Vegan

Vegan food contains no animal products. That means no meat, poultry, fish or shellfish, and no dairy, eggs or honey. It also rules out ingredients made from animals, such as gelatin, whey and lard. Many vegans avoid animal products outside food too, such as leather.

Substitutes

• Eggs in baking: 45 ml (3 tablespoons) aquafaba, or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, per egg.
• Egg whites for meringue: whipped aquafaba.
• Milk and cream: oat, soy or almond milk, and coconut cream.
• Butter: olive oil or a plant-based block or spread.
• Cheesy flavor: nutritional yeast or white miso.
• Gelatin: agar, which sets firmer, so use much less and follow the package.
• Fish sauce and anchovies: soy sauce, miso, or a seaweed stock made with kombu.
• Honey: maple syrup or another syrup.

Common mistakes

• Missing gelatin in sweets, marshmallows, desserts and some yogurts.
• Missing whey, casein and milk powder in bread, chips, chocolate and sauces.
• Missing fish: Worcestershire sauce and Caesar dressing usually contain anchovies, and Thai curry pastes often contain shrimp paste or fish sauce.
• Missing carmine, a red coloring made from insects (E120 in the EU).
• Forgetting that some wine and beer are clarified with egg white, milk protein or fish gelatin.
• Forgetting that in the US some white and brown sugar is refined with bone char.

In recipes

A recipe tagged vegan contains no animal ingredients. There is no legal definition of "vegan" on food labels in the EU, the UK or the US, so check the ingredients list.

A vegan label is not an allergy label. Vegan products can be made on the same lines as milk or egg products, so someone with a milk allergy or egg allergy still needs to read the allergen information.

If you eat a vegan diet, health services such as the NHS advise getting vitamin B12 from fortified foods or a supplement. A doctor or dietitian can help you plan the rest of your diet.