The Difference Between Vegan & Vegetarian

Vegetarians and vegans refrain from eating meat. Veganism, on the other hand, is more stringent and forbids dairy, eggs, honey, and any other products made from animal products, including leather and silk.

Vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more and more popular. However, given the numerous vegetarianism subcultures, some people could find the distinctions between these two diets a little unclear.

We examine the parallels and differences between vegetarianism and veganism in this video. Additionally, we go over the advantages for your health, the best diets for weight reduction, the healthiest diets, hazards, and other important factors.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

What exactly is a vegetarian?

A vegetarian is someone who abstains from eating any byproducts or products of animal consumption, according to the Vegetarian Society.

Meat, such as beef, hog, and game, poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and duck, fish, shellfish, and insects are not consumed by vegetarians.
Rennet, gelatin, and other animal protein- or fat-based foods that come from the slaughter of animals
Many vegetarians do, however, eat byproducts that don’t come from the killing of animals. These consist of :

eggs

dairy items like milk, cheese, and yogurt

honey

In addition to a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and pulses, vegetarians frequently take “meat substitutes” made from these dietary groups.

There are numerous well-known vegetarian diet variations because vegetarianism is often less restrictive than veganism. These consist of:

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian : This diet forgoes all forms of meat and fish, but includes dairy products and eggs.

Lacto-vegetarian : On this diet, dairy products are consumed instead of meat, fish, or eggs.

Ovo-vegetarian : On this diet, people only eat eggs; they don’t eat any meat, fish, or dairy products.

Pescatarian : The only meats allowed on this diet are fish and other types of shellfish. While many people refer to the pescatarian diet as being semi-vegetarian or flexitarian, this does not fit the standard definition of vegetarianism.

Veganism: What is it?

A more stringent variation of vegetarianism is veganism. Vegans abstain from using or consuming any byproducts or goods derived from animals. According to the Vegan Society, being vegan means avoiding all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether it be for research, fashion, or any other reason.

Vegans absolutely abstain from consuming any dishes or drinks that include:

eggs, fish, poultry, and shellfish
dairy ingredients
honey \sinsects
Gelatin, rennet, and other animal-derived proteins and lipids are examples.
Those who adhere to the strict vegan lifestyle also attempt to avoid any products that entail the usage of animals in any way, whether it be directly or indirectly. These goods may consist of:

leather products
wool
silk
beeswax
soaps, candles, and other items made with tallow or other animal fats
goods made from latex that contain casein, a milk protein
cosmetics and other goods that go through animal testing
Many vegetarians also incorporate some of these ideas into their way of life, such as avoiding leather products and goods that have undergone animal research.

Health advantages

Scientific evidence points to a number of potential health advantages of vegetarian and vegan diets.

In a 2017 study, 49 persons who were overweight or obese and had at least one of the following conditions were tested to see how well a plant-based diet worked for them.

diabetes type 2
A ischemic heart condition
elevated blood pressure and cholesterol
The low-fat, plant-based diet program consisted of low-fat whole foods and was not associated with calorie tracking or required frequent exercise. Participants were randomly allocated to either the standard diet and care or the low-fat, plant-based diet program. The intervention also included two 2-hour sessions per week when doctors taught and trained the participants in cooking. None of these meetings were attended by the nonintervention group.

Participants in the diet group had significantly lower body mass indices and cholesterol levels at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups than those in the normal care group.

A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis found evidence to support the idea that plant-based diets may lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. The impact of variations in cholesterol on the course of heart disease was not examined by the researchers.

A 2016 observational study also discovered that vegetarians in South Asia and America have lower obesity rates than non-vegetarians.

According to a 2019 research, plant-based diets may help endurance athletes’ cardiovascular health in a variety of ways. These advantages consist of:

decreased levels of cholesterol
increased blood flow and blood pressure
Better blood sugar management decreased oxidative stress and inflammation, which decreased the risk of atherosclerosis and even reversed it.
An relationship between a healthy plant-based diet and a lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease was also discovered in a 2019 study. It’s interesting to note that the risk of chronic kidney disease was much higher in people who had an unhealthy plant-based diet with a higher percentage of foods sweetened with sugar and refined grains.

