Do Vegans Eat SPAM? A Comprehensive Guide

November 10, 2025 •

3 min read

SPAM, the iconic canned meat, has been a pantry staple for over 80 years. Given its key ingredients, a vegan diet that excludes all animal products, including meat and ham, makes it fundamentally impossible for vegans to eat SPAM.

Quick Summary

SPAM is not vegan due to its primary ingredients of processed pork and ham. Vegans avoid all animal products for ethical, health, or environmental reasons. The article details SPAM's components, explains why it's off-limits for vegans, and provides information on popular plant-based alternatives.

Key Points

SPAM is Not Vegan: Traditional SPAM is made from pork and ham, which are animal products and thus unsuitable for a vegan diet.
Veganism Excludes All Animal Products: A vegan lifestyle is founded on the principle of avoiding all forms of animal exploitation, including using animals for food.
Plant-Based Alternatives Exist: Several brands, like OmniPork and unMEAT, offer shelf-stable, plant-based versions of luncheon meat that mimic the taste and texture of SPAM.
DIY Vegan SPAM is an Option: For those who enjoy cooking, homemade vegan SPAM can be created using ingredients like tofu, vital wheat gluten, and a mix of savory spices.
Key Differences in Composition: Traditional SPAM is high in fat, sodium, and uses preservatives like sodium nitrite, while plant-based versions offer a healthier nutritional profile without animal ingredients.
Reasons for Vegan Diet: People choose a vegan diet for ethical concerns about animal welfare, health benefits, and environmental sustainability.

What is SPAM Made Of?

SPAM is a processed meat product made primarily from pork and ham. A vegan diet strictly avoids all animal products. In addition to pork and ham, SPAM contains salt, water, modified potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite is a preservative. The presence of these animal-derived ingredients makes traditional SPAM incompatible with a vegan lifestyle, which seeks to exclude all forms of animal exploitation.

The Vegan Lifestyle: Ethical and Dietary Stances

Veganism is a philosophy and way of living that aims to exclude, as much as possible, all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty. Many vegans adopt this lifestyle for ethical reasons concerning animal rights. Health and environmental factors also contribute to the choice, as processed meats like SPAM are high in sodium and saturated fat and the meat industry has a significant environmental impact.

Can Plant-Based Diets Include SPAM?

A vegan diet strictly excludes all animal products. A plant-based diet primarily focuses on plant foods but may occasionally include animal products (like a 'flexitarian' approach). Therefore, while most people on a plant-based diet would avoid SPAM, someone following a less strict plant-based approach might theoretically consume it. However, the core ingredients make it unsuitable for a truly plant-based or vegan lifestyle.

Popular Vegan Alternatives to SPAM

Several plant-based alternatives aim to replicate the flavor and texture of SPAM. These offer a cruelty-free option for those who enjoy the savory taste.

Common Vegan SPAM Alternatives

OmniPork Luncheon: Made from ingredients like soybeans, beets, wheat, and coconut oil, designed to mimic traditional luncheon meat.
UnMEAT Luncheon Meat: Uses similar plant-based ingredients to provide a shelf-stable alternative.
Homemade Vegan SPAM: Recipes often use bases like tofu or vital wheat gluten with seasonings to create a savory, meaty profile.

Comparison: Traditional SPAM vs. Vegan Alternatives


Feature	Traditional SPAM	Vegan Alternatives (e.g., OmniPork)
Key Ingredients	Pork with ham, salt, water, sugar, sodium nitrite	Soybeans, wheat, coconut oil, beets, seasonings
Sourcing	Animal products (pork)	Plant-based ingredients
Ethical Considerations	Raised concerns about animal welfare and exploitation	Cruelty-free production, aligns with animal rights
Nutritional Profile	High in fat, sodium, and calories	Often lower in fat and sodium, may contain less calories
Preservatives	Contains sodium nitrite, linked to potential health concerns	Typically free from sodium nitrite
Processing	Highly processed to achieve shelf stability	Processed, but with plant-based ingredients
Cooking	Can be eaten straight from the can, often fried or baked	Often requires cooking for best texture and flavor

Conclusion: A Clear Distinction

Vegans do not eat traditional SPAM because it contains processed pork and ham, which are animal products. However, the market offers several plant-based alternatives that replicate the taste and texture, providing cruelty-free options for those following a vegan or plant-based diet. These alternatives demonstrate that it's possible to enjoy similar flavors without consuming animal products.

Looking for more information on SPAM and its origins?

Discover how the iconic canned meat became a staple in global cuisine by reading this detailed overview from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/SPAM-food.

SPAM and Veganism: A Closer Look

The distinction is clear: traditional SPAM is not vegan. The development of plant-based alternatives reflects the growing demand for vegan options and illustrates how dietary needs are driving innovation in the food industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, several companies now produce vegan versions of SPAM. Brands like OmniFoods with their OmniPork Luncheon and unMEAT offer shelf-stable, plant-based luncheon meat designed to mimic the taste and texture of the original.

The primary reason is that traditional SPAM is made from pork and ham, which are animal products. A core tenet of veganism is the exclusion of all foods derived from animals due to ethical, environmental, or health-related concerns.

No, vegetarians do not eat SPAM because its main ingredients are pork and ham. Vegetarianism involves abstaining from meat, and SPAM is a meat product.

Vegan SPAM alternatives are typically made from a blend of plant-based ingredients such as soybeans, wheat, coconut oil, beets for color, and various seasonings. Some homemade recipes also use tofu or vital wheat gluten as a base.

SPAM is considered a highly processed meat product that is high in sodium and fat. While it provides some protein, its nutritional profile is generally not considered healthy for regular consumption, particularly for those with health concerns.

Vegan SPAM products can be purchased from various online retailers specializing in vegan or plant-based foods, such as GTFO It's Vegan! and Weee!, as well as in select specialty grocery stores and supermarkets.

While a plant-based SPAM alternative is vegan, the terms are not always identical. 'Vegan' strictly means no animal products at all, while 'plant-based' can sometimes refer to a diet focused on plants but with the occasional inclusion of animal products. However, a specific 'plant-based SPAM' product will be vegan.