Are Animal Fats Hiding In Your Favorite Products?

Animal fat: by any other name it would still be the same vile substance. Tallow, suet and lard are all well-known forms of this awful ingredient, but what about glycerin and glycerides, and what does it mean when a label lists ‘stearic acid’ or ‘palmitic acid’?

The short answer is, if you have any concerns about ingesting or using substances derived from someone else’s body fat, then it would be wise to do a little further investigation before making use of something containing any of the aforementioned ingredients.

Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Oleic Acid and Palmitic Acid are all names for fatty acids – produced from natural fats and oils – that are added to soaps, cosmetics, personal care products, and some foods including margarine, shortening and other baking ingredients.

While each of these substances can be derived from plants, they are frequently obtained from a slaughterhouse by-product known as tallow or animal fat.

Tallow is a euphemism for body fat from cows, sheep and pigs. According to one website:

“Typically, tallow starts with the extraction of suet from a carcass. Suet is hard fat found in the neighborhood of the kidneys and around some other organs… Beef, pig, and mutton tallow are all fairly common. Tallow is also rendered from animals like horses.“

Next: Where do animal fats hide?

…

Image: Photos8

1 of 6

Read more: Animal Rights, Bath & Shower, Beauty, Conscious Consumer, Food, Health & Safety, Home, Pets, Vegan

Sharon B.

5:20AM PDT on May 25, 2011

nope do not use any of that stuff... sneaky so and so's.

May 25
send a green star

John S.

10:12AM PDT on May 21, 2011

I'm not a vegan, but prefer the labels in Europe which are much more clear than the USA.

May 21
send a green star

Chaos L.

11:15AM PDT on May 15, 2011

Eye opening

May 15
send a green star

Jennifer C.

4:58PM PDT on Apr 10, 2011

Good article. Thanks for the posting.

April 10
send a green star

colleen p.

6:41AM PST on Feb 12, 2011

we have chemicals. we don't need to make soap like we did years ago
chemicals, and soy

February 12
send a green star

Past Member .

8:59PM PST on Jan 27, 2011

good info.

January 27
send a green star

Katie D.

6:41PM PST on Jan 25, 2011

What a messed up world we live in. What happened to good holesome home cooked food. My skin is cruleing al over.

January 25
send a green star

Christina P.

5:25PM PST on Jan 24, 2011

Animal fats are not too good, if used in large amounts...
The minimal use of animal fats, in itself is harmless...as well as, other normal items in our environment. That is not the problem...the problem is that everyhing IN THE LAST 50-60 YEARS.. is engorged with chemicals.. Chemical interactions change the makeup and ultimate reaction to the human body
THE PRODUCTS USED IN THE OLD DAYS IS THE SAME PRODUCT ONE SEES TODAY. THE INGREDIENTS HAVE BEEN SABATOGED AND CHANGED TO THE WORST.
I just saw on the HISTORY CHANNEL...that the Nazis, in 1945 induced the foods of the German people with wood shavings,, and said it was because of the need to ration food. because of food shortages.of food ....NOW , we are told that celulose in a shaker tube of parmaesan cheese is ok...( to keep it from clumping) when it is really derived of trees, which is wood....
After Hitler's defeat, those Nazi scientists, were welcomed here, in America with open arms..That is who took over the military industrial complex , which is at the crux of the agendas of corporations who poison our foods..
We are living in the Fourth Riecht....That is why were are being bombarded by poison from every direction, in all our consumer products, foods, and water..and all drinkng products...
There is a definate link between what was done to the German people and what is being done to us now , in America, and around the world..