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Why is honey not vegan?

Vegans avoid eating honey to take a stand against bee exploitation and farming practices that are thought to harm bee health.

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This article discusses whether honey is vegan.

However, many people wonder whether this extends to foods made from insects, such as honey. Therefore, vegans avoid eating animal products like meat, eggs, and dairy, as well as foods made from them. Veganism is a way of living that aims to minimize animal exploitation and cruelty.

Honey is a somewhat controversial food among vegans.

Unlike overt animal foods like meat, eggs, and dairy, foods from insects aren’t always grouped into the vegan category. In fact, some vegans who eat an otherwise entirely plant-based diet may opt to include honey in their diet. That said, most vegans view honey as non-vegan and avoid eating it for several reasons, which are explained below.

Honey results from the exploitation of bees

Most vegans see no difference between bee farming and other forms of animal farming. To optimize profits, many commercial bee farmers employ practices that are unethical by vegan standards. These include frequent queen replacement, using protein and carbohydrate supplements to feed the bees, and using antibiotics and synthetic chemicals for pest and pathogen control ( 1 ). Vegans opt to take a stand against these exploitative practices by avoiding honey and other bee products, including honeycomb, bee pollen, royal jelly, or propolis.

Honey farming may harm bee health

Many vegans avoid eating honey because commercial honey farming may harm the health of bees. Honey’s main function is to provide bees with carbohydrates and other essential nutrients like amino acids, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics. Bees store honey and consume it over the winter months when honey production dwindles. It provides them with energy, helping them stay healthy and survive during cold weather ( 2 ). To be sold, honey is taken away from bees and often replaced by sucrose or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) ( 3 ). These supplemental carbs are meant to prevent the bees from starving during the colder months and sometimes given in the spring to encourage colony growth and stimulate the flow of nectar. However, sucrose and HFCS don’t provide bees the many beneficial nutrients found in honey ( 3 ). What’s more, there’s evidence that these sweeteners harm the bees’ immune systems and can cause genetic changes that reduce their defenses against pesticides. Both of these effects can ultimately damage a beehive ( 4 , 5 ).

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Is it OK to have a little pink in meatloaf?

Your question is a great reminder that color is not a reliable indicator of doneness in ground beef. A ground beef patty or meatloaf cooked to the required temperature of 160 F (71 C) is safe.

" What keeps the meat so pink after cooking? " Dear Anne and Sue, When I make meatballs, meatloaf, Salisbury steak etc what vegetable gives the meat a pink or undercooked appearance? Still have more questions? You'll find more answers in our archived monthly feature articles by the Inquisitive Cooks. (Meet the Inquisitive Cooks) Your question is a great reminder that color is not a reliable indicator of doneness in ground beef. A ground beef patty or meatloaf cooked to the required temperature of 160 F (71 C) is safe. Yet under certain conditions it may still be pink in color. You're right, this may be caused by the presence of other foods - particularly those containing nitrites. Nitrites may come from cured products such as bacon or ham, which are sometimes included in meatloaf recipes. And nitrates, one of the simplest forms of nitrogen, occur naturally in water and in vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, spinach and parsley. During cooking they convert to nitrites, which prevent beef from turning brown - even when it is fully cooked. There are other factors that may come into play as well. Small amounts of carbon monoxide can be emitted from inefficient burning of gas flames in gas grills or ovens. This too can combine with the myoglobin in meat, causing it to retain its pink color (though usually just on the surface) even when well cooked. Your dilemma may even rest with the meat itself. Its ultimate color may be affected by the type of beef, its pH and the part of the carcass it comes from. Despite variations in color, a thermometer reading of 160 F (71C) is your best assurance that the meat is sufficiently cooked.

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