Both vegan and vegetarian diets are plant-based diets, some
people eating a plant-based diet may choose not to eat meat and animal products
for various reasons. A vegan diet excludes all meat and animal products (meat,
poultry, fish, seafood, dairy and eggs), whereas a vegetarian diet excludes
meat, poultry, fish and seafood whereas dairy and eggs are included there,
however, there are a few variations of a vegetarian diet that depend on whether
you eat or exclude eggs, dairy and fish.
A diet centered on plenty of whole, minimally processed plant foods lowers risk
of heart disease and benefits our overall health1.Vegetables, fruit, legumes,
whole grains, nuts and seeds are low in saturated fat, contain heart-healthy
fats and are an excellent source of fiber. They give our bodies vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which offer protection against
diseases. Both vegan and vegetarian diets are associated with a lower risk of
heart disease3. People that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet generally have
lower blood pressure and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than
non-vegetarians. Well-planned vegan and vegetarian diets help people to control
their blood sugar levels and may reduce inflammation in the body too. Researches
show, vegetarian and vegan diets tend to be low in saturated fat and
cholesterol. They also tend to contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber
and healthy phytonutrients as both diets contain a high amount of nutrient-dense
foods. These may include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and soy
products
Now we will discuss below, both diets separately to conclude the largest
difference at the end of the article
Vegetarian Diet
According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is someone who does not eat
any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetarian diets contain various levels of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses,
nuts and seeds. The inclusion of dairy and eggs depends on the type of diet you
follow.
The most common types of vegetarians include:1.Lacto-ovo vegetarians :
Vegetarians who avoid all animal flesh, but do consume dairy and egg
products.2.Lactovegetarians : Vegetarians who avoid animal flesh and eggs, but
do consume dairy products. 3.Ovo vegetarians:Vegetarians who avoid all animal
products except eggs.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is the strictest form of vegetarianism. Veganism is defined by the
Vegan Society as a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal
exploitation and cruelty as much as possible. This includes exploitation for
food and any other purpose. Thus, a vegan diet not only excludes animal flesh,
but also dairy, eggs and even animal-derived ingredients. These include gelatin,
honey, carmine, pepsin, shellac, albumin, whey, casein and some forms of vitamin
D.
Largest difference between Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
Thus it is now clear that largest and main differencebetween vegetarian and
vegan is the degree to which they consider animal products acceptable. For
example, both vegans and vegetarians may exclude meat from their diets for
health or environmental reasons., but vegans also choose to avoid all animal
by-products because they believe this has the largest impact on their health and
the environment. In terms of ethics, vegetarians are opposed to killing animals
for food, but consider it acceptable to consume animal by-products such as milk
and eggs, as long as the animals are kept in adequate conditions. While, vegans
believe that animals have a right to be free from human use, be it for food,
clothing, science or entertainment and exclude all animal by-products,
regardless of the conditions in which animals are bred or housed.