Is honey vegan?
No. Honey is made by bees, and a vegan diet leaves out all foods that come wholly or partly from animals, honey included (The Vegan Society).
Vegan foods to use instead
Plant foods we have checked, chosen for the same USDA food group:
| Food | Serving | Protein | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | 1 tbsp (21 g) | 0.06 g | 0.1 mg | 1.3 mg |
| Maple syrup | 1 tbsp (20 g) | 0.01 g | 0 mg | 20 mg |
| Molasses | 1 tbsp (21.1 g) | 0 g | 1 mg | 43 mg |
These replace the nutrients, not the taste or the cooking role.
Honey on other diets
| Diet | Fits? |
|---|---|
| Keto | No for 1 tbsp (21 g) |
| Gluten free | Yes, naturally |
| Vegan | No |
What the studies say about vegan diets, both sides
- Level C Vegetarians and vegans are not short of B12 by definition. In a church population where fortified foods and supplements are ordinary, their blood levels matched those of meat eaters. American Journal of Health Promotion, 2025
- Level C People on habitual vegetarian diets take in about 0.88 mg less zinc a day and carry measurably less zinc in their blood. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2013
- Level C Choline sits mostly in animal foods, so eating less of them makes the recommended intake harder to reach. Food & Nutrition Research, 2023
Levels: A systematic review or meta-analysis, B randomized trial, C observational, D lab or animal, E expert body. How we grade evidence.
Keep exploring
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), Honey, FDC ID 169640, accessed 2026-10-12 · full nutrition facts
- The Vegan Society, Definition of veganism, www.vegansociety.com, accessed 2026-10-12
- USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS 2021–2023 survey food recipes (input_food.csv, FDC release 2026-04-30), fdc.nal.usda.gov, accessed 2026-10-12
Numbers are USDA values scaled to the serving shown. Serving sizes are USDA household measures. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. Checked 2026-10-12 · How we verify. Information, not medical advice.