Can Vegans eat honey?

Question

The secret ingredient on Iron Chef America, last night, was HONEY. Alton Brown said that the liquid honey came from regurgitated liquid in honeybees' stomachs. If that's so, can vegans eat honey? If so, why would that be different from drinking milk?

Answer 1

vegans no because it exploits the bee...but vegetarians do. as far as putting animals ahead of children ????? i choose no meat or products from animals but i am very active in child causes especially abused children and the right of humans to clean water. everyone has to choose their cause, my husband (a meat eater) supports the local homeless shelter and i choose foster kids as my cause...how is also caring for animals diminish the other issues one chooses to be involved in?

Answer 2

It really depends on the vegan. Some will, some won't, though by strict rules they shouldn't since honey is in fact a product of "animal exploitation."

However, if vegans (and believe me, I am an aspiring vegan and raw-foodie) were truly concerned about bees, they probably wouldn't use cell phones either, because cell phone towers are seriously lowering the population of wild bees, who won't nest near a cell phone tower because of the radiation they emit.

Answer 3

ok first off bees take something from flowers and they make honey from it itsz not from the bee itself and it would be different than drinkin milk because milk comes from a cow

Answer 4

NO, we cant eat honey... and of course I'm also against child exploitation.

Answer 5

No.

Answer 6

Of course they can.  They can also eat meat.  They just make a choice not to.  It's up to the individual person what they choose to eat, not to conform to a certain arbitrary standard to call themselves vegan.

Answer 7

vegans do not eat honey or milk....they do not consume any meat, animal products, or byproducts.  

as far as vegans are concerned it is not any different than drinking milk....it is viewed as animal exploitation because it is a substance that is produced by an animal.

EDIT: it's a common misconception that veg*ns care more about animals than humans.....i am a vegetarian and i am training to be a nurse for the sole purpose of reducing as much suffering as i can.  for many, yes...their primary interest is animals.  but there are also many veg*ns whose purpose is compassion and/or minimizing exploitation and excersize that in areas other than animal welfare/liberation as well.  just like everyone else, veg*ns are individuals and will find interests in different areas and activities.  

Christopher K:  I don't know a single vegetarian or vegan that would claim to be perfect and superior to everyone else.  If those are the kind of veg*ns you have met, it's unfortunate that they have left such a bad impression on you.  If it bothers you to hear about vegetarian and vegan diets I would suggest not contributing in the V & V forum, since that is obviously the topic at hand here.  By the way, the only people in my life that know I'm a vegetarian are my immediate family, a few close coworkers, and closest friends....it's not something I tell people in the first 2 minutes, 2 hours, or 2 days of knowing them.....more like a year or two.  Please try not to generalize vegetarians......you would not like to be generalized, and it's good practice to treat others as you prefer to be treated.  Please keep in mind this is not meant in rudeness, just to draw awareness to the fact that not all vegetarians and vegans are as you have described......

Christopher K:  again, not all vegetarians are like that.  in fact, i have never encountered one who is.  again, it's unfortunate that that is the impression you've been given.  but it seems that you are just stereotyping....i am a vegetarian and do not do yoga and do not inquire with my hosts about whether their veggies are local and organic.  unfortunately if you have this set so firmly in your mind i'm not sure you'll ever believe me, but maybe if you were slower to judge and stereotype you'd be pleasantly surprised at the nice people you would encounter.

Answer 8

While it depends on the vegan's personal view of what constitutes animal exploitation, most vegans choose not to consume honey.

Answer 9

most vegans will not eat honey because it exploiting the animal

but cow milk is way different- what they do is once a mother cow gives birth they take her calf away and send it out to a butcher farm- and then they hook her up to a milking machine- and they will purposly inpregnant a cow and then once she gives birth take the calf away and take her babys milk and give it to us- its disgusting and a repeated process-they pump her up with more hormones and medicines to produce 15 more gallons of milk a year- which in the long run will age her faster and cause her to get more illnesses-and right before shes about to pass away they ship her to a butcher factory- and then she is people steak dinner!!!

thats why honey is dif from milk- god

Answer 10

yes, they can!

Answer 11

No, vegan will not eat or use any food or product that is a result of animal exploitation

that includes honey

There are several issues with honey harvesting such as killing the queen on a regular basis to encurage the male owkrers to work harder ( produce more ) and fumigation which kills off many bees in the process of emtying the hive.

Answer 12

Can vegans eat honey?  Yes.

Should vegans eat honey?  Maybe.

::edit::

"I didn't realize the primary reason was animal exploitation. Thus, I'd assume that vegans are also very active in child exploitation issues (particularly in 3rd World countries).... or are animals more important that human children?"

Please don't assume that vegetarians/vegans hold the lives of animals above those of humans.  The goal is to prevent suffering... and remember that humans are also animals.  There is a small (albeit very vocal) percentage of vegetarians that focus only on animals, but you should not assume that they represent everyone.  For instance, I donate a lot of money to charity, but none of it goes to animal rights causes.  I believe my diet is the best form of charity I could probably contribute to them.