About Honey

One of greatest debates in the vegan world is whether or not honey is vegan. Some people see no problem with honey and will continue to eat it while avoiding meat, dairy, eggs and other animal products. Others, like the Vegan Society and the American Vegan Society, see it differently. Their official stance is that since bees are animals, honey is not vegan. After much research, I have came to the conclusion that The Vegan Society is correct and I have completely given up honey. Some of you may be asking "why would you do that?" The reasons are simple: bee's collect honey for the hive to use as food. They do not give it to us of their own free will, we have to take it by force. Therefore, when you take honey from the hive, you are stealing the bee's food. Secondly, there are reports of beekeepers sometimes killing bees deliberately, so there is a chance that cruelty may be involved. So in light of that information, it becomes clear that it is best to avoid honey.

If you are used to using honey, you can take comfort in the fact that there are vegan substitutes available. One of the best is agave nectar. Agave nectar comes from the agave plant, which grows in the Southern US and Mexico. It is used as an ingredient in Tequila, and can be used to replace honey in anything that calls for it. I bought my first jar of agave nectar yesterday and I really like it. It tastes different than honey, but it is very sweet and delicious. You can pick up several different types of agave nectar at most natural food stores. In some areas, it may also be available at mainstream stores like Wal-Mart and Target (which is where I bought mine).

For more info on why honey isn't vegan, please see the following article:
Why Don't Vegans Eat Honey?

Thanks for reading and God Bless!

A Word of Caution About Kellogg's Products and Good News About Yankee Candles!

I'm not much of a cereal eater, but I do enjoy a bowl once in a while. Growing up, I really liked Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal. So last week I decided to e-mail Kellogg's and see if it was vegan. Here is the reply I received:

Sarah,

 

Thank you for your recent email regarding the vitamins in Kellogg's Raisin Bran® cereal, we are happy to provide the following information.

 

The vitamin premixes used in Kellogg products include Vitamin D. Our ingredient specification for Vitamin D says that we can use either Vitamin D2 or D3 in our products. Vitamin D3 is derived from lanolin, a waxy substance secreted from the skin of wool bearing animals. Vitamin D2 is not animal-derived. In either case, the vitamin premix is Kosher certified.

 

Unfortunately with this product we cannot say specifically which Vitamin D is used in the product. I apologize!

 

To determine if a product will fit into your specific dietary preferences, please visit www.kelloggs.com. Please let us know if we can assist you further by calling 1-800-962-1413.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Nikki Weitnauer

Consumer Specialist

Consumer Affairs

Needless to say, I was disappointed to hear this. If you know of any other raisin bran type cereal that is vegan, please leave a comment and let me know.

On the flip side, I also received good news about Yankee Candles. As anyone who knows me could tell you, I LOVE scented candles. I usually make my own, but I do occasionally buy one and the ones I buy are usually Yankee.  They always look beautiful and come in scents that I cannot make at home. I even went to their flagship store in Williamsburg Va. about two years ago, which was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, some brands of candles are not vegan. I sent an e-mail to Yankee to inquire about their wax, and this is the e-mail that I received in reply:

 

Dear Sarah,

 

Thank you for being a valued Yankee Candle guest and taking time to write us with your product questions.

 

Our candles are not animal tested.  And do not contain any animal or insect ingredients.  They are made with a food grade paraffin wax.  I hope this information is helpful. 

 

If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Sincerely,

Anna B.

Customer Loyalty Team
Yankee Candle Co.
1-877-803-6890

I was extremely HAPPY to get this e-mail. So while I have to give up one old favorite, I get to keep the other. Overall, I am pleased with that.

Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone Review

A few days ago, I developed an allergy to the patchouli scented deodorant that I posted about a few days go. That meant that I had to throw it out and start my search for a vegan deodorant all over again. I remembered seeing an interesting product at my local health food store called Thai Deodorant Stone, so I decided to research it a bit. I found the stone on Amazon.com and saw that it had lots of favorable reviews, so I decided to go down the the store and purchase one. I have worn it for two days now, and so far I really like it. It's MUCH more effective than the patchouli scented deodorant, that's for sure! I worked out in my yard in 80 degree heat for about 30-45 minutes and it held up very well. The stone is made of 100% mineral salt and the company that makes it (Deodorant Stones LLC) proudly states in large letters on their front page that they are against all forms of animal testing. The stone is aluminum free although it does contain potassium alum, which is similar to but not the same as the aluminum chloride in conventional deodorant/anti-perspirants. The deodorant comes in several different forms: a small and large stone, small and large stick (exactly the same as the stone, but in a holder), roll-on, spray, and powder. The stones are a bit pricey, ranging from $4 for the small stone to $10 for the largest. However, it should be noted that the Deodorant Stone website says that the travel sized stone lasts over three months and the largest stone lasts over a year. If those claims are true, you will definitely get your money's worth! Overall, I think that the Thai Deodorant stone is a good product and I recommend it.

Where to buy:
Most health food stores
www.deodorantstones.com
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Deodorant-Stone-Stick-4-25/dp/B000AN1JEI