What Lurks Beyond the Ingredient List: Navigating the Murky Waters of Veganism

Well, being not so cheesy isn't exactly a cakewalk either.

Just ask any vegan--one who abstains from eating or using animal-derived products--and they'll tell you: It takes a bit of sleuthing to sniff out the non-vegan ingredients in seemingly the most vegan of items. Those who fail to do so may be unwittingly eating, or wearing, products that would even make a carnivore cringe.

Cane sugar, for instance, can cause quite a conundrum for vegans.

Explained Jo Stepaniak of Grassroots Veganism, "Over half of the cane refineries in the United States use bone char, which is charcoal made from animal bones, as their activated carbon source." In other words, it's used to whiten the sugar.

So, what's a vegan with a sweet tooth to do? "Some vegans replace white table sugar with unbleached cane sugar or dehydrated and granulated cane juice," she explained. Beet sugar is also vegan.

According to Veganresource.com, sugars made by Florida Crystals, Refined Sugars Inc., Supreme Sugar and Pillsbury are bone-char free, whereas those refined by Domino and Savannah Foods are not.

Dressing vegan--avoiding wool and leather products for starters--can too prove to be difficult.

In fact, many non-leather shoes, including several styles of New Balance listed as being vegetarian on Zappos.com, are not vegan. According to a company spokesperson, New Balance uses several varieties of glues on its shoes, some of which contain animal products.

There are, however, several brands, including MacBeth and Brooks, that use cruelty-free glues.

In 2006 it was discovered that supermarket chain Wegmans was advertising its orange juice as vegan (including a 'V' emblem on the packaging), when, in fact, it contained animal-derived vitamin D3 (which comes from lanolin, which is a greasy substance from sheep's wool). The company later admitted its error and changed the label.

Perhaps the biggest thorn in a vegan's side: natural flavors. The Code of Federal Regulations, in part, defines natural flavors as any oil or essence derived from a number of possible sources (including meat, egg and seafood) whose main function in a food is of flavor and not nutrition. In sum, it's anything.

Furthermore, did you know that gelatin is made from the boiled bones and tendons of animals? Or that maple syrup is often treated with lard or butter? Or that non-dairy creamer contains sodium caseinate, a milk derivative?

Traditionally, soaps and lotions contain a handful of animal-derived ingredients, ranging from animal fat (tallow) to glycerin. Brands such as JASON and Tom's of Maine, available in many supermarkets, make an array of vegan-friendly dental and body care products.

To boot, vegans needn't strain their eyes reading ingredient lists on products that carry the Certified Vegan Logo from Vegan.org. The stamp means that the product has gone through a rigorous inspection process, and is 100 percent vegan in all regards.