The key difference between vegetarian and vegan is that vegetarian is a person who does not consume meat, poultry, seafood or fish while vegan is a person that does not consume any product that is derived from animals.
Vegan and vegetarian, or veganism and vegetarianism are two words that most people find confusing. While both these terms refer to exclusion of animal meat from the diet, veganism can also refer to a certain way of living. In fact, veganism is a type of vegetarianism.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. Who is a Vegetarian
3. Who is a Vegan
4. Relationship Between Vegetarian and Vegan
5. Side by Side Comparison – Vegetarian vs Vegan in Tabular Form
6. Summary
Who is a Vegetarian?
A vegetarian is a person who does not consume meat, poultry, seafood or fish, or any byproduct of animal slaughter. He or she lives on a diet that consists of grains, pulses, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and seeds and other non-animal-based food sources. However, you may have noticed that some vegetarian tend to consume eggs and dairy products while some don’t. This actually depends on the type of vegetarianism they follow.
There are four main types of vegetarians:
Lacto-ovo Vegetarians: consume dairy and egg products
Lacto Vegetarians: Consume dairy products, but not eggs
Ovo Vegetarians: Consume egg
Vegans: Avoid all animal and animal-derived products
Furthermore, people who do not eat meat or poultry but eat fish are referred to as pescatarians, whereas part-time vegetarians are often known as flexitarians. However, these two categories do not technically belong to the category of vegetarians as they consume animal flesh.
Who is a Vegan?
As explained above, vegan is a type of vegetarian. In fact, veganism is the strictest form of vegetarianism. A vegan is a person that does not consume any product that is derived from animals. These products include dairy products and other animal products. Some vegans go to the extent of not eating even honey and yeast.
Veganism often goes beyond just food as vegans also avoid the use of all personal and household products such as wool, leather, fur, etc., which are made using animals. Some also avoid buying products tested on animals. Thus, it is not incorrect to say that veganism is a way of eating and living that rejects the exploitation of and cruelty to animals. A vegan is more or less an animal activist.
What is the Relationship Between Vegetarian and Vegan?
Veganism is a form of vegetarianism. But veganism is more strict than vegetarianism since it avoids all forms of animal-derived products.
What is the Difference Between Vegetarian and Vegan?
Vegetarian is a person who does not consume meat, poultry, seafood or fish while vegan is a person who does not consume any animal-derived product. Although a vegetarian meal does not include meat, poultry, and fish, it may include animal-based food such as eggs and dairy products. However, a vegan meal does not contain any animal products such as milk and cheese. In fact, some vegans even go to the extent of not eating even honey and yeast.
Furthermore, vegetarianism mainly includes a diet or a way of eating. In contrast, veganism is a way of life since it also extends to use of personal and household items. This is because a vegetarian does not mind using animal-derived products such as leather and fur. However, a vegan opposes all forms of animal exploitation. Thus, a vegan is more or less an animal activist.
Summary – Vegetarian vs Vegan
The difference between vegetarian and vegan stems from the type of products they use. There are various types of vegetarians. Veganism is the strictest form of vegetarianism. It rejects the consumption of animal-derived food products as well as animal-derived personal and household products.
Reference:
1.“What Is a Vegan and What Do Vegans Eat?” Healthline, Healthline Media, Available here.
2. “What Is a Vegetarian?” The Vegetarian Society, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Pvmp plan (Premium Vegetarian Meal Plan)” By Rahul Sharma – Annayu (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Soy-whey-protein-diet” By Peggy Greb, USDA ARS – released by the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, with the ID K9093-1 (next) (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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