What Is the Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian Diets?

What is The Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian? – Overview

Vegetarian diets date back to around 700 B.C. Some exist, and individuals may start following them for various reasons, such as conservationism, ethics, religion, and well-being.

On the other hand, vegan diets have emerged more recently and have garnered considerable publicity.

This article will mainly examine the entailments of both diets, their differences, their nutritional considerations, and which is better.

What Is a Veganism?

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian

Depending on who you ask, veganism is the strictest type of vegetarianism. According to the vegan society, it is a way of life that tries to eliminate all kinds of animal cruelty.

This comprises the utilization of food and any other purpose. Therefore, not only does veganism eliminate meat, but also dairy, eggs, and other components are drawn from animals. Some of them include:

Albumin
Carmine
Gelatin
Vitamin D3
Whey

Vegans and vegetarians often shun consuming animal products for similar reasons. The most significant difference is the degree to which they tolerate animal products.

For instance, both vegans and vegetarians may eliminate meat from their diets for environmental and well-being reasons.

Vegans also opt to eliminate animal by-products because these products significantly affect the environment and their well-being.

Ethically, vegans are opposed to slaughtering animals for food. Still, they consider taking animal products such as dairy and eggs okay if the animals are raised in suitable conditions.

In addition, vegans believe that animals have a right not to be used by humans for clothing, entertainment, food, and scientific experiments.

Therefore, they aim to avoid all animal by-products regardless of the conditions in which the animals used are raised.

The longing to shun all kinds of animal exploitation is the reason why vegans opt to eliminate dairy products and eggs that most vegetarians have no issue taking.

What Is Vegetarianism?

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian – What Is Vegetarianism?

As per the vegetarian society, a vegetarian is a person who doesn’t consume any game, meat, fish, poultry, or by-products of animal butchery. Vegetarian diets comprise various kinds of fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and veggies.

The incorporation of dairy, eggs, and honey is dependent on the diet you’re following.

The most popular kinds of vegetarians include:

Lacto-Ovo vegetarians: These vegetarians don’t eat animals, but they eat dairy and eggs.
Lacto vegetarians: These vegetarians don’t eat animals and eggs, but they take dairy.
Ovo vegetarians: Vegetarians who avoid all animal products apart from eggs.

Other Plant-Based Diets

While vegan and vegetarian are two of the most common plant-based diets, there are other variations that some individuals find to be better for their lifestyle and well-being.

These include:

Flexitarianism

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian – Flexitarianism

Flexitarianism is the most flexible plant-based diet because flexitarians regularly try to decrease their consumption of animal flesh and other animal products while increasing their intake of vegan and vegetarian meals.

Since flexitarians don’t eliminate animal flesh or fish from their diets, this can be a good option for people who want to transition into veganism or vegetarianism.

Pescatarianism

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian – Pescatarianism

This plant-based diet is very similar to vegetarianism, and depending on who you ask, it’s a subdivision of vegetarianism.

Pescatarians eliminate all animal flesh from their meals but occasionally consume fish and seafood. What’s more, pescatarians have the option of eating dairy and eggs.

What Are the Nutritional Considerations for Vegans and Vegetarians?

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian – Nutritional Considerations

Studies show that vegan and vegetarian diets contain low cholesterol and saturated fats. They also tend to have massive amounts of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Both diets have massive amounts of nutrient-dense foods. These may include fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, veggies, etc.

Conversely, poorly designed vegan and vegetarian diets can lead to low consumption of nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D, and zinc.

Both diets also tend to comprise restricted amounts of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, although these nutrients are typically lower in vegan and vegetarian diets.

While vegan and vegetarian meal plans mostly lean towards fruits, legumes, and veggies, some of the foods might be animal product-free and dairy-free, but they still:

Are highly processed.
Comprise massive amounts of added sugars.
Prepared using means that can add excess fat.

Candy, cookies, French fries, and nut-based creams may fall under veganism or vegetarianism but are still deep-fried, highly processed, or contain massive amounts of added sugars and refined carbs. Therefore, such foods should be taken with caution.

Veganism or Vegetarianism: Which Is Better

Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian – Which Is Better?

As per a study released by the AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), vegan and vegetarian diets are ideal for all life stages as long as the meal plan is well designed.

Inadequate consumption of nutrients such as B vitamins, calcium, omega-3, and vitamin D can negatively affect mental and physical well-being.

Both vegans and vegetarians can take lower amounts of these nutrients. However, research shows that vegetarians take slightly more B vitamins and calcium compared to vegans.

However, vegans and vegetarians should pay attention to dietary approaches meant to boost the uptake of nutrients for plant-based foods.

Fortified foods and supplements, especially those containing B vitamins, calcium, omega-3, etc., could be vital.

Vegans and vegetarians should consider:

Evaluating their daily nutrient intake
Measuring their blood nutrient levels
Taking supplements

A couple of studies directly comparing veganism and vegetarianism indicate that vegans might have a slightly lower risk of contracting diabetes (type 2), heart disease, and various kinds of cancer compared to vegetarians.

That said, most studies so far have leaned more toward observation. This means that it’s difficult to tell which aspect of veganism generates these effects and ascertain that diet is the only responsible factor.

Final Thought

Vegans and vegetarians can stop taking meat and animal by-products for similar reasons, but they do so to varying extents.

Both diets suit all life stages, but veganism offers more benefits for well-being. However, both vegans and vegetarians must design their diets well to avoid contracting health issues over the long term.