Do you want to find out if Popeyes French Fries are vegan-friendly?
The fries are a hot commodity at Popeye’s. Infused with a Cajun blend of interesting spices, it’s easy to understand why the seasoned fries are attached to most orders made at the restaurant. Popeyes flavors are so well-loved, that even celebrity Beyonce is a fan. She’s received a free-Popeyes-for-life card from the company! But can vegans go crazy in love with the Crispy Cajun fries? Continue reading to find out.
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Are Popeyes French Fries Vegan?
The answer is: No
Unfortunately, the fries are fried in oil previously cooked with other meat products. Also, the Natural Flavor in the fries is potentially animal-sourced.
What Are Popeyes Fries Made Of?
Ingredients
Popeyes Fries are made from the following ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (May contain one or more of the following: Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Corn Oil), Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Food Starch Modified, Yellow Corn Meal, Salt, Spices, Paprika, Dehydrated Garlic, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Monosodium Glutamate, Dehydrated Worcestershire Sauce (Molasses, Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Caramel Color, Garlic, Sucrose, Spices, Tamarind, Natural Flavor, Maltodextrin), Sugar, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate (to preserve natural color).
Why Are Popeyes Fries Not Vegan-Friendly?
Although there are no listed ingredients that come from animal sources, the fries are prepared using the same oil used to fry their other products, some of which contain animal-sourced ingredients. Popeye’s has not made it clear if they make an effort to prevent cross-contamination, but in the FAQ section of their website, they answered whether any of their menu items were vegan or vegetarian. The Crispy Cajun Fries were not listed as one of the vegan items.
Natural Flavors are sometimes made from animal sources. Popeyes has not confirmed whether their natural flavors come from animal or plant sources. However, the uncertainty is enough for strict vegans to avoid having them.
Final Thoughts
Vegans might be a bit salty about the fact that these fries aren’t vegan-friendly, but the fries are way saltier! One serving of Popeyes Cajun Regular Fries accounts for 24% of the daily sodium intake recommended by the American Heart Association.
Eating more than the daily recommended amount of sodium puts you at risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. It is probably for the best that vegans don’t have these fries in their corner. But if you do, try not to go large. The sodium intake skyrockets to 71% in one of those servings.
The fries are not vegan-friendly as they are prepared in the same oil used to cook meat products. They are not listed among the products that don’t have meat on the website. Also, the natural flavor included in the ingredients is potentially animal-sourced.
For more information head over to: http://www.popeyes.com