Is It Vegan To Eat Honey
Many vegans argue that honey is not vegan while others argue to the contrary. It really just depends on who you ask and to some degree the extent of that individuals veganism. There are some vegans who lead or at least try to lead a near 90 percent vegan lifestyle. Those vegans refrain not only from eating meat-based foods, but also from using meat-derived goods. So for instance, this type of vegan does not use or wear leather, wool, silk or any type of animal fur. This type of vegan was most likely motivated to lead a vegan lifestyle out of concern for animals or the environment.
Now theres another type of vegan who is just as adamant about not consuming any meat or meat products such as milk and eggs. However, the distinction between this type of vegan versus the aforementioned is that this vegan holds less stringent views about using and wearing animal-derived products. As such, this vegan more than likely became vegan due to health concerns or as a result of a desire to lead a more nutritionally sound lifestyle and is therefore less focused on the intricate details of leading a vegan lifestyle. This vegan is solely focused on diet.
With regards to honey, the difference between these two types of vegans is that the animal rights activist or environmentalist vegan is more likely to view honey as non-vegan since it is produced in a process whereby bees ingest flower nectar, partially digest it, regurgitate it, then fan and cool it to produce the substance that we know as honey. Meanwhile, the vegan motivated by health concerns holds a belief to the contrary and views honey as vegan. The latter vegan will argue that honey is not meat, nor is it a meat product as it is made by bees using flower nectar.
Ultimately, the choice is that of the individual. Honey, like milk, is an animal product that many vegans choose to consume. Whether or not one is deemed more or less vegan for doing so is certainly arguable. However, whichever notion one chooses to accept, veganism is and will always be a journey to discovering, acknowledging and accepting ones own truths and that is something that will never be up for debate.
Now theres another type of vegan who is just as adamant about not consuming any meat or meat products such as milk and eggs. However, the distinction between this type of vegan versus the aforementioned is that this vegan holds less stringent views about using and wearing animal-derived products. As such, this vegan more than likely became vegan due to health concerns or as a result of a desire to lead a more nutritionally sound lifestyle and is therefore less focused on the intricate details of leading a vegan lifestyle. This vegan is solely focused on diet.
With regards to honey, the difference between these two types of vegans is that the animal rights activist or environmentalist vegan is more likely to view honey as non-vegan since it is produced in a process whereby bees ingest flower nectar, partially digest it, regurgitate it, then fan and cool it to produce the substance that we know as honey. Meanwhile, the vegan motivated by health concerns holds a belief to the contrary and views honey as vegan. The latter vegan will argue that honey is not meat, nor is it a meat product as it is made by bees using flower nectar.
Ultimately, the choice is that of the individual. Honey, like milk, is an animal product that many vegans choose to consume. Whether or not one is deemed more or less vegan for doing so is certainly arguable. However, whichever notion one chooses to accept, veganism is and will always be a journey to discovering, acknowledging and accepting ones own truths and that is something that will never be up for debate.
