Are Almonds Vegan?

Almonds

Almonds grow on trees that are native to Iran but are now cultivated around the world where the climate is right. Strictly speaking, the fruit of the almond tree is more of a hard-shelled seed than a nut, but who’s counting? 

Are almonds vegan?

Simply put, yes almonds are considered a vegan-friendly food because they’re fully plant-based.  

Why might some vegans still not eat almonds? 

For a long time, a staple like almonds have been a reliable source of nutrition for anyone on a plant-based diet. However, with recent surges in global popularity and demand for almonds for products like almond milk have seen the introduction of farmed bees in order to pollinate almond farms. 

This has raised ethical concerns within the vegan community as to whether or not nuts grown in this way can still be considered vegan-friendly. This is an argument that seems to be reinforced by the high volumes of water that almond trees need, especially when they are farmed in drought-prone areas like California.

What next?

It would come down to a personal decision here whether or not you think almonds are vegan, or even ethical. 

But if you’re sticking with them then check out this post on sprouting your almonds in order to get the most nutrients from them as possible plus their health benefits. 

Keep your plant-based and environmental questions coming our way!