What is Vegetarianism?

A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, poultry, fish, and who also avoids slaughterhouse by-products such as gelatine, animal fat and rennet (an enzyme from a calf's stomach, which can be found in some cheese). The Swaminarayan Sampraday and Hinduism in general, does not allow the consumption of any part of an egg or products that contain it, as it would eventually be a living species.

A vegetarian diet is the choice of many millions of people in search of healthy, delicious and cruelty-free food. They say vegetarianism is a new thing, its fashionable, but did you know that the ancient Hindu scriptures emphasise on vegetarianism by stressing on the practice of 'A him sa' (non-violence), kindness and compassion for other living things like animals and insects?

Check the packaging of products to see if they carry the Vegetarian Society's logo, or a statement verifying that the product is suitable for vegetarians. Eggs within products should also be checked.

ADDITIVES - see E numbers.
ALBUMEN - derived from eggs.
ALCOHOL - many alcoholic drinks are fined (Le. clarified) using animal ingredients, see beer and wine. Spirits may have been produced using bone charcoal in their production. ANCHOVIES - small fish found in some brands of Worchester sauce.
ANIMAL FAT - carcass fat not milk fat.
ASPIC - savoury jelly derived from meat or fish.
BEER - all cask condition 'real' ales will have been fined with isinglass.
BETA CAROTENE - may be carried in a gelatine stabiliser when added to liquids such as soft drinks.
BREAD - most large producers use vegetable based emulsifiers (E471, E472 etc), but local baker may not. Some bakers may grease the tins with animal fat.
BREAKFAST CEREALS - often fortified with vitamin D3.
BUTTER - pure butter is suitable for vegetarians.
CAPSULES - usually made from gelatine, vegetarian alternatives are available. CAVIAR - fish eggs. The fish must be killed to obtain the eggs.
CHEWING GUM - often contain glycerine. Wrigleys use vegetable glycerine. CHITIN - produced from crab & shrimp shells.
CHYMOSIN - along with pepsin, a constitute of rennet. May be used to describe genetically produced vegetarian rennet.
COCHINEAL - E 120, made from crushed insects. Note: E 124 Ponceau 4R is acceptable although it is sometimes known as Cochineal Red A.
DOWN - Usually from slaughtered ducks or geese, though some live plucking does occur, used in bedding.
EDIBLE FATS - can mean animal fats.
EGGS - the Swaminarayan Sampraday does not allow the consumption of any part of an egg or products, which contain it, because it would eventually be a living species.


EMULSIFIERS - may not be vegetarian.
FATTY ACIDS - may be of animal or vegetable origin.
GELATIN/GELATINE - a gelling agent derived from animal ligaments, skin, tendons, bones etc
GLYCERINE/GLYCEROL - maybe produced from animal fats, synthesised from propylene or from fermentation of sugars.
ISINGLASS - a lining agent derived from the swim bladders of certain tropical fish, especially the Chinese sturgeon.
JELLY - usually contains gelatine though alternatives are available.
LACTOSE - produced from milk, often as a by-product of the cheese making process. LANOLIN - produced from sheep's wool, used to make vitamin D3.
LEATHER - around 10% of the value of a cow or sheep at slaughter is in its skin. LECITHIN - nearly always produced from soya beans, though can be produced from eggs MAGNESIUM STEARATE - may be made from animal fat.
PASTA - may contain egg or squid ink.
PASTRY - may contain animal fat.
PEPSIN - along with chymosin, a constituent of rennet.
POSTAGE STAMPS - the backing glue on UK stamps is free from animal products. RENNET - an enzyme taken from the stomach of a newly killed calf, used in the cheese making process. Vegetarian cheese is produced using microbial, fungal enzymes or chymosin.
ROE - fish eggs, see caviar.
SHELLAC - or E904, a secretion from insects.
SOAPS - many soaps are not vegetarian as they use animal fats (look out for sodium tallowate on the label) and/or glycerine. Vegetarian oil-based soaps are widely available. SOFT DRINKS - some canned orange drinks use gelatine as a carrier for Beta Carotene (this would not appear on the ingredients panel). Apple juice and other non-opaque juices may use gelatine as a fining agent.
STEARIC ACID - mayor may not be vegetarian.
STOCK - may contain animal fat.
SUET - usually made form animal fat, vegetarian versions are available.
TALLOW - an animal fat.
TOOTHPASTE - many brands contain glycerine.
VITAMIN D3 - derived from lanolin made from sheep's wool.
WAXED PRODUCE - several supermarkets across the country use wax and such on their fruits and vegetables to make them look more appealing. Advice: wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before consuming.
WHEY - whey and whey powder are by-products of the cheese making process, which often uses animal rennet.
WORCHESTER SAUCE - most brands contain anchovies.
YOGHURT - some Iow-fat yoghurt contain gelatine.

Information kindly obtained from Shree Swaminarayan Temple Willesden.

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