Is honey vegan? Some vegans debate over whether or not honey is vegan. Honey is made by bees from the flower nectar they gather. This means that honey is an animal-derived food, and therefor technically not vegan. However, some people who consider themselves to be vegan are okay with eating honey – or honey from particular sources – because they do not feel it is ethically wrong to harvest honey.
Honey Production
PETA published a brief article that highlights some of the negative aspects of beekeeping and harvesting honey, especially on a large scale. If you’d like to learn more, you can read it here.
Possible Health Effects
Some people remove animal-based foods, like meat and dairy, from their diet for health reasons. Honey does not pose any serious health risks, nor has it been linked to any major illnesses or diseases; however, according to WebMD, raw honey should not be given to children under the age of 12 months due to the risk of botulism poisoning. They also recommend that consumers do not ingest honey produced from the nectar of Rhododendrons due to its toxicity.
Foods Containing Honey
Many common foods might contain honey as an ingredient, including: baked goods, cereal, candy, chips, and peanut butter.
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