A vegan and a vegetarian both choose not to eat meat. However, a vegan goes the extra mile by avoiding even animal products such as milk and eggs. Vegetarians on the other hand may include dairy products and eggs in their diet. Moreover, they may also use animal-derived products like leather, wool, silk, or silk. This cannot be true for vegans as they also reject any kind of product that is derived from animals.
There are various reasons for people to choose to eat plant-based food and avoid animal meat. The major reason behind the motivation of both vegans and vegetarians is that plant-based foods are highly beneficial for our health.
Let’s now find out the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian diet
Vegetarians
The Vegetarian Society classifies vegetarians as people who do not eat products or by-products derived from the slaughter of animals.
In a nutshell, vegetarians do not consume:
- Any kind of meat including; beef, pork, or any kind of game meat
- Poultry meat which may include chicken, duck, or turkey meat
- Fish
- Insects
- Fats derived from the slaughter of animals
Interestingly, you will find many vegetarians consuming by-products of animals that haven’t been slaughtered such as:
- Milk and related dairy products
- Honey
Vegetarians prefer to eat fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, pulses, grains, and anything they consider a meat substitute.
Compared to veganism, vegetarianism is usually not very strict. It thus has variations that are well-known to constitute the vegetarian diet:
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – these are people who follow the diet and avoid all forms of meat and fish. They also do not eat any dairy products or eggs.
Lacto-vegetarian – vegetarians in this group do not consume any meat products, fish, or eggs but consume dairy products.
Ovo-vegetarian – in this diet, they don’t eat meat, fish, or dairy products but eat eggs.
Pescatarian – vegetarians that follow this diet don’t consume any meat but eat fish as well as other types of seafood.
Vegans
Vegans are people who practice a stricter form of vegetarianism. They avoid eating or consuming any animal product or even byproducts. The Vegan Society classifies veganism as a way of living that avoids as much as possible any form of animal exploitation.
In a nutshell, vegans strictly avoid consuming any foods or beverages containing the following:
- Meat
- Poultry
- Any form of fish
- Honey
- Dairy products
- Insects
Some stricter vegans extend the above principles past their diet and try as much as they can to avoid products that somehow originate from animals. Such products may include the following:
- Products made of leather
- Wool
- Silk
– Candles, soaps, or any other products containing animals fats e.g. tallow
In general, though, most vegetarians usually apply some of the above principles in their day-to-day lives as a way to protect animals. Other vegetarians follow the lifestyle due to faith or simply as a way for them to lead healthier lives.
