At first glance, french fries seem vegan since they’re fried vegetables. However, many fries, especially those made in restaurants, are not vegan-friendly. So how can a vegan enjoy the delicious taste of french fries? Simple, get Ore Ida fries.
Yes, Ore Ida french fries are vegan. They don’t have any animal-derived ingredients. These fries are also dairy-free and vegetarian, making them super healthy.
This article will go over what makes Ore Ida fries vegan by breaking down each ingredient and exploring what it’s derived from. We’ll also go over the specific vegan-friendly french fry options available and what makes these fries different from others. So keep reading.
What Makes Ore Ida Fries Vegan?
Ore Ida is quite transparent with what they put in their french fries. Not only is this a rare practice in the fry market, but it doesn’t happen a lot in the food industry generally. This makes Ore Ida stand out and makes it a personal favorite.
This company’s fries are made of:
Potatoes
Vegetable oil blends
Annatto color
Dextrose
Corn flour
Sodium acid pyrophosphate
Salt
Each of these ingredients is vegan-friendly. We’ll go over each and explain precisely why they’re vegan-friendly if you have any doubts.
Why Potatoes Are Vegan
Potatoes are vegetables that have no relation to animal products or by-products. The processing of potatoes also does not involve animals, which makes potatoes vegan-friendly.
Why Vegetable Oil Blends Are Vegan
Ore Ida french fries are made with a soybean and cottonseed oil blend. The former is extracted from soybeans, while the latter comes from the seeds of cotton plants.
Both of these vegetable oils are considered vegan. Generally, vegetable oil is deemed to be vegan because it is derived from plants, which are vegan.
Oil is extracted straight from the source, so oil production does not involve animals. There are several types of mechanical extraction involving the crushing or pressing of the vegetable or seeds in question.
Hence, vegetable oil blends can be considered vegan.
Why Annatto Color Is Vegan
Annatto is a food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, so it is vegan. These trees grow in South and Central America. They have other names too, like bija, urucum, and atsuete.
Annatto color can contribute to increasing or decreasing blood sugar. So if you have issues with diabetes, eating these fries may reduce the effectiveness of your medication. Keep an eye on your blood sugar to ensure that it doesn’t go too low.
Why Dextrose Is Vegan
Dextrose is vegan because it is derived from corn. It could have traces of animal products, though. This is the only ingredient on the list that can potentially be non-vegan because processing can include bone char from cow bones.
However, bone char has several adequate substitutes which vegan-friendly brands use, and Ore Ida likely uses one of these substitutes.
Why Corn Flour Is Vegan
Corn flour is vegan because it is made from maize. Corn starch is not vegan as the production process is not cruelty-free. The same does not apply to corn flour.
Why Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate Is Vegan
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate is vegan because the raw materials used in its production are phosphoric acid and sodium carbonate or hydroxide. The former comes from phosphate rocks and the latter from trona ore.
Neither is animal-derived and, as such, can be considered vegan-friendly.
Why Salt Is Vegan
Salt is a mineral made of sodium chloride, which is mined. This is vegan as neither the mining nor the processing includes animals or animal-derived products.
Which Ore Ida French Fries Are Vegan?
Ore Ida is one of the most popular manufacturers of vegan french fries in the United States. They have several vegan-friendly options available on the market. This variety gives you a lot of room to figure out which kind you like best.
There are four categories.
The classic line includes:
Golden steak fries
Golden waffle fries
Golden crinkles
Golden shoestring fries
Golden fries
Golden twirls
The extra crispy line is ideal for people who love their fries crispy on the outside and soft inside. The vegan option here is the famous:
Extra crispy fast-food fries
The third variety is the flavored line. This has one great vegan option.
Zesty straight fries
Ore Ida also has microwavable options for days you don’t have much free time.
Ready in 5 extra crispy golden fries
Ready in 5 extra crispy crinkles
Why Other Fries Aren’t Vegan
Ore Ida fries are different from other fries, like those made by fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, since they don’t contain animal-sourced ingredients. You’d think that since french fries are just fried potatoes, they’d all be vegan. However, that is not the case.
Fries made by fast-food chains are often not vegan and, in many cases, not vegetarian either. There is a simple explanation for this. A lot of companies use natural flavorings.
For instance, Mcdonald’s is said to use natural beef flavoring in its fries. Since natural flavorings have to be 80% natural and only 20% synthetic, animal-sourced products are in the fries.
Other companies like Wendy’s tend to fry their fries in the same oil as products that have milk, fish, or eggs. While the fries aren’t directly non-vegan, they come in contact with non-vegan produce and likely soak up some of that flavor and become a no-no for vegans.
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
