is it lacto-vegan?
Posted by veronica66 on Sep 07, 2006 · Member since May 2006 · 74 posts
hi people,
i am a 6 month vegan. though it has been really healthy, fantastic and educational, i have been thinking about incorporating dairy into my diet. if cheese popcorn had these ingredients, is it suitable for the lacto-vegetarian? a particular popcorn company here in my big city has awesome popcorn, i emailed them about the ingredients (concerned about 'rennet being in it' and this is what was mailed back to me:
"soybean oil; dried cheddar cheese (milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, cream salt, soy lecithin)
they claim to be a natural popcorn company- i do not know?
thanks,
veronica66
im not entirely sure what it is youre asking but heres my 2 cents, whether or not its worth that is another story..
you are the only person that can decide what to include or not include in your diet.. having dairy in your diet would be contrary to the definition of veganism. but again, it is your life and you need to choose for yourself what to and what not to include in it.. be wary of anything that is "natural". there is no definiton or guidelines for using the term.. the only thing you can be sure of is anything that is "certified organic" as it must be certified by a 3rd party and at least 70% of the ingredients must be completely organic. the term natural can refer to flavourings.. so the product is meant to taste like a natural product.. ..
consider the reasons you initially went vegan. dont forget how milk is actually produced.. by continually impregnating cows so they lactate and what milk actually is.. a bodily fluid that is for a baby animal that is going to gain 300 lbs in 2 weeks.. ethically you need to decide what is right for your lifestyle.. be sure you consider what is youd be doing.. and all the ethical, enviormental and health reasons for doing it.. it really shouldnt be something you flip a coin over but if you really just miss your fav brand of popcorn maybe veganism isnt right for you at this point in your life.
hope this helped in one way or another..
To answer your question, the popcorn may or may not be okay. (I didn't say it was a HELPFUL answer.) "Cheese culture" is most likely rennet; and since it's cheaper to produce the standard calf rennet, it's probably safe to assume its not the vegetarian bacterial rennet. Nearly all hard cheeses (the higher protein ones such as cheddar and parmesan) use rennet in some format. Softer cheeses are more likely to rely on less active (often veggie-friendly) enzymes. (There; that was just about my entire knowledge database on anything relating to cheese...) Your best bet is to ask the company. Until you here back from them, have you heard about the popcorn and nutritional yeast combo? That's some tasty stuff. You may like it better anyhow. :P
just thought i'd comment that the term lacto-vegan is an oxymoron.