 miles of trail in 10 years. If you’ve never tried a Tahoe Trail Bar, now’s your chance to see what all the fuss is about.