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Stella Artois is not Vegetarian
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Merrick
Merrick
2148 posts

Re: Why don't vegans eat honey ?
Jan 14, 2003, 21:10
In short, commercial production of honey involves killing lots of bees, most notably with the killing of the queen every year or two (less than half her natural lifespan).

From the Vegan Society website:

Queen bees are artifiically inseminated with sperm obtained from decapitated bees. Queens are systematically slaughtered every two years because over a period of time their egg producing abilities decline so their whole hive becomes unproductive and uneconomic.

Clipping the wings of queen bees prevents them from swarming (flying off!). Swarming is the natural way for reproduction, increase and suvival of the species, at least in the wild. However, bee keepers are constantly trying to prevent this natural phenomenon and will use artificial pheromones and wing clipping to keep their colony under control.

Beekeepers feed artificial pollen substitutes and white sugar syrup to colonies, often to replace the honey that has been removed. If these practices are carried out over long periods of time they lower hive productivity and lifespan.

When bee keepers manipulate combs many bees are crushed and killed.

Beekeepers have become dependent on the use of synthetic pestcides and antibiotics to combat pests, and this has led to problems of toxicological hazards to beekeepers and bees, and risks of honey contamination.

In addition a nutritional comparison of the major nutrients in honey and demerara sugar shows sugar is higher in protein, calories, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, chlorine, B6, folate, pantothenate and biotin. The sometimes dubious health benefits of bee products do not warrant the use and abuse of honeybees. There are many other proven non-animal alternative medicines [and sweeteners] that are available.

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/info/info24.html
In reply to:
Why don't vegans eat honey ? (YerArseInParsley)		 Replies:
Re: Why don't vegans eat honey ? (YerArseInParsley)
Re: Why don't vegans eat honey ? (grufty jim)
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