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JAIN MYTHS AND UNKNOWNS: SOLVED
Being Jain and buying products in today's society is problematic: many hidden ingredients and unknown producing standards make for sacrilegious items finding their way into our homes, although we are aware of the usual-leather belts and shoes and lard. The only way to fight back is to utilize our principle of aware ness. Following is a short list of items to avoid, why to avoid them, and associated myths.
Candy-It being right after Halloween, most people have their cupboards stuffed to the brim with candy; and unfortunately many non-chocolate candies are inedible. Prime examples are Skittles, Starburst and marshmallows, which contain gelatin, an ingredient composed of a protein substance obtained by boiling animal bones and connective tissue. Others will argue that makers use kosher gelatin a non-animal product to satisfy the Jewish standards of eating since it is a cheaper to manufacture alternative that would inevitably be of use because of the financial benefits. This in fact is not true-every kosher gelatin product, such as some Jell-O's, is denoted in the ingredient list by K-gelatin.
Makeup Many of us not only in the United States but also in India do not recognize the amount of animal products that go into cosmetic products. Items such as lipstick are said to have animal fat to increase their moisture. A clear definition cannot be given because they vary line by line. A easier alternative would be to purchase products from smaller lines such as The Body Shop, a line of cosmetic and facial products committed to no animal testing. A Body Shop representative explained that most products use beeswax lipsticks and chapsticks and pony hair for hairbrushes. She also warned not to buy musk products that are synthetic and to avoid the ingredients "placenta" and "collagen" in any product. Yet the matter is deeper than that. When you visit a small boutique that hikes up its prices by claiming there is no animal testing, you should beware. The U.S. permits companies to print labels claiming no animal testing, when in fact their products are tested on animals. A prime example would be the teen-targeted and flourishing company, Bath and Body Works. Contrary to what their label reads, they do in fact have products tested on animals.
The U.S. does not have legislation to limit the amount of private research done on animals, and only requires reporting numbers of vertebrate animals. The Body shop recently pushed for legislation in the U.K. that would limit animal testing. The bottom line: be careful. Sometimes you can't avoid it.
20/JAIN DIGEST WINTER 1999. Jain Education International 2010_02
By Monica Bobra
Packaged products-Speaking of U.S. legislation, it was Upton Sinclair and his book, The Jungle, that prompted the U.S. to regulate the meat-packing industry back in 1906. However, the U.S. soon recognized that every piece of meat, and on a more broad horizon, every single packaged product can't be free of the items that make us cringe: animal parts, droppings and hairs. Instead there is an allotted percentage of unsanitary items that can be present in each packaged product you buy. The solution: go organic whenever possible.
Another unavoidable glitch. It should also be mentioned the same goes for the fast-food industry.
The following is a list of some common hidden animal prod
ucts:
-lactylate - Anything with the word "lactyl-" almost always is derived from animals.
-rennet, rennin from the stomach of calves. Some cheeses include it.
-casein, casienate -Also found in cheeses, including most soy cheeses.
-lecithin - Soy lecithin is however okay. -tallow - An animal derivative.
Many products, such as cheese and kodak paper are shrouded in controversy. Do they or don't they? It is almost impossible for us to find out, and growing concern can make us all go crazy. Is it possible to avoid all animal products all the time? The answer is simply no. However, information is available. A very good, updated website is PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(www.peta.com). It has a list of several companies that test on animals and has many informative pages. It is the closest and best connection to awareness that is possible.
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