If you’re vegan, you might be wondering if the Inno Foods Organic Gluten Free Keto Crackers are vegan. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the ingredient list of this product and provide some vegan alternatives. Stay tuned!
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Ingredients: Organic Coconut, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Tapioca Flour, Organic Almonds, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Erythritol, Organic Agave Fibre, Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Crispy Brown Rice, Sea Salt, Organic Coconut Butter, Baking Powder, Organic Nutritional Yeast, Natural Flavour.
Even though InnoFoods Organic Gluten-Free Keto Crackers is not labeled as vegan, its ingredient list does not contain dairy products or obvious animal products. It is also evident how the formula carefully favors plant-based alternatives to ingredients that commonly could be animal-sourced. For example, the use of Nutritional Yeast instead of Cheese, or Brown Rice Protein, instead of Milk Protein. However, it is unclear if the natural flavor used in this formula is vegan.
In this article, we explore:
- The InnoFoods Brand
- Does “Main Contain Milk” mean Dairy-Free?
- Ingredient Breakdown: Inno Foods Organic Gluten Free Keto Crackers
- The Bottom Line
1. The InnoFoods Brand
Inno Foods is a Canadian company that specializes in all-natural, non-GMO snacks. The company was founded in 1982 in Vancouver by the Park family. Inno Foods’ first product was bread, but they later expanded their offerings to include coconut snacks. In 2017, Inno Foods launched in Costco USA, and by 2018 they were present in all Costco regions around the world. Today, Inno Foods has 400 team members and offers a variety of delicious snacks that can be purchased online or from leading retailers such as Costco, Loblaws, Walmart, London Drugs, Rexall, and Target.
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2. Does “Main Contain Milk” mean Dairy-Free?
The lack of dairy in this product is also confirmed by the label, which says “May contain milk”. “May contain milk” labels are usually used on products that do not actually contain milk ingredients, but may have come into contact with milk during processing. This can happen if a food is manufactured in the same facility as milk products or if there is a chance of cross-contamination.
In other words, “May contain milk” indicates no milk is present in the ingredient list but that the company would not recommend a person with severe milk allergies to consume it to err on the side of caution. If you have a severe milk allergy, it’s best to avoid products with this advisory. However, if you have a mild allergy or are simply avoiding dairy for other reasons, such as veganism, this advisory likely won’t impact you since there are no actual milk ingredients present.
As such, vegans can rest assured that unsweetened chocolate is a safe and dairy-free option.
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3. Ingredient Breakdown: Inno Foods Organic Gluten Free Keto Crackers
Ingredients: Organic Coconut, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Tapioca Flour, Organic Almonds, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Erythritol, Organic Agave Fibre, Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Crispy Brown Rice, Sea Salt, Organic Coconut Butter, Baking Powder, Organic Nutritional Yeast, Natural Flavour.
Coconut provides a crunchy texture to the crackers, as well as the natural coconut sweetness.
Pumpkin Seeds add to the crunchy texture of the cracker and add nutritional value. They are a good source of protein, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats.
Sunflower Seeds add to the texture and to the nutty flavor of this cracker. They are another excellent source of protein, minerals, and healthy fats, as well as vitamin E, which is an antioxidant.
Brown Rice Flour provides the base for these crackers and was probably chosen because it is gluten-free. Because it is whole grain, it is high in fiber, but will still be light and airy for this formula.
Tapioca Flour is used to bind all ingredients together, and it gives the crackers a slightly chewy texture.
Almonds add flavor and texture to the crackers, in addition to being a good source of protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Hemp Seeds add to the texture of the cracker and add a nutty flavor to them. They are a good source of plant-based protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is used as a sweetener without adding calories or carbs to these keto crackers.
Agave Fiber helps bind the ingredients together and gives the crackers a slightly chewy texture. As a fiber, it can help with digestive issues such as constipation, and also acts as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in the gut.
Brown Rice Protein is a plant-based protein that is commonly used in gluten-free baked goods. It is high in fiber and B vitamins.
Flax Seeds have a role in combining all ingredients together and are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and minerals.
Crispy Brown Rice is a whole grain brown rice that has been cooked until it is crispy. It adds a delicious crunch to the crackers.
Sea Salt is added for flavor and helps bring out the flavor in the other ingredients as well.
Coconut Butter provides a creamy texture to the crackers, smoothing out the whole formula.
Baking Powder is a leaving agent that helps the crackers rise and become light and airy.
Nutritional Yeast gives the crackers a cheesy flavor and is usually used in plant-based recipes as an alternative to dairy cheese.
Natural Flavor is a term used to describe a number of chemicals that are added to food to enhance its taste or smell, including essential oils, extracts, and spices. Natural flavors can be either vegan or not, and without more information on what specific flavors are used, it is unclear to the consumer if this ingredient is vegan-friendly.
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4. The Bottom Line
Inno Foods makes a number of claims about their product on the packaging, including that it is USDA Organic, Non-GMO Verified, Gluten-Free, Keto Friendly, Kosher, and has No Artificial Flavors or Colors. However, they have not claimed that the product is vegan or plant-based.
Looking at the ingredient list, it is very likely that all the ingredients are vegan. No obvious animal products such as milk, cheese, or eggs are used in this formula. The only ingredient that is unclear is “natural flavor”. This may be a vegan ingredient or not, but without further information on what flavors were used, the consumer cannot know.
It is possible that Inno Foods has not yet started working on a vegan certification, but that the product is currently vegan. It is evident in the formula that care was taken to favor plant-based alternatives to ingredients that commonly could be animal-sourced. For example, the use of Nutritional Yeast instead of Cheese, or Brown Rice Protein, instead of Milk Protein.
This leaves the decision of whether or not to purchase and consume the product up to the comfort level of each individual. For some, it may be best to avoid this product until Inno Foods begins the certification process and labels the product accordingly. Others may feel comfortable consuming the product as it stands. As always, it is important to make informed choices and to do what feels best for you.