The honey + beeswax debate - use it or not

I usually avoid bee products, but I won't make a big deal out of it if I accidentally eat/use some. I just found out that there was honey in my favorite cereal (hidden in the dried banana-chips ). I will continue to eat the cereal until it is gone, but I won't be buying it anymore. Hopefully, I'll be able to find another brand that is 100% vegan... Though with the limited selection we have over here, it is unlikely. I'll just live without it!

I don't agree with consuming it. The bees made it, it is theirs. I also hear many of the bees get killed in the farming of the honey.

With so many awesome vegan sweeteners, what would be the point of using honey? Just for a little in your tea ?(I had someone try to defend themselves to me about being a vegan and eating honey because they simply wanted it in their tea o_o) One can easily do without honey, so I see no need to exploit the bees and use something from them that wasn't meant for us and that which we don't need.

If you have the time, you can read this that explains why honey isn't vegan.

http://vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm
 

How did the early vegan community feel about insects? Were they always included in the no harm to animals ideology. Me? I'm much less concerned about the wellbeing of insects than of animals. I eat honey and will use byproducts, and while I am reducing the amount of eggs and dairy we use, I can't see myself ever not eating honey for ethical reasons.

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Originally Posted by 'IckenNoodleSoup 

How did the early vegan community feel about insects? Were they always included in the no harm to animals ideology. Me? I'm much less concerned about the wellbeing of insects than of animals. I eat honey and will use byproducts, and while I am reducing the amount of eggs and dairy we use, I can't see myself ever not eating honey for ethical reasons.

Why couldn't you see yourself not eating it? It doesn't matter how a community overall felt about something. You shouldn't conform to that notion just because it may have been in the majority. It's much more exhilarating to actually think for yourself about what is ethically right or wrong, and hopefully doing as best you could from trying to put yourself in a bee's standpoint. :)

I love insects. I wouldn't dare harm one. I don't consider them any less sentient than a cow or human. I would always save my fellow humans and animals first, but likewise I wouldn't harm critters unless I needed to. I remember stomping on bees as I was younger. I enjoyed it too. Now I couldn't dare to such a thing to these beautiful beings of life. I'm a little "ashamed" of myself for what I did in the past, but I'm glad I was able to change as a person and start appreciating all life, and not just those who I could connect more with. <3

agave tastes better. I don't eat honey bees are killed in the process. Also maple syrup tastes even better then those both ;) but i don't use maple syrup.

That may be, but I'd rather eat something processed than something that was forcibly taken from a living creature, harming said creature in the process. Then again, I tend not to worry overly much if my food is processed or not... 

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Originally Posted by Jennifer C 

One of my issues is that, from what I can tell, agave is always highly processed, much like HFC while honey (quality honey) is not. 

You don't need to use agave xD That was just one example. If you want to use other sweeteners feel free. Stevia, though it's not a goo sweetner rocks and is 2x sweeter than sugar.

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Originally Posted by sigen92 

That may be, but I'd rather eat something processed than something that was forcibly taken from a living creature, harming said creature in the process. Then again, I tend not to worry overly much if my food is processed or not... 

+1...I think I probably eat too much processed food. It's just so comforting.  :(

^ I think it can be done without harming the bees.

Eating/ using honey isn't vegan as it is an animal product. I have been vegan for nearly six years and I didn't really miss honey until recently I had a craving so I used a vegan replacement made from fruit. I just read the label and it is made from apples, grapes and carob but I assume it is processed.

This might be of some interest. Bee Free Honee. Made from apple, sugar and lemon juice.

http://www.beefreehonee.com/
 

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Originally Posted by Pixie 

 

 

Eating/ using honey isn't vegan as it is an animal product.

*nods*

If you want to use a health(ier) sweetener, find something with fiber in it, like date paste.

I don't consume it out of sheer respect for bees. They are fascinating creatures and they put a lot of effort into their product. I'm not a pirate.

Also, when I'm cooking I much prefer agave nectar.

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Originally Posted by Jennifer C 

Let me ask everyone this. If someone eats honey or knowingly uses beeswax, do you personally think they're vegan or just strict vegetarian? 

Hmmmm, I don't like to be so specific in putting labels on people because I know I'm not a perfect vegan myself. But generally I think they are. I don't think they would go around telling people they are a "beegan" xD and I wouldn't blame them. I suppose as long as they know vegans generally don't eat honey and when people ask why they eat honey, they at least let others know that vegans generally don't do so but they do (for some reason o.o) The best I can do is persuade them to sway away from the honey :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer C 

Let me ask everyone this. If someone eats honey or knowingly uses beeswax, do you personally think they're vegan or just strict vegetarian? 

not a vegan.

Bees make honey to be their food for the winter...we take it and then give them corn syrup.

That would be like someone spending all summer in the kitchen canning lots of goodies with fresh fruits and veggies so they'd have good food for winter, then I come in and say, "Wow that looks really good, I think I'll take it all and leave you a bag of rice and beans."

Wouldn't be fair, would it?

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Originally Posted by Kari 

Bees make honey to be their food for the winter...we take it and then give them corn syrup.

 

That would be like someone spending all summer in the kitchen canning lots of goodies with fresh fruits and veggies so they'd have good food for winter, then I come in and say, "Wow that looks really good, I think I'll take it all and leave you a bag of rice and beans."

 

Wouldn't be fair, would it?

+1 I forgot that they do give them corn syrup instead. Yeah, that's not cool. :/

it's also not a matter of opinion either :/

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Originally Posted by jessickah 

it's also not a matter of opinion either :/

Well, I have an opinion on your matter of opinion saying that it's not a matter of opinion!! o.O JK  ^_^

When I went vegan the decision was super easy because I despise honey. The smell of it makes me a bit queasy. I do check to make sure there isn't any honey in any of my food, and I try to keep the beeswax out of my products, I don't buy lip chap or anything with it in it. I slipped up a few weeks ago, and forgot to read the ingredients in a sunscreen stick I was buying because I was in a hurry. It has beeswax in it, but I'm just going to use it until it's gone. Normally I would just give it to my mom, but she already has the same one. As far as ethical bee keeping goes, I think that's probably a good idea, since they re on the decline. It's like when they breed some animals that are going instinct and then reintroduce them to the wild.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer C 

Let me ask everyone this. If someone eats honey or knowingly uses beeswax, do you personally think they're vegan or just strict vegetarian? 

Technically not a vegan, although if those are the only animal products someone uses I wouldn't take issue with them calling theirself "vegan" in certain contexts. The problem with the term "strict vegetarian" is I believe very few people know what it means. I prefer "near vegan", personally.

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Originally Posted by 'IckenNoodleSoup 

I'm much less concerned about the wellbeing of insects than of animals.

So am I. But I still have some degree of concern for insects. I don't eat honey, but I'd much rather see someone eat honey than pork or eggs, for example, which are absolutely horrendous.