Is carmine vegan? No, and the may-contain line decides your lipstick
No, carmine isn’t vegan: it comes from cochineal insects and shows up as CI 75470. Of the 7 lipsticks we read, 4 list it and 3 are sold as vegan.
How to tell if makeup is vegan: the bunny on the box answers a different question
Look for the Vegan Society sunflower or Certified Vegan, or read the list. Leaping Bunny and PETA’s plain bunny cover testing only: Burt’s Bees beeswax has one.
Best vegan sunscreens: 7 bottles read from the label, and the zinc one that isn’t vegan
Our pick is Coola Classic Face SPF 50. Sun Bum Original SPF 50 is vegan and Leaping Bunny certified. Badger’s beeswax Sport SPF 40 is not vegan.
Eggs from rescued hens: why we still say they aren’t vegan
Eating eggs from rescued hens isn’t vegan by our line: a hen bred to lay about 300 a year can use what she lays, and sanctuaries feed eggs back to laying hens.
Why some vegans eat honey, and why we still don’t
Vegans who eat honey draw the line at suffering, not use. Their case is serious, and it still fails at the hive, where beekeeping means managing the colony.
Should vegans eat lab-grown meat? The animal is still in the process
Not yet. Lab-grown meat may still depend on animal biopsies and serum you can’t verify, and a vegan eating it spares no animal. Our line, and where it’s weak.
Is silk vegan? No, peace silk included, and the lining may not be on the label
No, silk isn’t vegan, peace silk included. The pupa dies in the cocoon, and a silk lining used for structure needn’t be on a US label. 7 products checked.
How to clean vegan leather: what the makers say, and the vegan conditioner that won’t work on it
Wipe vegan leather with a damp cloth, then mild soap or a cleaner made for faux leather. Every leather conditioner we read rules itself out. 6 checked.
How long does vegan leather last? What a lab bending test found, and 6 to compare
No maker puts years on it. In one lab bending test, plain PU fabric and Piñatex passed the shoe-leather bar while cactus and apple samples cracked well short.
What do vegans eat instead of meat? 7 substitutes, and which ones replace the protein
Seitan, tempeh, tofu and TVP replace meat’s protein; jackfruit only its texture, at 1 g of protein a serving. 7 compared, Beyond and Impossible included.
How to check if a food is vegan: what each part of the label can and can’t tell you
Read the ingredient list, not the front. Non-dairy, meatless, gelatin-free and kosher all appear on non-vegan foods; a Certified Vegan mark checks it all.
Best vegan mayo: 6 egg-free jars, and why the word dressing doesn’t tell you
Vegenaise is our pick; Hellmann’s Plant Based, Sir Kensington’s and Chosen Foods Vegan also pass. Hellmann’s olive oil dressing and Chosen Classic contain egg.
Vegan gas and bloating: why more plants mean more gas, and why it usually fades
More plants mean more gas at first: in 3 bean studies, half or fewer noticed it in week 1 and most said it faded in 2 to 3 weeks. Smaller servings help.
Do vegans need B12? Yes, and only fortified food or a supplement reliably supplies it
Yes. Only fortified foods and supplements are reliable vegan B12 sources: at least 10 mcg a day or 2,000 mcg a week. Nori and spirulina don’t count.
Is quinoa acidic or alkaline? Mildly acid-forming, like brown rice, and your blood won’t notice
Mildly acid-forming: by the standard PRAL formula cooked quinoa scores about +2.3 per 100 g, level with brown rice. Your urine notices, your blood doesn’t.
Nutritional yeast: vegan every time, B12 only when the label lists it
Nutritional yeast is vegan, but its B12 is added, not natural. Of 6 bags, Bragg lists 15 mcg per 2 tbsp; Sari and Frontier’s 1 lb large flakes list none.
Does onion powder go bad? It fades, it cakes, and 6 jars compared
Onion powder fades rather than spoils, and makers date it at 1 to 4 years. Steam is what turns it to a rock. 6 brands compared on ingredients and price.
Are monoglycerides vegan? Sometimes, and the label rarely tells you which
Sometimes. Mono- and diglycerides (E471) come from plant oils or animal fat, and the label rarely says which. A vegan claim settles it; we checked 5 products.
Is collagen vegan? No, and the “vegan collagen” on the shelf contains none
No. Collagen comes from animal hides and bones, and none of the four vegan collagen supplements we checked contains any. Codeage’s label says so outright.
Can you be vegan without supplements? Not for B12, and iodine is the one most likely to slip
No: B12 needs a supplement or fortified food, and iodine is next, since processed food uses non-iodized salt. Complement Essential covers all four gaps.
Best vegan protein powders: 8 compared on lead, and why the certified one is the one to limit
Truvani is our pick, the only plant powder in Consumer Reports’ low-lead daily group. Garden of Life Sport hit 564% of CR’s lead level: limit it to once a week.
How to eat vegan at a work event or conference
Ask in allergen terms, milk and egg, not ‘is it vegan’: the label has no US legal definition. Say you’re vegan, not allergic, and pack a backup.
Top Vegan Options at Italian Restaurants
Italian restaurants are known for their delicious cuisine, but you might wonder what options are available if…
Is It Okay to Make My Dog Vegan?
Delving into canine nutrition: Explore the debate around vegan diets for dogs and discover if it’s a healthy choice for your furry friend.
Recipes By Course
Browse our vegan recipes database by category. We have clearly arranged what we consider to be the most important categories on this page – from breakfast to desserts. Click on the category that interests you. You can then refine your search in the next step.
About us
We’re Gregory and Tara, husband and wife, and we’ve both been vegan since April 2012. Gregory started out a sceptic who thought you needed meat and dairy, so he read the studies until he was sure; he still does, and he runs the tech side. Tara cooks, invents new dishes and has tried more vegan beauty products than our bathroom shelf can hold.
For about two years we also ran a small vegan online shop, so we know the aisle from both sides. Vegan Pots is where we answer the questions we had back then: is it vegan, is it worth buying, and what do you do with it at home.
