In the midst of Whole Foods' bee Instagram takeover debacle, there's another bee-centric question begging to be answered: Is honey actually vegan? A quick Twitter search will tell you this is a fiercely contested debate, and there doesn't seem to be one clear answer. Let's break it down. The Basics: According to dictionary.com, the word vegan means "a vegetarian who omits all animal products from the diet," and "a person who does not use any animal products, as leather or wool.