Are Spring Rolls Vegan, Gluten-Free And Vegetarian?

are spring rolls vegan

This Vietnamese food is both healthy and delicious but are spring rolls vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free?

Spring rolls are mostly vegan, but that’s not always the case. The most common ingredients of the wrapper are entirely vegan and vegetarian. However, the filling itself is often neither vegan or vegetarian. So these should be avoided at all times.

The same is true for gluten in spring rolls. Spring rolls are usually gluten-free, although some can have trace amounts. It depends highly on which brands and the production facilities. Read through and learn how you can safely eat spring rolls on a gluten-free diet.

Spring rolls are delicious, so let’s see how you can continue to eat them. It’s a perfect food for any of these diet groups if done correctly. However, there can be some hidden ingredients that make them neither vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free.


What Are Spring Rolls Made Of

To start this article, we need to identify the ingredients in spring rolls. After all, it’s impossible to know whether or not it’s vegan without the ingredients.

As you know, spring rolls are wrappers filled with many different fillings. So it’s essential first to see what the wrappers are made of. Because the filling itself can be changed and chosen individually. While the wrapper itself needs to have that distinct taste and texture. So what’s in spring rolls wrappers?

Most common ingredients

  • Rice flour
  • Tapioca starch
  • Water
  • Salt

These are the most common ingredients you will see in spring roll wrappers. Although the recipe can change a bit, it’s the most common out there. However, this shows that the spring rolls wrappers themselves are actually entirely plant-based.


Are Spring Rolls Vegan

The vegan lifestyle seeks to eliminate suffering as much as reasonably possible. Most people associate this with the exclusion of all animal products. However, it extends to everything that causes harm. So this includes meat, eggs, dairy and similar.

Now we know exactly what spring rolls are made of. The ingredients are actually rather simple with only four elements. These are luckily entirely vegan. That’s because none of them are derived from or of an animal.

That means that vegans can safely eat the spring rolls wrappers. However, the filling itself is a bit more challenging.

Is Spring Roll Filling Vegan

While almost all spring roll wrappers are vegan, not all filling is. That’s because many of the traditional dishes from Vietnam contain animal products. The same is true for spring rolls fillings.

One of the most popular spring roll fillings in the USA contains beef of different kinds. So these kinds of fillings are not vegan in any way. As you know, anything derived from an animal is non-vegan. So spring roll fillings with meat should be avoided.

You also need to make sure that no eggs are dairy is present. Sometimes eggs are added to either the wrappers of filling. Either ask in the restaurant or read the ingredients if you buy from a store.

Are Spring Rolls Always Vegan

Sadly for vegans, not all spring rolls are vegan. Although most, if not all, the wrappers are entirely vegan with simple ingredients. The issue concerns the filling of them. That’s because many traditional spring rolls have meat or eggs.

However, it’s effortless to find vegan spring rolls. Simply look for vegan options that are free from meat. Spring rolls with plant-based fillings are almost always vegan. Another neat thing about plant-based filling is that it tastes incredible.


Are Spring Rolls Vegetarian

The vegetarian diet excludes all meat products. This includes all products that come from the animal body. So ingredients such as animal enzymes, blood or liver, is not suitable for a vegetarian. However, eggs and dairy are fine.

Spring roll wrappers are almost always vegan, and so are many traditional fillings. Although any fillings with beef or chicken are not vegetarian. Besides those, it’s incredibly easy to find vegetarian spring rolls. Because close to all plant-based filling is vegetarian.

The only thing you should look out for is animal enzymes or natural flavor. These are made from animal flesh.

Are Spring Rolls Always Vegetarian

Spring rolls are often vegetarian. However, you need to avoid any spring rolls with meat fillings, such as beef, chicken, or shrimp. That’s quite easy to avoid as it’s always in the name of that specific roll.

However, there are tricky ingredients. While it’s usually easy to identify the vegetarian spring roll option, some are not. That’s because some store or restaurant bought spring rolls have animal enzymes or natural flavor. These are derived from the flesh of animals and should be avoided.

So not all spring rolls are vegan, but it’s relatively easy to identify which are.


Buy Vegan Spring Rolls

Most spring rolls are vegan, so it’s usually not an issue to find them. However, I wanted to share the spring roll wrappers I use myself. Most are similar, but I find that it’s easy and cheaper to find one brand and always use that. -Mainly because I don’t have to do any research every time I want spring rolls.

are spring rolls vegan

This is a relatively cheap option when you want to make your own spring rolls. At least compared to many others.


Are Spring Rolls Gluten-Free

There are many reasons to be gluten-free. Some are gluten-free because of an actual intolerance, where others just experience benefits from it. So knowing which foods have gluten and which haven’t is essential if you are one of these.

The most common ingredients I found in spring roll wrappers were rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, and water. These ingredients seem worrisome at first glance, but are surprisingly not gluten.

Rice flour might have the word flour in them but are made of rice. In case you don’t know, rice is entirely free from gluten. Another ingredient that can cause concern is tapioca starch. Although that’s also gluten-free. -While salt and water are definitely gluten-free.

So spring rolls themselves are entirely gluten-free. Also, fillings are rarely made with any gluten. It’s possible, but it’s not a concern as no restaurant or recipe serves spring roll filling with gluten.

Are All Spring Rolls Gluten-Free

Most spring rolls are free from any trace of gluten. However, it’s actually possible for them to have some amount of gluten. That’s because spring roll wrappers are often produced alongside gluten products. Meaning it’s made in the same factory, etc.

Thus, your spring roll can be contaminated with trace amounts of gluten. That’s only an issue for intolerant people, as it’s tiny amounts. It also depends on the degree of your intolerance.

I recommend that you read the backside of any bought spring rolls. They state whether or not it can have traces of gluten.


Conclusion

So there you have it. You now know everything you need to eat spring rolls and still adhere to your diet. Be it gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian. It’s an amazing food if you follow the instructions in this article. Avoid ingredients such as animal enzymes, natural flavor, or meat as a vegan or vegetarian. -And make sure no wheat flour or other gluten is present if you are gluten-free.

Also Check Out: Vegan Baseball Gloves

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