Are funnel cakes vegan? 8 mixes read, and why “just add water” doesn’t answer it
Most funnel cakes aren't vegan; 7 of the 8 mixes and frozen cakes we read contain egg or milk. Golden Dipt's mix lists nothing animal and is OU pareve.
Gregory Knox
Gregory has been vegan since 2012 and came to it as a sceptic. He believed a balanced diet needed meat and dairy, so he read the studies and the books until he was sure it didn't. He still reads them, and turns what he finds into plain answers on food, ingredients, supplements and health questions. He also runs the technical side of Vegan Pots. Not a doctor, just very thorough.
Is rye bread vegan? 8 loaves read, and why “parve” on the bag doesn’t settle it
Some rye bread is vegan. Beefsteak's two rye loaves and both Mestemacher loaves list nothing animal; Arnold and Pepperidge Farm add unsourced monoglycerides.
The best vegan butter for baking: 7 checked, and the cashew one with more saturated fat than dairy
Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for most baking, Spectrum shortening for crust, Miyoko's unsalted for flavor. 7 compared on fat, and 1 we can't call vegan.
Vegan Christmas food from the store: 10 that pass, and the Pillsbury crust that doesn’t
Sweet Loren's, Partake, Spangler and Pepperidge Farm puff pastry are vegan. Three of four Pillsbury pie crusts are made with lard. 10 checked, 4 to skip.
Is alcohol vegan? It depends on the bottle, and Kahlúa fails on its sugar
It depends on the bottle, and US labels needn't list what's in it. Fining agents, cream, honey and even sugar can rule one out. 6 brands checked.
Does onion powder go bad? It fades, it cakes, and 6 jars compared
Onion powder fades rather than spoils, and makers date it at 1 to 4 years. Steam is what turns it to a rock. 6 brands compared on ingredients and price.
Is quinoa acidic or alkaline? Mildly acid-forming, like brown rice, and your blood won’t notice
Mildly acid-forming: by the standard PRAL formula cooked quinoa scores about +2.3 per 100 g, level with brown rice. Your urine notices, your blood doesn't.
Does eggplant cause gas? Rarely at a cup, so check the serving and the frying oil
Rarely at a normal portion: Monash rates 1 cup of eggplant low FODMAP. Big servings add sorbitol, and fried eggplant carries about 70 times the fat of raw.
Vegan Halloween candy: 10 that pass, and why the word gummy tells you nothing
Yes, plenty pass. Smarties, YumEarth lollipops, No Whey and Unreal's peanut butter cups are vegan by the maker's word; 6 more list nothing animal. 10 checked.
Vegan honey alternatives: 8 bee-free syrups, read from the makers’ own pages
Our pick is Langer Farms Apple Honey, made from only apples, and Lundberg brown rice syrup for baking. 8 bee-free syrups compared on ingredients and storage.
