What is the difference between a Vegan and a Vegetarian?

Answer 1

Lacto is a term used for milk or dairy, so a lacto-vegetarian will still eat things that contain dairy products.
Ovo is the term for eggs, so a person who is ovo-vegetarian will still eat things that have eggs in it.
A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats things that have both eggs and dairy.
A vegan is a vegetarian that will not eat or use any animal products: no eggs, no dairy, no honey ... only things that are from plants and animals didn't make. They also won't wear wool or use any product that has bi-products in it that come from animals... basically everything from soap to clothes to food has to be simply plant-based.

Answer 2

Vegetarians abstain from meat only. They do not consume fish, fowl or any other kind of meat. The long way to refer to them is "lacto-ovo vegetarians" meaning milk-egg vegetarians.

Vegans abstain from all products coming from an animal - including eggs, milk, and products containing these ingredients, be they partial or whole, such as butter and ice cream. Many vegans, although not all, also abstain from honey.

A good way to remember it is this: take the beginning and the end of the word "vegetarian." = "veg + an." A book I once read about the history of veganism claimed that is where the term came from, because vegans were "whole vegetarians."

Answer 3

Vegetarian and a vegan both do not eat animal flesh (in order to eat animal flesh, the animal had to of course be killed). Vegetarians will allow themselves the pleasure of eggs and dairy as these are animal by-products and the animal in question was not killed. Vegans will not allow animal by-products because it causes the animals suffering (to question this, would you allow yourself to be locked up in a cage with twelve other people? and have to stand up all day and night because you are pressed so close together that you have no space to sit? just because you produce something that others want?), and to have an all plant-based diet (and being able to be live their life not dependent on animals).
Vegetarians can be "ovo" or "lacto" (eggs and dairy respectfully), but not "pollo" or "pesca" which is chicken and fish respectfully. Chicken and fish are animals, and they are killed in order to get their flesh for eating. You are still an omnivore, omni for short, as the term is applied (not carnivore, unless all you eat is meat).

Answer 4

Besides the difference in diet, often times being vegan is a total lifestyle choice. It goes beyond just not wearing leather, but not using beauty products with animal by products or that have been tested on animals, not using pills/vitamins that are made with gelatin, etc. There are animal products/by-products in thousands of things which at first glance might seem harmless.

Vegan is a whole-life encompassing way of thinking, whereas some people just don't eat meat because they don't like it.

Answer 5

Vegetarian eats only non meat/chicken products. But may eat milk based products like cheese. Where as Vegan does not eat any animal related products and does not use them for his needs, e.g a vegan does not use leather goods.

Answer 6

A vegetarian eats no meat at all, and usually no fish or shellfish either. They'll eat any dairy, and eat eggs too. (this is what I am)
A vegan eats absolutely nothing from animals, no meats, no fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, nadda. (this would be my boyfriend)
People who are vegan or vegetarian choose these life styles because of their beliefs. It's a healthy lifestyle if you do it properly, there's tonnes of ways to get everything you need from the foods we can eat.
Someone mentioned that this is an unhealthy way of living, it's not true!

Answer 7

a vegan is a person who doesn't eat meat and ALSO doesn't want anything to do with any animal products eg. leather

whereas a vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat meat,eggs, dairy products etc.

Answer 8

vegetarians dint eat meat but they still eat animal products such as dairy but vegans don't consume anything with any animal products in it

Answer 9

Vegetarins don't eat animals,but they et animal products. Vegans don't eat the animals OR their products.

Answer 10

One is just slightly less sickly and pasty unhealthy looking than the other.