Are Bagels Vegan?

 A lot of people are curious about whether bagels are vegan. In this post, we'll explore the answer to that question and look at some of the most famous bagel brands. 

Many popular bagel brands are on the market, but some of the most well-known and loved brands include Einstein Bagels, Whole Foods Market, etc. Bagels are convenient, delicious, and economical meals and/or snacks, but are they suitable for vegans? 

We will examine whether bagels are vegan-friendly, and how to identify a vegan bagel from a non-vegan bagel. Then point out certain go-to bagel brands vegans can trust.

Also, It goes together exceptionally well with various spreads and toppings -- from natural peanut butter, and cream cheese to the more savory lox.

There are many types of bagels, but all of them are made with a dough that is boiled in water, then baked. Some bagels are made with eggs, while others are vegan. 

If you switch to a vegan lifestyle or have been for some, you may wonder: are bagels vegan? The question: as a vegan, if I eat bagels? Which vegan bagel brand can I purchase from the grocery store? We’ll break it down for you here.

So, you are ready to head out to your favorite coffee shop or deli; while on your way there, you worry about what the bagel is made of and if it follows your vegan lifestyle

What is a Bagel?

A bagel is a type of bread that is made from dough that is boiled in water. The boiled dough is then formed into a ring and boiled again. This second boiling creates a hole in the center of the ring and makes it a bagel. There is a hole in the center of the ring, and this makes it a bagel. Bagels are a type of bread that is usually boiled in water and then baked. They are usually filled with cream cheese, jelly, or other types of spreads. This means that they are not vegan.

Bagels are a bread typically made from flour, water, yeast, and salt. 

Bagels will follow up with a peppering of sesame, sunflower, or poppy seed on its brown surface.

They are often dipped in an egg and then boiled in water. Some people argue that because the dough is boiled with eggs, bagels are not vegan because eggs are an animal product. 

Others argue that bagels are vegan because the bagel dough is not made with any animal products. Ultimately, it is up to the individual baker to ensure that their bagels are vegan.

What is considered a Non-Vegan Bagel?

I thought Bread was supposed to be vegan (the traditional method doesn’t require any non-vegan ingredients). So, you must look out for those.

Now are a few factors to look out for the ingredients list. One of those ingredients is eggs, i.e., a bagel sandwich. Another is milk. Milk products and their counterparts should be avoided on a vegan diet.

 L-Cysteine is a type of amino acid. It is a form of a dough conditioner; other factors include animal hair, poultry feathers, and human hair. In my humble opinion, I will never understand the reasoning behind putting human hair in any of our food.  

You must consider eggs. An egg wash is sometimes brushed on top of bagels to give them color and shine. 

Apart from the bagels themselves, it is imperative to note that many bagel fillings and toppings are unsuitable for vegans. Certain dairy products, such as cream cheese, hard cheese, and butter, are not vegan-friendly.

Traditional bagels with meats, smoked fish, and eggs often served on bagels are, of course, unsuitable for vegans. 

You need to check to make sure that they do not contain non-vegan ingredients, as sometimes they can be low-key. If you are unsure, you can keep bagels in your diet without compromising your vegan lifestyle. 

MAKE SURE YOU’RE EATING A VEGAN BAGEL

One guaranteed way to make sure it's vegan is simply making your own bagel. Unknown to me, there are instructions to make your own homemade bagels. Another factor is adding red onion, almonds, rosemary, tofu, and vegan cream cheese.

There are a few things to remember when discussing whether traditional bagels are vegan. One of those things is Vegan Certification. Some independent organizations, for example, Certified Vegan, are more satisfied with labeling if a food item is or is not vegan.

The only ingredient in the classic bagel that raises reasons for concern is shortening for as it can be made from animal fat. It’s not usually the preferred method. But there are manufacturers that most commonly use oils to make vegetable shortening. 

I have this question. Are plain bagels, aka basic bagels, vegan? The primary ingredient list consists of mainly flour, yeast, sweetener, salt, shortening or vegetable oil, and water. 

Also, there are vegan spreads that are now available. You can have your bagel with vegan-friendly cream cheeses and nut butter.

Another point about bagels that I didn’t realize is that they can also be sweet. One of those sweeteners is high fructose corn syrup. Now we are all familiar with the essential ingredients in bagels. But there are additional ingredients, as well.  

Another important factor to the point is the type of bleached flour used. 

Research does show that it’s fit for vegan consumption. Expanding on that, any flour made with bone char was also said to consume. The same could be said about animal bones or byproducts.

Plus, when going to your local grocery store or coffee shop, it would be a good idea for any type of vegan cream cheese.

What Popular Restaurant & Grocery Store Brands Offer Vegan Bagel Options?

Now on to the fun stuff. We will now explore the significant retailers that currently offer vegan bagel options. There are many brands of delicious vegan bagels on the market today. 

The 1st restaurant brand we are going to explore is Bruegger’s Bagels. A New York-style bagel house that has 15 various vegan bagels. 

Next on the list is another brand I have never heard of, Einstein Bros. Bagels. This brand has classic bagels; most of their signature bagels have no animal products and are 100 percent vegan-friendly.

The next is one of my favorites- Starbucks. Starbucks bagel is very vegan-friendly. If you stroll over to the Starbucks website, the vegan option for their brand is that the bagels include a variety of flavors. Which is blueberry, sprouted grain, raisin, and a plain bagel. 

Another one of my favorites- is Dunkin Donuts! Believe it or not, they, too, are vegan-friendly. Being the largest donut chain in the world has a wide range of options. Their flavors are sweet to savories like cinnamon raisin, everything, garlic, onion, plain, poppy seed, salt, and sesame.

Panera Bagels is also vegan-friendly. They are! In fact, meet specific markets for their bagels that require strict vegan standards.

Trader Joe’s (my sister’s favorite) offers vegan bagels in whole wheat and classic types. This vegan bagel brand is often available in your local grocery store.

And last, on this list, Thomas’ plain bagels are vegan. Yes, these bagels are vegan. Also, their whole wheat, onion, cinnamon raisin, cinnamon swirl, and everything bagels adhere to the concepts of a vegan diet.

Conclusion:

Now the question can you eat a bagel as a vegan? Yes, but not all of them. You have to keep in mind that some classic bagels are made with milk, honey, and/or egg white. 

So, what are you waiting for? Try a vegan bagel today!