There is a debate among the Vegan community as to whether honey is vegan or not. Insects are animals. Vegans will not use or consume any animal or animal by-product. Honey is an animal by-product. Vegans often choose this lifestyle out of concern for the pain and treatment animals suffer when they are used for food or other resources. Vegans argue that animals feel pain or are treated inhumanely when they are used for their by-products.
Some vegans argue that insects are not conscious of pain and therefore products such as honey and silk do not need to be avoided. They also argue that even if insects feel pain, the making of honey involves no more pain than then harvesting of vegetables since the harvesting and transportation of vegetables causes pain to insects.
Other vegans disagree with the idea that insects do not feel pain. They also disagree with the idea that the pain the feel is acceptable and consider honey to be a non-vegan food.
Essentially, the choice is a personal matter; one that each vegan will have to decide on his/her own. If you do decide that honey can be included in your vegan diet, please keep in mind that not all vegans will share the same view. So if you make food to share with friends and it contains honey, make sure they know.
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