Vegans where do you draw the line on alive and animal products?

Bacteria is not classified under "kingdom Animalia" If someone is classified under "kingdom Animalia" then using them is not vegan. Bacteria is in their own "kingdom", a scientific classification within biology. They are also prokaryotes and prokaryotes sort of lack the ability of sentience. Plus there are according to the National Academy of Sciences via Wikipedia they are about 5 nonillion bacteria on earth and trying to avoid them is completely and totally impossible.

If the Kefir is not made via animal products or containing animal products or is not tested on animals then it would be vegan. Same thing with the Kvass (which I had never heard of till this point but am glad you mentioned it because I love learning about food and culture) I am personally not really a fan of sauerkraut but same thing as above no animals were used in the process it would be vegan.

"The word 'veganism' denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to end the idea of animals as property and exclude all forms of intentional exploitation of, use of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, research or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, including people and the environment.

In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

Life is not the point of veganism and ethical vegetarianism. Sentience is. Kefir is not sentient.

The fact that bacteria used in the production if sauerkraut are alive does not matter. The CABBAGE itself was already alive. Harvested and chopped up alive. human beings are heterotrophs, which means we can only survive by eating other organisms. Organisms are by definition LIFE forms.

Edit: Being sentient requires certain equipment. Most notably a nervous system. Animals have it, plants, fungi and bacteria don't.

The is SOME grey area, but that is with animals that may not be sentient (for instance oysters, who have a nervous system but no brain to interpret the signals of nerves) not with plants etc. that may be sentient.

Nope. If this was the line of thought they wouldn't eat vegetables that are living plants. So kefir and sauerkraut is ok with vegans.

By the way it's very smart nowadays stay away from any animal product. So many hormones and diseases

As stated its not about something being alive that is our problem, but the animal being conscious & feeling pain. That is how it is argued should be the distinction by the likes of Francione/Bentham/S.Best (philosophers)

As for sentience, refer to the above answers. The gray line is drawn at molluscs aka oysters etc, veg/vegans give them the benefit of the doubt.

the real question is how can you not know it's not sentient.

kingdom bacteria. prokaryote. no brain. no nerves. no tissues. no organs or even organelles. explain to me how exactly it would feel?

sentience is not magic and vegan is not about not eating things that are "alive"

yes it is an obstacle to overcome- bread and beer are difficult any yeasts. some religions from the east study thi s and work hard to overcome. there is no actual line life exists on a spectrum there is just a desire to make the world a better place by not participating in the agro culture we have become addicted to and are abusing to the extreme

I don't eat anything that hadn't had a prior life or was tortured/harmed.

I don't drink milk because of how the cows are treated.

I do not eat any meat except for seafood because they are not factory farmed.

I do eat eggs, honey, etc.

mine

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201204...

Veganism is opposition to animal commodification. All things vegans eat were/are alive.

The issue is sentience.

"And how do you know its not sentient?"

Uh...SCIENCE?