Vegans have a challenging time locating companies that cater to their particular diet. Unlike pescatarians or vegetarians, vegans completely avoid all foods that involve animal products of any kind.
However, even plant-based products may have hidden meat by-products, including fun foods like Burger King onion rings. This leaves the question of whether BK onion rings are Vegan.
To find out if Burger King onion rings are indeed Vegan, read below to learn more!
Are Burger King Onion Rings Vegan?
Unfortunately, Burger King onion rings are not vegan as the breading contains whey, which is a milk protein. Additionally, Burger King onion rings are deep-fried in modified palm oil, which has destroyed many animal habitats. Alternatively, BK sells the impossible burger, which is considered a vegan option.
If you want to learn why Burger King onion rings are not vegan, read on!
Why Are Burger King Onion Rings Considered Non-Vegan?
The breading contains whey, which is a milk protein and could also be cooked in oils that contain fat or a fat derivative.
Burger King also cooks a ton of hamburgers and chicken, so there is a risk of cross-contamination for food marital.
Is Animal Cruelty Factored Into the Making of Burger King Onion Rings?
Burger King cooks their food in modified palm oil. While palm oil can be vegan-friendly, it largely depends on how the oil is derived.
Many palm plantations and factories slash and burn the habitats of orangutans during the harvesting process. For a vegan, that is a significant price to pay for onion rings.
What Other Ingredients May Cause Concern with Burger King Onion Rings?
Burger King’s onion rings have some 33 ingredients. The items in question include bleached dehydrated onion, modified corn starch, gelatinized wheat starch, guar gum, and, most problematic, sugar.
Refined white sugar is created with the use of bone char, which is produced by burning animal bones. If you have turned to plant-based eating due to ethical concerns, Burger King onion rings may not be for you.
Are There Any Vegan-Friendly Options at Burger King?
Although Burger King’s onion rings are not vegan, the franchise offers a few items that may be palatable to the vegan palette. These offerings include, but may not be limited to:
- The Impossible Burger — the BK Impossible Burger is made from a meat-free, plant-based compound and cooked on a separate grill away from real meat sources.
- Garden Salad — The salad is pretty simple, lettuce, tomato, and vegan-friendly lite honey balsamic dressing. Only the croutons are questionable, so ask about their ingredients before ordering.
- Apple Sauce — Burger King’s Mott’s applesauce is 100% natural and made without sugar. It is also gluten-free and equals one serving of fruit.
- Many of the drinks — if you forgo the smoothies and partake in fountain drinks like Coke, Sprite, or Dr. Pepper, you can enjoy Burger King beverages. Icees are vegan-friendly in their own way; however, they do contain refined sugar.
Additionally, foods like French fries, French toast sticks, and hashbrowns are completely vegan in their manufacture; however, they could be cooked in a shared fryer with chicken and fish.
Can You Order an Impossible Burger Without Mayo?
It is super vital for vegans to have the option to remove from vegans, as mayo contains eggs.
If this is the case, Vegans can order the impossible burger without mayo for both the signature Whopper and the Whopper Junior.
Vegans could also go for a completely meatless sandwich, just veggies with no meat or plant-based patty. Whoppers are all made to order, so it shouldn’t be a problem; just ask.
Does Burger King Plan to Offer Vegan-Friendly Menu Options?
While there are no official plans at this time for Burger King to plan an official vegan menu, you can request to have certain items modified.
For instance, you can request a slight modification of items, such as the removal of croutons or the addition of a plant-based meat option. However, this will be applicable only to participating Burger King chains.
What Fast Food Restaurants Feature Vegan Related Items?
As the vegan-conscious community grows, so does the demand for menus reflecting this change.
For this reason, a great variety of fast-food chains cater to vegan-related eats.
These chains include, but are not limited to:
- Taco Bell
- Chipotle
- Del Taco
- Baja Fresh
- Elle Pollo Loco
- Dominos
- Papa John’s
- Pizza Hut
- Subway
- Quizno’s
- White Castle
- Chick-fil-A
And much, much more.
As usual, the caveat here is to see how these items are cooked. When in doubt, ask any participating fast-food franchise for details in this regard.
To know more about Burger King, you can also read our posts on whether or not Burger King has milkshakes, if Burger King does breakfast, and if Burger King is halal.