In the satvic lifestyle, the consumption of honey is discouraged. There are several reasons for this:
1. Ethical Considerations: Honey is essentially food for bees. The harvesting process often involves acts that can be considered cruel to them. Moreover, to manage disease outbreaks in hives, beekeepers sometimes resort to burning them, leading to the death of countless bees.
2. Health Concerns: A significant portion of commercially produced honey originates from hives treated with antibiotics. Furthermore, research, such as the large-scale study published in Science, found that up to 75% of honey samples worldwide were contaminated with insecticides. Commercial beekeepers, in many instances, remove the bees' naturally-produced honey and substitute it with high-fructose corn syrup.
3. Adulteration & Mislabeling: Consumers must exercise caution. Honey is one of the world's most adulterated foods, ranking third after milk and olive oil. This means that often, what is labeled as "pure honey" could be far from it. Mislabeling is rampant, making it harder for consumers to make informed choices.
4. Environmental Implications: A significant amount of honey is produced by bees that pollinate monocultured crops. These crops, often treated with pesticides and herbicides, can lead to contamination in the honey. Additionally, the harvesting methods in commercial apiaries can harm or even kill many bees in the process.
For these reasons, from both an ethical and health perspective, it's crucial to reassess the consumption of commercially produced honey.