What is the difference?

Question

What is the difference between a Vegan and Vegetarian?

Answer 1

Vegan does not eat any animal products. That includes eggs, milk, fish, etc. Anything that you can think of- if any part of it was ever an animal, usually, Vegans won;t eat it. Although i've never been able to do it, its an interesting lifestyle.

A Vegetarian does not eat meat at all. Some include fish with this, but usually its no beef, chicken, pork, veal, venison. no meat at all. They do, however, eat animal products, like milk, eggs and cheese.

Its pretty hard to stop eating meat right away. If you want, try dropping red meat altogether and eat only chicken or fish to get used to resisting meat and keeping an eye on that foods you eat.

Just remember, anything you decided to cut out of your diet has nutrients that are important for your body to operate correctly. This means that the things in meat (protein, iron, etc. ) have to be replaced by something else. For example - red meat has a lot of iron in it. if you cut out red meat, then your body still needs that iron and you need to get it some other way. Fresh spinach is packed with iron. If you decide to do this, make sure you listen to your body, and pay attention to it!

Finally, cutting meat out of your diet is great if you have high cholesterol or you disagree with the treatment of the animals. If you're doing it solely to lose weight, i would just cut red meat and exercise 20 minutes a day, three times a week to start.
good luck!

Answer 2

In my opinion, there is no such thing as either one. Most of my opinions seem to be shaped by my overiding emphasis on my goal of Free Choice, as I emotionally define it. This opinion is one example.

An animal can be a Vegan or a Vegetarian simply because it has no Free Choice. Humans, however, have Free Choice, so they can demonstrate Vegan or Vegetarian behaviors, but they can never be Vegans or Vegetarians.

Suppose a person proudly proclaims on Monday that he or she is a Vegan or a Vegetarian. The person then freely chooses to eat meat on Tuesday. Was the person a Vegan or a Vegetarian on Monday? I think this is pretty much a meaningless question. All that is relevant is that the person freely chose to display Vegan or Vegetarian behavior on Monday, but not on Tuesday.

People who label themselves "Vegan" or "Vegetarian" seem to enslave themselves by their own labels. Initially, they find reasons, which support their decision to avoid meat. But eventually, they seem to typically respond to invitations to eat meat with statements that they don't eat meat because they are Vegan or Vegetarian. So, eventually, their conclusion, i.e., their decision, becomes their assumption.

Although I recommend against labeling yourself "Vegan"or "Vegetarian," I do think it is a good idea to choose to engage in Vegan or Vegetarian behaviors from time to time. I have certainly found that meat tastes much better when I abstain from eating it for a little while.

[This board is hilarious. I just noticed that some rocket scientist disagreed with the question. Now, how exactly can one disagree with a question?]

Answer 3

You'll hear opinions from all branches of the "vegetarian" network, but the fact is there is no difference at all. "Vegan" is simply a modern-day abbreviation of "vegetarian", no more and no less. The two terms can be used interchangably, but we don't have time to say or write "vegetarian" anymore because 5 syllables takes more air time on our cellphones and 10 letters wears out our thumbs when we're texting.

Answer 4

A vegan has a super strict diet...no fish, no eggs, no dairy, no wheat, no sugar, etc. A vegetarian will usually eat veggies and not be as strict with the wheat, sugar, etc. Also many vegetarians will eat fish ocassionally, a vegan would never stray from their strict diet. Many vegans have a yellowish look to their skin. I had some chiropractor friends who were vegetarians and vegans. It's a very strict lifestyle change.

Answer 5

Vegetarians don't eat meat, but may consume certain animal products like cheese, milk, etc. Vegans don't eat any animal products, and the strictest abstain from honey, certain kinds of sugar, etc. And, in my opinion, the statement above by Joe L is a big load of bullshit.

Answer 6

Vegans don't eat any animal products at all. A vegetarian may eat eggs, cheese, etc.

Answer 7

Vegetarians, or lacto-ovo-vegetarians, do not eat any meat products, but they eat dairy products and eggs. Vegetarians need to know whether a product contains gelatine or other meat-based products. Vegans do not consume any animal products.

Answer 8

vegetarians wont eat meat of any animal, only veggies. a vegan wont even eat dairy products or eggs.

Answer 9

Vegan is shortform for Vegetarian.

Answer 10

Vegan diets are more strict