It is a delight to order onion rings as a side snack at Burger King. They are the new fries and a popular choice all around the world be it America, Europe, Asia, Australia, or Africa. But are Burger King Onion Rings vegan? It is often assumed that because onions are vegetables, they would definitely be vegan.
Are Burger King onion rings vegan?
The onion rings at Burger King are not vegan because they contain whey, a milk derivative. Vegan side options at Burger King are, sadly, very limited. Even the fries, although they do not contain any animal products, may have indirectly come into contact with meat or other non-vegan items due to the use of shared fryers.
So, do Burger King onion rings have dairy?
This quirky round appetizer at Burger King is surely meant to be vegan, but unfortunately, it contains whey, which is a type of protein extracted from milk. You’d be flabbergasted in learning that these apparently simple and innocent onion rings are made of about thirty three ingredients!
Why do they need thirty-three ingredients for something as simple as onion rings?
We ask ourselves the same question. The constituents include bleached wheat flour, dehydrated onion, yellow corn flour, modified corn starch, gelatinized wheat starch, guar gum, water, sugar, you don’t want us to keep counting, do you?
Some controversial ingredients like processed sugar, natural flavours, and palm oil are also a part of Burger King Onion Rings. You may already be aware, processed sugar is often whitened with the help of bone char which in turn is produced by burning the bones of animals at high temperatures. Although bone char is not passed into the final whitened sugar, some vegans consider the method problematic because production of sugar does contribute to animal cruelty.
Palm oil, on the other hand, is produced in capitalist palm plantations that thrive on bonded labourers and displaced and abused wildlife. The natural flavours used in food products could be obtained from any animal source, we never know as the source is hardly ever mentioned. The artificial colors used in foods have an evil reputation for undergoing lab tests performed on poor animals that suffer only death as a consequence of their toxicity.
It is understood that something made out of such complex methods and materials cannot be called natural. The full list of ingredients looks like the recipe for a bioweapon (which most processed foods are sort of anyway).
Your delicious Burger King Onion Rings are not vegan. You cannot excuse the constituents. Even if you do, it is cringeworthy that the so-called vegetarian and vegan snacks are fried in the same frying pans as the non vegan and animal based foods. So you’d rather stay away from Burger King Onion Rings.
Now that your usual onion rings are out of question, what do you order if you have to visit Burger King with a bunch of non-vegan friends?
We have picked out our favourite vegan options in the Burger King menu
Many people today are realizing the impact of non-vegan choices on our planet’s sustainability and shifting to veganism. Your nearest Burger King may excite all your doubts because of their frying oil and the large chicken and animal food menu. But if you do crave their little cruelty free trinkets, there are some foods that wouldn’t disappoint you at Burger King.
French Fries
Obviously french fries. No restaurant can operate without them unless they have stated otherwise, and why would you visit such a place on a normal day? French fries make you greedy. And we know you always crave them. The good news is, they are mostly vegan, even at Burger King.
Your heart warming, crispy, and thick Burger King fries are fried in pure vegetable oil and can be munched indefinitely. Made chiefly out of happy potatoes, rice flour, starch, and potato dextrin, the list of ingredients ends at number thirteen unlike thirty-three for onion rings.
You may be understandably concerned about the same fryer used at Burger King for both vegan and non-vegan food items. If this irks you, Burger King french fries may not be vegan for you.
Hash Brown Rounds
These bite-sized little cousins of french fries are crispier and better at Burger King. You’d love to have some of these as a side snack to your vegan burger. Or if you’re like us, you’d order the largest set of hash browns and be unaware of the world for some time. The best thing is, they are entirely vegan.
French Toast Sticks
Who doesn’t love warm golden brown french toasts. These delicacies are a comfortable choice for both sweet lovers and spicy food fans. Burger King french toast sticks taste like the classic french toast or banana bread your mother would have prepared at home on special occasions. And the best part is, this recipe does not include any animals based ingredients. As a matter of fact, not many fast food chains have been able to pull off french toasts as good without using milk products or eggs.
Whopper Junior
If you order a whopper junior without meat or mayonnaise, there you go, it’s vegan! The bun used in making this sandwich has been found to be completely vegan so there is no risk taken while asking the cashier to build one without the meat and the mayonnaise. We hope you are used to the strange looks cashiers give to seemingly unreal vegan demands. So that’ll be it. You’ll have a completely vegan sandwich at burger king. Remember that the biscuits and other treats at Burger King may not all be vegan like Whopper Junior bun. It is good to enquire before biting in.
Dutch Apple Pie
Although Apple pie in America is traditionally made out of animal based ingredients, Burger King’s apple pie is surprisingly vegan. Yes! There are no dairy based additives or egg fillers used in baking Burger King’ s delicious apple pies. Sounds unbelievable, right?
We have found out that Burger King uses margarine instead of dairy products and eggs. Although some say that sweet whey is a possible constituent of these, most researchers have claimed that Burger King’s apple pie is vegan.
The NEW Impossible Burger
Ask for this burger without mayonnaise and suggest they cook it separately. This burger has a soy base and it is possible for them to cook burgers in microwaves to meet customer demands.
Oatmeal
If you visit Burger King at breakfast time, they would be serving maple flavoured Quaker Oats original oatmeal. Although it is very simple to make these at home yourself, we are listing the vegan options at Burger King and this may highlight the thought given to vegans while making food menus.
Almost every other drink
Except the Smoothies of course, and the much loved Fruit Loop shakes, many drinks at Burger King are vegan. You can have all the colas with as much ice as you desire and definitely the Dr. Peppers and the lemonades. You also have ICEE!
Garden Side Salad
We are not kidding. This salad is actually good (if you are fond of lettuce and eating salads).
We know you crave onion rings. We haven’t forgotten. The thing is, most fast food joints do not offer vegan onion rings as their recipe almost always contains milk products or even eggs. We know what you are wondering.
Why do onion rings contain eggs?
The most important role played by eggs in any food is of a binder. Egg proteins function as excellent binders and hold the whole structure of the batter or dough or the final product with integrity.
As the batter for onion rings has to be very quickly mixed during preparation, the natural gluten that plays the role of binder is lost. There doesn’t remain any adherent. Here’s where egg comes into play. It replaces the lost gluten and firmly holds all the constituents while offering a sort of elasticity to the final crunchy ring.
And why do onion rings have to contain milk?
When your onion rings have a flaky texture, they usually contain milk. This is because a flaky texture is a sign of lack of eggs. If eggs were present, your onion ring would have added an elastic consistency. Milk additives do not compromise for the absence of eggs but they do provide the desired surface appearance and texture, that’s why your onion rings have milk. Try finding the ones battered in beer. These may be offered as a specialization in some restaurants.
We have found out that Sonic Onion Rings are vegan
This must be great news for any lover of onion rings. You heard that right, Sonic Onion Rings are absolutely vegan. There are no eggs or milk products in their constituents because they have included well compromising comparatively vegan ingredients with a longer shelf life. So, lucky you! Head out for Sonic Onion Rings. They are crunchy, crumbly, onion, just as you like it.
So are Burger King Onion Rings vegan?
Well, absolutely not. The onion rings at Burger King contain whey which is a milk product. Their long list of ingredients is also scary in itself. Such a large number of constituents don’t let any food remain natural.
Going vegan is the other name of holding utmost responsibility for the well being of the planet. And you’re doing great for everyone! Thank you so much!
