VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

I’ve noticed recently that more people are trending towards becoming a vegetarian or vegan. What’s the difference you ask?

Vegetarians don’t consume meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or by-products slaughtered by animals. Their diet consists of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, dairy, beans, peas and lentils. There are several categories of vegetarianism. Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid animal flesh but consume dairy and egg products. Lacto-vegetarians avoid animal flesh and eggs but do consume dairy products. Ovo-vegetarians avoid all animal products except eggs.

Vegans are vegetarians who avoid all animal and animal derived products. This includes gelatin, honey, pepsin, whey, casein and some forms of vitamin D3. Taken a step further, according to the Vegan society, veganism is a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty as much as possible. 

The two have different philosophies as well as to why they forbid certain foods. Vegetarians for example, are opposed to killing animals for food but consider it acceptable to consume animal by-products such as milk and eggs provided the animals are kept in acceptable conditions.

Vegans believe animals have a right to be free from human use for food, clothing, entertainment or science and avoid all forms of animal exploitation which is why dairy and eggs are forbidden.

Which form is healthier you may wonder? Both diets are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy plant compounds. Both diets may include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts and soy products.

If not careful, these diets could result in low amounts of iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin D as well as B12 and long chain omega-3 fatty acids.

A misconception that people may have when considering going vegan is that you have a very limited selection of foods when in fact, there is a good amount to choose from. An example of some of the foods on a vegan diet are beans, lentils, tempeh, tofu, nuts and seeds. In addition, some popular dishes such as burritos, burgers, pizza, smoothies, sandwiches and pasta dishes can easily be adjusted.

Some meat-based dishes can be substituted with beans, lentils and tofu for example. Dairy products can be replaced with plant milks. Eggs can be substituted with tofu. Honey can be substituted with molasses, maple or rice syrups.

Both diets are considered healthy for all stages of life provided that the meals are well planned. Both should consider taking supplements to make up for certain nutrient deficiencies. To sum up, a vegan diet may be better for controlling weight and reducing the risk of certain diseases but both are healthy.