Differences between Vegan and Vegetarian

Vegan and Vegetarian

Although it seems relatively recent, the truth is that the vegetarian diet has been around for a long time. Some historians date its existence to at least 700 BC, so it is nothing new or fashionable.

If it is true that in recent years due to the type of diet that we have and that society is becoming increasingly aware of the world around it, this type of diet has been growing in popularity, and now it is something that is already in everyone’s mouth.

That is why in this post we have wanted to analyze the differences between vegan and vegetarian, showing what similarities and disparities they present.

We will also analyze how these types of diets impact our health and the environment that surrounds us, in order to determine what benefits and disadvantages they offer compared to other types of diets.

You should know that the Vegetarian diet includes several types of sub-diets, which vary according to the foods they include.

That is, to understand it in a simple way, vegetarianism would be the mother diet, which contains other diets derived from it, such as Veganism, which is one of the strictest aspects.

This type of diet, in addition, is usually followed not only for food issues but for different reasons such as health, religion, environmentalism, or ethics among others.

In our blog, we have a multitude of healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes, very rich. In the event that one includes animal milk, we always give a vegan alternative, such as substituting said ingredient for any vegetable milk to taste such as coconut milk, rice, oatmeal, soy, etc.

Vegetarian diet

Vegetarians are people who do not consume any type of meat, fish, seafood, or product derived from the death of animals.

They follow a vegetarian diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and seeds. Depending on the type of vegetarian diet that is followed, this may or may not also include eggs, milk, and its derivatives (dairy products).

What does a vegetarian eat?

A vegetarian is a person who consumes mostly vegetables, fruits, and legumes, and who in turn does not eat meat, fish, or seafood.

Depending on the type of vegetarian diet that is followed, this can also include milk, honey, or eggs.

Type of Vegetarians

As we have already mentioned, there are different types of vegetarian diets, and the main ones are:

• Ovo-lacto-vegetarians: they are people who do not consume meat, but do consume both dairy and eggs.
• Lacto vegetarians: vegetarians who in addition to meat also do not consume eggs, but on the contrary, they do consume dairy products.
• Ovo vegetarians: vegetarians who do not consume any food of animal origin except eggs.
• Vegans: they are vegetarians who do not consume food or products derived from animals.

There are also other types of diets that are not so strict, which therefore cannot be considered vegetarian, since they really are not, but which share a similar philosophy.

Some examples of them are the pescetarians, who do not eat meat but do eat fish, or the flexitarians, who practice vegetarianism on a discontinuous basis.

From what we can see, the vegan diet is a sub-diet within the great set of vegetarian diets and therefore is part of it.

Vegan diet

The Vegan diet is one of the strictest versions of vegetarian diets, as it does not contain any food or product of animal origin. It is a way of life that tries to reduce animal exploitation in any of its forms.

Therefore, this diet does not contain eggs, dairy, or other animal derivatives, among which we can find common ingredients such as buttermilk, honey, gelatin or carmine, among others.

As you can see, the basis of veganism and vegetarianism is very similar. The big difference is the degree to which each feeding is carried out. Vegetarians, on the one hand, avoid eating animals, but they do welcome the consumption of products derived from their exploitation such as eggs or dairy as long as it is done under appropriate healthy conditions.

Vegans, on the contrary, do not tolerate any type of animal exploitation, regardless of whether it is appropriate or not, and therefore avoid the consumption of any product that originates from such activity.

These have the belief that animals should live freely and not be exploited by humans in any of the variants. It includes food, scientific studies, making clothes or recreational activities.

What does a vegan eat?

A vegan person is characterized by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and legumes, and free of animal products or derivatives of them. That includes meat, fish, seafood, milk, eggs, honey, and any derivative of them.

In addition, apart from food, they also tend to avoid any article that contains materials from animals, or that has been tested with them.

Main differences between Vegetarians and Vegans

Now that we have seen what each diet consists of, we are going to see the main differences, so that we can easily distinguish them.

The main difference is that vegans do not consume any food or product derived from animals, and vegetarians do, such as milk or eggs.

What Doesn’t a Vegetarian Eat?

• Meat.
• Fish or Seafood.

What does not eat vegan?

• Meat.
• Fish or Seafood.
• Eggs
• Milk and dairy.
• Honey.

In addition, vegans tend to be against any type of animal exploitation, and therefore do not consume any articles made with products derived from this activity such as wool or leather.

They also don’t use cosmetics with ingredients that come from animals or that have been experimented on or tested on.

Nutritional Considerations of Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

When eating this type of diet, it is important to be clear about some key aspects to avoid suffering from anemia or other similar eating problems.

Both vegan and vegetarian diets are rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals, while low in cholesterol and saturated fat.

If such a diet is not planned properly, it can result in a lack of iron, vitamin D and B12, zinc, calcium, and omega-3s.

Therefore, when it comes to this type of diet, it is essential to be well informed and plan a diet that meets the needs of each person, and that provides us with the nutrients and minerals we need.