My most hated question in vegan because .....I am just really undecided. I don't eat it, partly because I prefer Agave and partly cause I don't want to decide. If I have something with honey in it, I don't feel guilty. But I do tend to actively avoid it.I am not sure if this is right section to post about it, but do you use honey?
Bees need all the help they can get these days so let's not take their food source. Anyway, it tastes fkg disgusting!Mostly I don't because I don't like honey.
When I learned how and why bees produce honey it seemed really really wrong to take it, and just as wrong to eat it.
I've heard from ethical bee keepers, who travel with hives for pollination. Basing on what I know, which isn't that much, their practice seems sound, and the specific knowledge sounds helpful in supporting bee colonies
I find the use of honey as a medicinal additive is little but marketing woo.
I do have a quart jar of honey from the family that I used to get me eggs from. They also have two hives. It’s been in the back of the cupboard since last year. I assume it doesn’t go bad? My son likes it but he will use it for a few weeks then not touch it fir months. I should remind him that it’s there.I don't buy or eat honey on purpose. I actually do like honey. but it is not necessary or essential to good health. And I am not so sure about its medicinal value either. And there are plenty of other alternatives.
There are vegans who think honey is OK. They call themselves Bee-Gans. They may even have a good rationale.
The small beekeepers (like the guy who has a few hives and comes to the Farmer's Market), might be doing more good than harm. No one knows what causes CCD, and I know that it also affects the small bee keepers, but IF it is something that the large commercial bee keeping operations are causing, than the small operations might be helping the bees out. I know the local honey guy at the farmer's market and his bees only visit organic farms. however even organic farmers use pesticides, and honey bees can't distinguish property lines. Also, pesticides is just one theory of what causes CCD.
The other thing that might be worth mentioning is that the large commercial bee keepers do real harm to their bees. However honey is just a by-product to their operations. They make their money by renting their bees to famers who need their crops fertilized.
Coonicidently, Mid February marks the beginning of the short period that almond trees need to be pollinated. Right now billions of bees are being hauled in huge semis are making the cross country trip to California to pollinate California almonds. Millions of bees will die on that journey. Perhaps the stress of those trips contributes to CCD.
The Beegans make the argument that if vegans can't eat honey why do they eat almonds?
I don't eat honey because I found out how much time and work it takes many bees to make just a tiny amount. They need it far more than we do.
No, sweeteners are empty calories with few nutrients per calorie. They tend to be addicting and raise sugar levels and insulin and therefore tend to cause problems. I tend to use dates and dry fruit to sweeten things. At least they’re slowly absorbed, have fiber and nutrients.I am not sure if this is right section to post about it, but do you use honey?