Beetles and a Barefoot Breakup

I recently discovered an article on FitSugar that lists five surprisingly non-vegan drinks. And I’m not referring to that dollop of whipped cream on your mocha latte. Milk in your coffee seems justified, right? Well, how about fish oil in your orange juice? Happy hour just got a little less jovial, too: Would you prefer a splash of pig's hoof in your wine or a hint of swim bladder in your beer?

(Dried Cochineal Beetles via Cochineal Dye)

You may have no desire to forgo red meat, but how about red beetles? Ignorance may be bliss, but it’s not a blessing: Cochineal beetles provide "natural" coloring for countless red-hued foods, including Minute Maid Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice, Good & Plenty, Tropicana Orange Strawberry Juice and Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Boysenberry Yogurt, among others. The repugnant pigment is also known as Natural Red 4 (not FD&C Red Dye No. 40), crimson lake, carmine, carminic acid, or cochineal.

(via The Pour Blonde)

Gross.

I think the majority of my disappointment lies with the animal by-products in Barefoot Wine. Available almost anywhere at a fabulous price, Barefoot Moscato was the one vino my wallet and taste buds could agree on. Having found that Barefoot nauseatingly uses gelatin (a by-product of cow and pig hooves) and animal proteins in its wine making process, I was horrified. What an ignorant lush I'd become!

The good news: I'm on the cusp of a rebound relationship. So far, my list of contenders includes Red Truck and Yellow Tail, both accessible, moderately-priced, and most importantly, sans animal parts. The bad news: I can't seem to find a vegan, organic Moscato. But I've decided that instead of searching for Mr. Wine, I'm going to concentrate on finding Mr. Wine Now.


Check out FitSugar's article for more dirty deets on Guinness, soda, and orange juice!