Saturday, July 14, 2007

Animal Products in my Wine?

I don't drink alcohol. It's a personal decision that could very well change since I have nothing against drinking in true moderation. However, "Western" culture pushes people to drink "socially" far too much in my opinion and I will only drink alcohol if it is something I personally want to do and if I come to that decision on my own, without pressures.

But we do use wine occasionally for cooking (the alcohol evaporates and leaves only flavor). When we have guests, or just get a hankering for a fancy meal, nothing does it quite like Mushroom and Seitan Bourguignon, Baked Yams with Ginger and Orange, Crown Bread, and Lemon-Garlic Broccoli. I never considered however that there might be animal products in our wine. And while I suppose we were okay since we bought organic wine which seems exempt from these worries, as a vegetarian (a compassionate person) I find the very idea revolting. Well, at (which I dislike, but that's another post), this article talks about just that, what animal products can be found in both wine and beer.

If I'm vegan, can I drink beer and wine?

...if you're a dedicated vegan and are choosing to rid your diet of animal foods, have you thought about what goes into the alcohol you drink? Many beers and wines are refined using a product called isinglass, which comes from fish, or may be filtered with bone char. While it may be easy to spot the worm in a bottle of tequila, determining which beers and wines are strictly vegan is another chore! In general, organic wines are usually vegan, and beers made in Germany, where there are strict laws regarding ingredients [being] vegan-friendly.
They also provide a link for this guide to vegetarian and vegan wines, beers and liquors.


two crows said...

I hate to do this to you, AC--
I heard last week [on PBS, so I trust the source] that a new study has shown that plants are aware enough to have social lives.

I don't know how the experiments were carried out, but the scientists were convinced that plants know who their family members are and will, when possible, help them survive -- like helping them get from shade into sunlight or vice-versa as needed.

I'd read, back in the 70's, about tomatoes crying when they're picked-- but thought that had been debunked. maybe not. . . .

if plants are more aware than we'd thought, what's a vegan to eat?

Alien Citizen said...

Hmmmm, I don't know anything of plants' social lives...however, the last thing you said, "...what's a vegan to eat?" is precisely the point of it all. I don't feel comfortable eating anything that I wouldn't kill myself. I won't let others do the dirty work for me. And there is overwhelming evidence that animals, like us, feel pain as well as many other emotions. Therefore, it would be cruelty indeed for me to kill another animal to eat just because it "tastes good". Most of us no longer need to kill animals in order to eat or even to get the nutrition we need. There are multiple easy to obtain alternatives when it comes to eating a healthy diet. If plants can be shown to feel pain and/or other emotions, then followers of religions like Jainism (is it?) are perhaps right to feel guilty in causing such suffering. On the other hand, there is no alternative to eating plants yet. We have no way of sparing them and still surviving. Thus, I do not feel guilty about eating them. But I will not kill animals when I don't in any way have to do so. It is just part of my own compassionate philosophy. Similarly, I do not believe in harming other people unless they are directly threatening someone else's survival. Ex. If someone were to invade my house and threaten my family, I would go ballistic on them but I think killing civilians in Iraq (ultimately for material gain) is wrong.

Alien Citizen said...

I believe needless(aka avoidable) killing is wrong.

two crows said...

I understand your feeling completely.
I was vegetarian for a number of years-- my health suffered and I ultimately gave it up.
in fact, that story about tomatoes was what convinced me. later, I heard it was just more of the 70's silliness -- now, I don't know what to think.

more power to you, tho.

.comment-timestamp { display:none; }