15/04/2026
Is honey compatible with a vegan diet?
Honey is often perceived as a plant-based product, as it comes from flower nectar. However, according to the V-Label criteria, it is not considered vegan.
This is because bees are classified as animals, and honey is the result of a biological process involving their bodies. The nectar is transformed inside their bodies by enzymes, which makes honey a product of animal origin, not simply plant-based.
Following this logic, the vegan standard excludes any ingredient derived from animals or their activities, even when they are not directly exploited in a visible way.
Thus, whilst honey remains permitted in a vegetarian diet, it does not meet the requirements of veganism, which aims to exclude, as far as possible, any form of animal exploitation.
Malaysia # FoodProcessing