Vegan answers
Researched answers to common "is X vegan?" questions and country-by-country travel guides. No fluff, no fake studies, sources cited.
Ingredients & foods
Is cheese vegan?
No. Cheese is made from milk, so all dairy cheese is non-vegan - and most hard cheeses also use animal rennet.
Is chocolate vegan?
Dark chocolate often yes, milk chocolate no, white chocolate no - unless explicitly labelled vegan.
Is bread vegan?
Most plain bread is vegan, but watch for milk, butter, eggs, honey, and animal-derived dough conditioners (E920, E471).
Is gelatin vegan?
No. Gelatin is made from boiled animal bones, skin and connective tissue (usually pig or cow). It is never vegan.
Are eggs vegan?
No. Eggs are animal products, so the mainstream vegan position is that eggs are not vegan, regardless of how the hens were raised.
Is sugar vegan?
Yes, but some refined cane sugar in the US is filtered through bone char.
Is honey vegan?
No, by the mainstream vegan definition. Honey is produced by bees, who are animals.
Is palm oil vegan?
Technically yes — it is plant-derived. Ethically complicated because of deforestation and orangutan/elephant habitat loss.
Drinks
Lifestyle
How do vegans get protein?
Easily. Most adults need about 0.8g protein per kg of bodyweight, and a varied plant-based diet hits that comfortably from beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan, lentils, quinoa, and whole grains.
Are vitamins vegan? B12, D3, omega-3 and the hidden ones
The molecules themselves are usually fine — the capsule shells, the D3 source, and the omega-3 source are where most vitamins fail.
Vegan vs vegetarian: what is the actual difference?
Vegetarians do not eat meat or fish. Vegans also exclude eggs, dairy, honey, and other animal products. Vegan is the stricter category.
Which E-numbers are vegan?
Most E-numbers are vegan, but a handful are always or sometimes animal-derived. The big ones to know: E120 carmine, E441 gelatine, E542 bone phosphate, E901 beeswax, E904 shellac, E920 L-cysteine, E966 lactitol, E1105 lysozyme.
Travel guides
Vegan in the UK
Excellent. The UK has the most developed vegan retail and dining scene in Europe outside Germany.
Vegan in Germany
Outstanding. Germany has the highest density of vegan products in supermarkets globally and Berlin is one of the world capitals of vegan dining.
Vegan in Italy
Easier than reputation suggests. Vegetables, beans, and grain dishes are central to Italian cuisine. Watch for hidden cheese, anchovies in pasta sauces, and egg pasta.
Vegan in Greece
One of Europe's easiest vegan countries thanks to Orthodox fasting (nistisimo) cuisine. Many traditional dishes are vegan by religious tradition; look for "nistisimo" on menus.
Vegan in Japan
Improving fast in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka with dedicated vegan restaurants. Outside the big cities, eating vegan needs more planning - dashi (fish stock) hides in almost everything traditional.
Vegan in Thailand
Excellent in Bangkok and Chiang Mai with dedicated jay (Buddhist vegan) restaurants. Outside cities, the challenge is fish sauce and shrimp paste in almost every savoury sauce - learn one phrase and you are sorted.