Question:

I can't thank you enough for the benefits which I'm sure a vegan lifestyle will give me but do have one question only. What do you consider the vegan health status of using the byproducts of insects, such as honey from bees? Honey is supposedly a so-called "miracle food" highly recommended by some sources. - Benjamin

Answer:

Your question about honey is an excellent one. For me, as vegan, my priority is to avoid inflicting harm to other sentient life, as well as to avoid the expoitation of animals. It is my position that we are here to serve animals, not the other way around. That said, honey is not a viable option, irrespective of any purported health benefits. Certainly, the choice remains yours, but by definition honey is not a vegan food.

I think we also have to consider the source of the health claims. Typically, in today's world, if someone is creating a list of benefits of a given food, chances are very good that they have a vested interested in doing so. If we approached the subject of creating a list of foods objectively, I don't think honey (like dairy or meat) would make the list. The "miracle foods" are usually touted as being able to "cure" some ailment which is why they are called miracle foods. But, ironically, the ailment they claim to cure is usually brought about by previous consumption of other animal products. Plus, these miracle cures usually don't cure anything.  It is important to remember that if we all ate a vegan diet, we would not be in the market for these snake oils.

For me, even when I was not vegan, I did not consume honey. The reality is, honey is bee vomit and I always found this to be quite unappealing.

Generally speaking, a vegan diet isn't about what we can't eat, as that would drive anybody crazy. Rather, it is about what we can eat - and enjoy - while allowing all others the same opportunity. This helps to create a deeply meaningful life, as well as kinship amongst all who call Earth home. From this, comes health on a much higher plateau.

Thanks for the great question. I hope I've offered some clarity.