There are many reasons people choose to become vegan. For some, it is a moral imperative; for others, it’s for health, the planet or most commonly for animal rights. But whatever the reason, vegans generally agree that honey should not be on their list of acceptable foods. This article will answer the question, why can’t vegans eat honey and explore what alternatives exist for vegans who want to sweeten their food or drink without resorting to using honey.
Why do bees make honey?
Bees use nectar from flowers as their main source of food. They add enzymes that break down the flower’s sugars into simpler forms they can digest themselves. In this process, bees produce honey. This honey has significant nutritional value for the bees to get them through the winter.
Beekeepers harvest the honey from their hives and remove any remaining larvae or live bees as this can spoil the taste of the honey. Beekeepers then strain out wax and other particles that have built up in the combs where young bees are raised before packing it into jars for sale. Beeswax is used in many products such as candles, lip balms, and polishes.
Why can’t vegans eat honey?
Veganism is a lifestyle choice that chooses to abstain from the use of animal products, particularly in diet. The Vegan Society states that:
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
Many people feel honey is OK because it doesn’t outwardly involve the death of bees. So, why can’t vegans eat honey?
Vegans cannot eat honey because it involves the exploitation of bees. Bees make honey for themselves, not to be harvested by humans. While we think of honey as a by-product of the all-important pollination we require of bees, it is actually essential to the bees.
Bees make honey because they can use it as a food source during times of scarce nectar. They also give some to their young and old, nurse bees eat royal jelly, which is made from honey.
With people are consuming more honey than ever before, both as food and as an ingredient in other products such as lip balms, candles, soaps and more, the profitability of honey is high for farmers.
This means that bees are intensively farmed similarly to livestock such as cows, pigs, and chickens. Their natural way of life is disturbed, their honey is stolen, and they are fed substitutes such as sugary syrups to get them through the winter if they’re lucky. Sometimes they are killed as it’s easier for the farmer.
We are all aware that bee populations are declining. By feeding them these sub-par nutritional sources, their immune systems weaken, and they become more prone to disease from malnutrition.
You may know the queen is the most important member of the hive.
Why is the queen bee so important? The queen be is responsible for laying eggs, and her job is to create new members of the colony. Without a queen bee, there would be no more new bees!
The colony follow the queen bee everywhere she goes. The average lifespan of a queen bee is up to five years. When a new queen hatches, the original queen and half of her swarm leave to look for a new home. This is called swarming and is the reason you’ll sometimes see a swarm of bees somewhere strange.
Honey production will decrease during this time, which of course, is not in the best interests of the beekeeper. Because of this, some beekeepers clip the queen’s wings or prevent her from leaving the hive. They do this by trapping her in the hive.
Other beekeepers chose to requeen. This means that they kill the queen and bring in a younger version purchased from a breeder. This typically happens every two years, although some beekeepers are choosing to do this annually.
The entire process is unnatural, with breeders shipping queen bees around the UK and even overseas. These queens don’t live a normal life and have their lives shortened considerably in order for humans to enjoy honey.
What honey substitutes are there for vegans
As with most things, there are plenty of vegan-friendly substitutes available. Honey is used as a sweetener in food, so vegans might want to replace this with another sweetener instead. There are many different honey substitutes available for vegans, although they do vary depending on where you live in the world.
Agave Syrup
Maple Syrup
Blackstrap Molasses
Barley Malt Syrup
Date Syrup
Vegan Honea
We hope this has helped to explain why vegans can’t eat honey. With many substitutes around, it’s easy for vegans to avoid honey in their diet. Be careful when buying polishes and beauty products though, that they don’t contain honey or beeswax.
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