If you are into a vegan diet, can you vape? This question right here is a multimillion-dollar question that keeps begging for answers day in and day out. The issue around whether people who are into the vegetarian diet can vape keeps getting complicated every time it props up on media platforms among nutritionists. Some vegetarians don't vape because they believe vape products contain animal components, while some vegetarians ignore the argument in its entirety. So, are vapes vegan? This article will answer your questions.
Is there any link between vape products and vegan diets?
Vaping is common among all age brackets and genders. Most people trying to quit smoking usually shift their attention to vaping because it is believed that vaping is less dangerous to human health than traditional cigarettes. Vape contains e-liquid, which when heated up by the vape atomizer, releases vapor. The common e-liquid usually has a flavoring taste, and, on the mouth, it tastes like fruits. Because vapes have a fruitlike taste, the general assumption among many vape users is that vape is vegan.
But how true is that? There is no linkage between vape products and vegan diets. The only factor you can call a linkage is the cruelty of some vape manufacturers towards animals by using them to test their vape e-liquids. Vegetarians would definitely have to distance themselves from using some vape products, especially those with links to animal cruelty.
Does E-liquid contain animal components?
Aside from animal cruelty taking place doing research and development of some vape products, another established fact is the usage of animal components in the development of some vape e-liquid. On a general basis, the known ingredients used in making vape e-liquid are usually Nicotine (optional), propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, flavorings, and, depending on the manufacturers' objectives, sweeteners and colors are often added.
These are the major components, but when you dig deeper, you will find out that major flavors such as vanilla, raspberry, and strawberry also contain derivatives taken out of animals such as castoreum. In some cases, extraction from bugs is added to the mix.
Can Nicotine be considered vegan-friendly?
VG is a product of plant oil, while PG is a product of petroleum. These two products are crucial to the formation of e-liquid, and the good news is that none of them are related to animals. If PG and VG are animal-free, what about Nicotine? Well, Nicotine comes in two forms. It is available in a synthetic and natural form. The synthetic one is prepared in the lab, while the natural Nicotine is extracted from the tobacco plant. Nicotine consumption is not bad for vegetarians, but the only clause to its consumption is that some of the tobacco plants from which Nicotine is derived have pesticide inputs. Also, since Nicotine as an ingredient in the making of vape liquid is optional, it is not a must that you use vape products with nicotine contents.
Do Vape Coils and Wicks Contain Animal Products?
There are different types of materials used in making vape pen wicks, but the most popular among them is cotton wicks. The fiber in cotton contains water, pectin, waxes, and fats. If your vape pen atomizer has a replaceable coil, that means you are using a cotton-powered wick. The reason most vape pen manufacturers use cotton inspire wick is because cotton carries the e-liquid efficiently thanks to its ability to absorb e-juice without tampering with the flavor taste. Cotton wick has many advantages, but the weak point is its high temperature. It burns at a high temperature, which means you must always watch out for your tank level. If the oil dries up before your refill, it will affect the overall flavor taste.
If you are on a vegan diet, it is safe to use cotton-powered wicks because cotton as a plant is animal-free from planting to harvesting. Also, in the process of transforming the cotton into a vape wick, there are no interfaces with animals, making its usage vegan-friendly.
Are Upbar GT vapes vegan?
In a situation where animal testing is required before the products become available for human consumption, then it is safe to say such vape products are not vegan-friendly. What about Upbar GT vapes? All indications point out that Upbar GT vapes are vegan-friendly because they don't use ingredients sourced from animals. Also, they don't do animal testing; neither is the brand affiliated with brands or countries that conduct animal testing. So, if you are a vegetarian and you vape Upbar GT vapes, you are on the safe side.
What are the tips for vegan vaping?
As a vegan, what can you do to ensure that you stay in check on your vegan diet? Here are some tips that will guide you.
- Try out community resources
No matter how many years you've been putting in the work on your vegan diet, one thing you must always have at the back of your mind is that you can't know it all. Food processing is changing, and if you don't stay in form with updated information, there is a high chance that you will be flouting the rules on what you consume and what you ought not to consume. As a vegan who is into vaping, you need community support from your fellow vegetarians, especially from those who are also into vaping. Keeping in touch with the vegan community will help you know what vape products to use and those not to use.
- Read the labels
The smart and easy way to know that a vape product is not vegan-friendly is to read through the ingredients label. The vape e-liquid and vape pen pack will contain information about the brand, especially what they use in making their products. If you see any anomaly on the e-liquid label, drop the product because it is not good for your consumption as a vegetarian.
If the e-liquid has the following ingredient, please don't purchase the brand because it has animal components in its making.
- Carmine
If the label says that the e-liquid contains red and pink liquids, there is a high chance it contains Carmine. Vegetarians should not be consuming vape e-liquid that contains Carmine because it is mostly extracted from crushed beetles.
- Castoreum
The major function of castoreum in vape e-liquid is that it gives it a sweetening effect. It is mostly used in flavors such as strawberry, vanilla, and raspberry. If you are not a vegetarian, there is no cause for concern. However, if you are on a vegan diet, then you need to distance yourself from the consumption or usage of vape e-liquid that contains castoreum because it is extracted from glands located near a beaver's rectum.
- Casin
It is found in milk extracted from animals, and its primary function is to serve as a thickener for e-liquid in vapes.
- Do it yourself
In a situation where you are skeptical about the manufacturer's ingredients listed on the label, your only way out is to "do it yourself." The exercise may be stressful, but if you are vegetarian and you don't want to quit vaping, then why not make your e-liquid yourself? Making your e-liquid will help you to fine-tune all the ingredients to ensure you are not mixing up items that are not suitable for your vegan diet.
Vaping does not stop you from living your life as a vegetarian. Vaping is not the same as traditional cigarette or tobacco power smoke. With vaping, you can add or subtract ingredients that do not conform to your diet as a vegetarian. Both VG and PG are vegan-friendly. Nicotine is not a compulsory ingredient. As a vegan, it is best to stick to a cotton-powered wick because it is 100% organic and plant-based.
Before purchasing any vape product as a vegetarian, read through the label to check key information about the device's makeup and its e-liquid source. If you are not convinced about the e-liquid source, you have the liberty to do it yourself using anti-vegan diet-free ingredients.
Vegan vapes are available at a dime a dozen if you know where to look. These are vapes that don’t contain any animal-related ingredients and that makes them super safe for consumption by vegans. So, all you have to do is look out for the ingredients to ensure that it fits with what you want and then kickstart your vaping experience.
Conclusion
Vegan vapes are healthy and will help you get the best results for your vaping experience. One of the top vapes available that will help you get the lovely feeling as a vegan is the Upbar GT vape. Apart from the fact that no animal cruelty is involved in the production of the vape, it also contains no animal products.
The Upbar GT vape also has an impressive battery life and that means that you can get a great number of puffs before you run out of e-liquids. So, here’s a vegan vape that will give you many hours of soothing use.