If you’re new to the world of veganism and have previously enjoyed the realms of seafood then this might be a pressing question for you. Keep reading to discover if mussels have a place in your new plant-based diet.
Mussels
This is the popular name for a few families of bivalve molluscs that live in salt and fresh water. They live inside an oval-shaped shell and play a big part in many cuisines around the world.
Are mussels vegan?
The short of it is no, mussels aren’t vegan. As mussels are an animal, eating them isn’t in line with a plant-based diet.
Why might some vegetarians and vegans eat mussels?
There’s a very small amount of research that proves that mussels aren’t sentient beings. There is some scientific suggestion that they respond to threats in ways that are more similar to plants than other animals.
But the bottom line seems to be that even if they don’t feel pain, they’re still living creatures and eating them isn’t in line with a vegan diet.
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FAQs
The short of it is no, mussels aren't vegan. As mussels are an animal, eating them isn't in line with a plant-based diet.
Are mussels considered vegan? ›
Seafood like oysters or mussels is not vegan. If you're vegan or are considering switching to a plant-based diet, you can include plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids instead of shellfish.
Why do some vegans eat oysters? ›
But why do some people consider oysters to be vegan? Oysters are living creatures, so the assumption would be that they're not vegan. However, as oysters do not have a central nervous system, they are not believed to be sentient and so don't feel pain.
Should vegans eat bivalves? ›
You might be surprised to learn that there is a portion of vegans who believe that consuming oysters and mussels does not contradict their commitment to a completely animal-free diet. This somewhat controversial subset of veganism even has its own name – ostroveganism, from the latin word 'ostrea' meaning oyster.
Do bivalves feel pain? ›
Bivalves are categorized as being non-sentient because they don't have central nervous systems. They have nerves, but they don't have brains. Just as scientists have concluded that plants don't experience pain, the same is believed to be true for bivalves.
What seafood is technically vegan? ›
Fish filets, salmon, tuna, calamari, prawns, crabsticks, and even lobster can all be made from plants these days. These products aim to replicate the flavors, textures, and in some cases the nutritional content of the animal-based equivalents without the harms to animals or the environment.
Why don't vegans eat clams? ›
Vegans do not eat bivalves because bivalves are molluscs, and molluscs are animals, part of the animal kingdom vegans so much care about. Vegans exclude the exploitation and cruelty of any member of this kingdom, no matter who they are, and no matter if they have proven how sentient they are.
Can vegans eat scallops? ›
Simply put, no – scallops aren't suitable for vegans as they're a living part of the animal kingdom. Although there might be some arguments that their lack of a central nervous system stops them from feeling pain in the same way as mammals, this still doesn't mean that they're suitable for vegans.
Why are vegans OK with eating fish? ›
Why? B12 is in many plant-based foods, but our bodies don't absorb B12 from plants as readily as animal by-products. Fish also provides vegans and vegetarians with high doses of other essential nutrients.
Do molluscs feel pain? ›
Snails may have opioid responses and mussels release morphine when confronted with noxious stimuli. Both reactions suggest that these animals do, in fact, feel pain. While mollusks don't have brains per se, they do exhibit some nervous system centralization.
The freshwater mussel does not have a brain. It simply has three spots where nerves connect.
Which animal doesn't feel pain? ›
While mammals and birds possess the prerequisite neural architecture for phenomenal consciousness, it is concluded that fish lack these essential characteristics and hence do not feel pain.
Do clams have thoughts? ›
inanimate. Their nervous system is decentralized relative to ours, lacking any sort of brain, and to the untrained eye, it can appear that their only discernible reaction to the outside world is opening or closing.
What food category is mussels? ›
There are two groups of shellfish: crustaceans (such as shrimp, prawns, crab and lobster) and mollusks/bivalves (such as clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, octopus, squid, abalone, snail).
Is mussel a plant or animal? ›
Freshwater mussels, also known as clams, are unique animals. Mussels have two hard, external shells and soft tissue inside.
Should vegans eat seafood? ›
Vegans do not eat any animals or any food that is derived from animals. This means that vegans do not eat beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat. They also don't eat chicken, duck, and other poultry. And because fish are also living creatures, vegans don't eat fish or shellfish such as crabs, clams, and mussels.
Can mollusks feel pain? ›
Snails may have opioid responses and mussels release morphine when confronted with noxious stimuli. Both reactions suggest that these animals do, in fact, feel pain. While mollusks don't have brains per se, they do exhibit some nervous system centralization.
