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Thread: Can vegans eat yeast?

  1. #1
    Content Generator AllWalker's avatar
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    Default Can vegans eat yeast?

    Naturally, the thread title should be "Are vegans allowed to eat yeast?", as it removes the temptation of making a joke about vegans being so anemic they can't overpower teeny little beastly yeasties.

    Ahem.

    The way I see it, for people who are vegans because they don't like to have animals suffer/die for their meals, there is no right answer here. I mean, if the objective is not to exploit, then eating yeast should be fine. They don't suffer, they can't suffer, and really, cooking using yeast would be like paradise for them - warm and plenty of sugar. It is their ideal environment, right up until they get eaten.

    Of course, yeast are technically fungi. But we are talking about eukaryotic micro organisms - the distinction between plant and animal on this scale seems really arbitrary. If it helps, assume I am speaking hypothetically about a non-plant micro organism - could vegans eat these?

    OTOH, if you agree that micro organisms can't suffer and can be eaten, then you have made a judgement call. You have drawn a line in the sand and said these guys are fine to eat. But what about chickens? Chickens are so stupid that even if they can suffer, I doubtt hat they are even aware of their suffering. If chickens are too highly evolved, what about insects? They tend not to have nervous systems capable of transmitting pain and are a rich source of protein.

    Yeast. So cool.
    Something tells me we haven't seen the last of foreshadowing.

  2. #2
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    I've heard this one before, but I like the way you worded your OP.

    First of all, let it be noted that yeast is a very common vegan food. Nutritional yeast is often fortified with B12 (which cannot reliably be found in any non-animal derived food source) and has naturally occurring glutamates in it to give it that full, savory flavor that people crave. This can also be achieved (unsurprisingly) by sauteing mushrooms, which can make a decent meat substitute.

    Since yeasts are classified in the Fungi kingdom, there's little ethical reason for most vegans to complain. Not that this would stop somebody if they really wanted to, of course. They aren't plants, true, but neither are they animals. They are fungi, as you said.

    If we're going to decide that microorganisms should all be treated as though they belong to a single kingdom, why should they be treated as though they belong to Kingdom Animalia? Why not Chromista? Or Protozoa? Or Bacteria?

  3. #3
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    Yeast is not an animal. It's not a plant either, but the rule isn't "only eat plants", it's "don't eat animals and animal products". So yeast, mushrooms, and foods made by bacteria are fine -- the first two are fungi, and none of the three are animals.

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