Which one is healthier?

Both eating plans promote the consumption of more whole foods that are high in antioxidants and nutrients.

Due to the fact that each diet has benefits and drawbacks, it is challenging to determine which is the healthier option.

For instance, lacto-vegetarians receive calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D from dairy products, in contrast to vegans. However, staying away from dairy and eggs may help vegans maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Even if they ingest plant sources of these nutrients, vegans are nonetheless at risk for a shortfall in the important omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. DHA is essential for brain health and cognition, as well as to prevent issues like memory loss and brain fog. Eggs and seafood are better sources of EPA and DHA for vegetarians and pescatarians.

In comparison to vegetarians and non-vegetarians, adults from Argentina who identified as vegans adhered more closely to a healthier vegan lifestyle.

Generally speaking, a healthy vegan lifestyle includes:

eating a plant-based, whole-foods-based diet
exercise each day
daily consumption of more than eight glasses of water
receiving regular exposure to sunshine
A plant-based diet does not, however, ensure optimum health. Vegetarians and vegans can nonetheless live unhealthy lives or consume a diet high in processed “junk” food.

Which one is better for losing weight?

A 2014 analysis of three prospective cohort studies with Adventists in North America and a cross-sectional study from 2006 with 21,966 participants both reveal that vegans typically have a lower BMI than vegetarians and meat eaters.

This trend’s likely cause could be related to vegans’ abstinence from dairy and eggs.

The 2006 study also discovered that over the course of five years, vegans acquired less weight than both vegetarians and meat eaters. However, those whose diets were altered to consume fewer animal products lost the least amount of weight throughout the research.

In a 2018 study involving 75 overweight people, participants were allocated at random to either stick with their present diet, which might include animal protein, or adopt a low-fat, vegan diet. Participants in the vegan group had much less belly fat than those in the control group after 16 weeks.

Risks and factors to think about

Carefully designed vegetarian and vegan diets are “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may give health advantages in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases,” according to the authors of an article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Vegetarians and vegans should, however, make sure that their diets are balanced, nutritious, and cover all of their nutritional needs.

For instance, vitamin B-12, a necessary mineral that promotes the neurological system and cardiovascular health, is absent naturally from plant-based diets. Breakfast cereals and some varieties of plant-based “milk” that have been fortified with vitamin B-12 are good sources for vegans and vegetarians.

Vegans and vegetarians can also take supplements with vitamin B-12. But some B-12 supplements could contain animal products, so it’s crucial to carefully read product labels and only buy from reliable suppliers.

A 2017 study from Switzerland found that vegans may be more at risk of zinc and omega-3 deficiency than people who consume some animal products, while certain vegetarians may not obtain enough vitamin B-6 and niacin from their diets.

As previously stated, following a plant-based diet does not ensure excellent health. A significant 2017 study discovered that eating a plant-based diet high in unhealthy foods can raise one’s risk of coronary heart disease.

Plant foods that are unhealthy include:

refined carbohydrates, sugary beverages, and french fries
Prepared or premade candy and snack foods
With this unhealthy plant-based diet, people frequently consume more sugar and processed foods while consuming less fiber, veggies, and minerals.

Vegans and vegetarians both refrain from eating meat and fish. Veganism, a more stringent variation of vegetarianism, forbids the use or consumption of any products made of animal products, including dairy, eggs, honey, leather goods, wool, and silk.

Dairy products, eggs, honey, and other byproducts that don’t require the murder of animals are acceptable to vegetarians. However, the vegetarian diet comes in a variety of forms. Some vegans, for instance, opt to consume eggs but not dairy products.

A variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, pulses, and “meat alternatives” derived from these dietary categories are typically included in vegan and vegetarian diets.

Diets that are vegetarian or vegan may both have health advantages, such as decreased body weight, lowered cholesterol levels, and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.