I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve been caught out discovering that something I’ve eaten contains animal products. Maybe you have too?

There are the obvious things to look out for, but sometimes they’re hidden in the ingredient list, in chemical names and code numbers. Did you know that Benzoic Acid, Glycerol, Monoglycerides & Glycerides (in many margarines, cake mixes and candies), Lactic Acid and Albumen are all probably animal based?

HappyCow has an A-Z up at the moment. It does mention that many on the list are now manufactured synthetically (it’s usually cheaper), but there are lots of surprises… especially if you take health supplements or use a lot of cosmetics.

It’s very Europe-centric… are there any Asian ingredients we should all be watching out for? Please leave a comment if you know any!

On this website back in November last year, we mentioned the Charter for Compassion, a global endeavor to celebrate compassion and promote collaboration between the world’s religions.

That Charter will be unveiled on November 12th, but in the meantime I wanted to point you towards the TED site, which currently has six short talks on compassion from six different perspectives — from a Rabbi, an Imam, a Reverend, a Tenzin, a Swami and a secular voice of compassion. Together, these six speakers bear witness to the fact that compassion and the Golden Rule lie at the heart of all religion and all morality.

When you’re done watching, we’d love you to leave us a comment here to tell us what you thought.

Find out more at the Charter for Compassion website.