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!