Free From Information
Dairy Free
Products labeled as “dairy-free” or “vegan” should always be dairy-free by ingredients, but check the ingredient statement as errors do happen! Non-dairy is another story though. Non-dairy products may or may not be free of milk-based ingredients. To understand why, read the following post: Does my non-dairy food contain dairy?
For those with a very severe dairy allergy or intolerance, even trace amounts of milk protein or sugar may cause a reaction. In product manufacturing, “dairy-free” products may be cross-contaminated with trace amounts of dairy due to the use of shared equipment. Fortunately, for most dairy-free consumers, this is not an issue. However, for those with a severe allergy or intolerance, always consider cross-contamination potential. Contact the corresponding manufacturers directly to verify product safety before consuming.
For those with a very severe dairy allergy or intolerance, even trace amounts of milk protein or sugar may cause a reaction. In product manufacturing, “dairy-free” products may be cross-contaminated with trace amounts of dairy due to the use of shared equipment. Fortunately, for most dairy-free consumers, this is not an issue. However, for those with a severe allergy or intolerance, always consider cross-contamination potential. Contact the corresponding manufacturers directly to verify product safety before consuming.
Lactose Intolerance
Otherwise known as “milk sugar”, Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in milk products. During the digestion process, lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose for proper absorption. This step occurs in the small intestine with the assistance of an enzyme known as Lactose. Many people have or develop a shortage of lactose, and therefore are unable to properly digest some or all of the lactose they consume. The unabsorbed lactose passes into the colon where it can have a party! This lactose deficiency and any resulting gastrointestinal symptoms, are what is typically referred to as lactose intolerance.
Nut Allergy
Nuts and peanuts can cause allergic reactions, which are sometimes severe. A severe reaction to nuts is called anaphylaxis and can be life-threatening. Symptoms often start quickly, within an hour of coming into contact with a nut, and sometimes within minutes. If you have a nut allergy, avoiding foods that contain nuts will prevent an allergic reaction. But, if you do come into contact with nuts, and a reaction starts then treating it quickly is important. If you have a severe allergic reaction, if available, give yourself an adrenaline (epinephrine) injection straightaway and call an ambulance. If you are well prepared and take action quickly the risk of suffering any serious problems is small.
Meat Substitutes
Soy Protein
Most of the new soyfoods entering the market place contain textured soy protein, also called TSP (or textured vegetable protein, TVP). Textured soy protein can be made from soy flour, soy concentrate or soy protein isolate, but only textured soy flour is readily available for consumers to buy. The wide array of soy protein ingredients, when re-hydrated, resembles cooked ground beef or poultry in texture and may be used alone or with meats to make a wide variety of products.
Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein, also known as TVP, is a manufactured soy product. The generic name is Total Soy Protein, or TSP, which is actually a more accurate description since it contains a derivative of soybeans rather than actual vegetables. TVP is a trademarked brand name that has become the frequent identifier.
TVP is frequently used as a meat replacement, or in some cases, a meat extender. It has a texture that resembles ground beef, so it's an ideal meat substitute in spaghetti sauces, chili, tacos and even hamburgers. TVP can also be used as an additive in meat dishes to help a little meat go a long way.
Most of the new soyfoods entering the market place contain textured soy protein, also called TSP (or textured vegetable protein, TVP). Textured soy protein can be made from soy flour, soy concentrate or soy protein isolate, but only textured soy flour is readily available for consumers to buy. The wide array of soy protein ingredients, when re-hydrated, resembles cooked ground beef or poultry in texture and may be used alone or with meats to make a wide variety of products.
Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein, also known as TVP, is a manufactured soy product. The generic name is Total Soy Protein, or TSP, which is actually a more accurate description since it contains a derivative of soybeans rather than actual vegetables. TVP is a trademarked brand name that has become the frequent identifier.
TVP is frequently used as a meat replacement, or in some cases, a meat extender. It has a texture that resembles ground beef, so it's an ideal meat substitute in spaghetti sauces, chili, tacos and even hamburgers. TVP can also be used as an additive in meat dishes to help a little meat go a long way.
Gluten Free
A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a diet that strictly excludes gluten, a mixture of proteins found in wheat and related grains, including barley, rye, oat, and all their species and hybrids (such as spelt, kamut, and triticale). The inclusion of oats in a gluten-free diet remains controversial, and may depend on the oat cultivar and the frequent cross-contamination with other gluten-containing cereals.
Egg Allergy
This type of food allergy most commonly affects children under the age of five, and is the second most common allergy in the UK after an allergy to cow’s milk. When you suffer from an allergy to eggs, the body is hypersensitive to the proteins found in egg yolk or egg white (or both), and mistakenly triggers an allergic response. 20% of children in the UK are affected by this allergy. Allergies to egg yolk are slightly more common than allergies to egg white. Most (though not all) affected individuals will outgrow an egg allergy by age 10, although a small number of people with an egg allergy may also develop an allergy to poultry meats.
Vegetarian
A vegetarian is someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, fungi, algae, yeast and/or some other non-animal-based foods (e.g. salt) with, or without, dairy products, honey and/or eggs. A vegetarian does not eat foods that consist of, or have been produced with the aid of products consisting of or created from, any part of the body of a living or dead animal. This includes meat, poultry, fish, shellfish*, insects, by-products of slaughter** or any food made with processing aids created from these.
Vegan
Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.
There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey - as well as products like leather and any tested on animals.
There are many ways to embrace vegan living. Yet one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey - as well as products like leather and any tested on animals.
Pescetarian
Pescetarianism is the practice of following a diet that includes fish or other seafood, but not the flesh of other animals. Those on pescetarian or pollotarian diets may define meat only as mammalian flesh and may identify with vegetarianism. Most pescetarians maintain a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet with the addition of fish and shellfish, described as "fish but no other meat". The common use association between such diets and vegetarianism has led groups such as the Vegetarian Society to state that diets containing these ingredients are not vegetarian