And about why I don't eat mushrooms
Can vegans eat mushrooms? An exciting look at ethics, biology and individual choices
Mushrooms - fascinating creatures that are neither plants nor animals, but form their own world in the realm of fungi. But the question of whether vegans are allowed to eat mushrooms opens up a discussion that interweaves ethics, science and personal convictions.
What are fungi actually? A biological classification
Fungi belong to the eukaryotes, like plants and animals, and are amazingly diverse: from single-celled yeasts to large fruiting bodies such as the fly agaric. From a biological point of view, fungi differ from plants in the following aspects:
- Locomotion: Some fungi, such as slime moulds, are capable of movement - a property that plants do not possess 1Stephenson, S. L., et al., 2022. Myxomycetes: Biology and Use. Springer..
- Chitin: Their cell walls may contain chitin, a substance that is also found in the exoskeletons of insects and many other animals, but not in plants 2Bartnicki-Garcia, S., 1968. Cell Wall Chemistry, Morphogenesis, and Taxonomy of Fungi. Annual Review of Microbiology..
- No photosynthesis: Fungi are heterotrophs, they obtain their nutrients from organic material - a crucial difference to plants.
Do mushrooms feel? Can they communicate?
The question of whether fungi can feel is complex:
- Sensations: Fungi have no nervous systems and therefore no classical sensations such as pain. However, realising that we cannot find anything familiar when we do not even know what we are looking for does not necessarily mean that there is nothing there.
- Communication: However, studies have shown that fungi can communicate with their mycelial network via chemical signals, similar to a neuronal network 3Sheldrake, M., 2020. Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. Random House.. These "conversations" serve to exchange information about resources and dangers.
Ethics and the idea of veganism
The definition of veganism according to the Vegan Society is:
"Veganism is a way of life that aims to avoid, as far as practically possible, all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or other purposes." 4The Vegan Society, 2024. Definition of Veganism. Verfügbar unter: https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism
But what does this mean for mushrooms?
Mushrooms do not fall into the animal category, so many vegans see no conflict in consuming mushrooms. It is primarily about avoiding suffering - and mushrooms, according to research, have neither consciousness nor a sense of pain.
What about yeast?
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that is often used in vegan diets. But yeast polarises:
- Pro yeast: Yeast is considered ethically unproblematic because it has no capacity for suffering.
- Contra yeast: Some vegans nevertheless avoid yeast out of principle or personal convictions.
The boundary between life and food and what does this actually have to do with oysters?
The discussion about mushrooms and veganism also raises the question: Where do we draw the line?
- Plant communication: Trees communicate via roots and chemical signals. Does this mean that plants, like fungi, deserve an ethical discussion?
- Evolutionary view: Oysters and other animals without a central nervous system show that not all living creatures need feelings or pain to survive. Oysters have made it 250 million years without it. Nevertheless, vegans (like me) consciously avoid the consumption of animals, regardless of their perception of pain.
A personal point of view
Many vegans eat mushrooms - not because they dislike animals, but because they want to avoid suffering. But there are also those who avoid mushrooms, whether out of conviction or aversion. Ultimately, it is an individual decision.
For myself, I have decided to go vegan for ethical reasons and also, out of what you might call "respect for evolution", to live the stricter nutrition-focussed definition. In many discussions, veganism is reduced to a "plant-based diet". This definition emphasises the renunciation of animal products (meat, milk, eggs, honey) without explicitly including the moral and ethical implications. With my current knowledge, with all the good and bad things I have seen, I no longer have the heart to invade a foreign habitat and snack away animals just because I can. I don't know what I used to find so cool about it.
It's similar with mushrooms. My best friend from school made me think about it again. He asked me if I ate mushrooms. Knowing full well that I used to love mushrooms. I answered spontaneously, no. It was clear that the next question was "Why not?". It was equally clear that I didn't answer quite so spontaneously and not quite so clearly: "Well, mushrooms are just mushrooms, aren't they?". That sounds a bit esoteric, but you have to get through it. I think there's a lot we don't know about mushrooms and the plant world. Have a look at Avatar on LSD or ketamine, then you'll understand what I mean.
Summary: Vegans and Oysters - vegan and mushrooms - yes or no?
- Fungi are not plants, but belong to a biological domain of their own.
- They have neither consciousness nor a sense of pain.
- Oysters do not have a central nervous system and therefore do not feel pain in any form known to us.
- Eating oysters and mushrooms does not contradict the principles of veganism, but individual beliefs may differ.
Giving up mushrooms, as in my case, shows the depth of personal engagement with nutrition and ethics. Perhaps it's not just about scientific facts, but about the feeling that every decision makes a difference - for us, the environment and the creatures that share it.
