Foods you sometimes wish WEREN'T vegan

Don't get me wrong. I am vegan for 100% ethical reasons, but I think we can all agree that veganism does have an addtional perk in that when dieting, it's a little easier to resist some of those sinful treats because they aren't animal-friendly! However, most of us have found that there are just as many dangerous options that involve no animal exploitation whatsoever, and (sometimes) overindulge in those instead. So, here's a list I've created that I sometimes wish were NOT vegan, simply because my ethical willpower is stronger than my dieting willpower:

peanut butter. healthy, but very calorie dense and easy to go overboard with.

oreos. how can something with a "creamy" center be vegan?

almonds. see "peanut butter"

wheat thins

larabars. again, same as pb.

BREAD

cereal

Can you guys tell I love carbs? What are some things you sometimes wish WEREN'T vegan?

My almost-daily grande 5 pump toffee nut soy extra foam latte.

250 calories of delicious, bad-for-you-ness. But dear heavens, without it I would most surely die.

Original Post by folkharpist:

This is SO true, I am 10 times more likely to eat sweets if they're vegan, because I have convinced myself that they are in some way "good for you". They are good for the environment though, that is a true statement! Also, many vegan product makers seem to have an emphasis on health, using unbleached flours and non-processed sugars... they're better than the regular stuff most of the time anyway.

Recently I've been consciously working my treat cravings into my normal course of eating for the day, rather than adding it on in a splurge, so I don't feel bad. I treat myself for eating so health the rest of the time! Seems only fair. I know what you mean though, vegan treats are JUST as easy to indulge in :)

My list: (I'll just call them favorites rather than things I wish weren't vegan, since I'd be quite sad if there were suddenly MORE things in the world that I couldn't eat... there are so many already! Haha.)

 

• Mint Newman O's. Good gracious.
• Luna and Lara Bars.
• All sugary breakfast cereals! They are almost ALL VEGAN! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!?
• Dark chocolate
• Smoothies
• Nut butters
• And of course, I have tracked down all of my favorite baked goods SOMEWHERE around town, or else learned to make them myself. Muffinscookiesstrudelscakespies... oh dear. 

 

Things I used to crave too often, that veganism has cured:

 

• FROZEN YOGURT!

Thank you conscience, for stopping the constant frozen yogurt chatter within my head.

 

I find that most cereals are sweeteed with honey or sugar-- and they don't tell you whether the sugar was bone char processed so how have you figured this out?

I always buy unsweetened :/

I second the Dark chocolate-- used to hate, but found some brands, and now I eat half a bar a day usually. Know that craving all too well!

I think Dark Chocolate has been the only thing I splurge on Vegan wise.

I believe they use bone char in the bleaching process of refined sugar. So pretty much most refined sugar is made with bone char. This, when looking at labels, includes granulated sugar, just the word 'sugar' if they don't speficy, etc. This also includes brown sugar, as usually brown sugar is just white sugar with some molasses added back in.

Sugars that are actually vegan are turbinado sugar, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, beet sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup (unfortunately), and stuff like that. Sucks don't it?

Original Post by edamame3:

I believe they use bone char in the bleaching process of refined sugar. So pretty much most refined sugar is made with bone char. This, when looking at labels, includes granulated sugar, just the word 'sugar' if they don't speficy, etc. This also includes brown sugar, as usually brown sugar is just white sugar with some molasses added back in.

Sugars that are actually vegan are turbinado sugar, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, beet sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup (unfortunately), and stuff like that. Sucks don't it?

I was getting unbleached cane sugar but then I decided to start using Xylitol. Tom's toothpaste uses it and as far as I know, Xylitol is Vegan

I can't find anything about them bleaching it, certainly. It's also 2/3 the calories of sugar. Every little bit helps!