What is the essential difference between "vegan" and "vegetarian"?

Question

Is there any difference, or is "vegan" simply a modified form of the word/term/label "vegetarian"?

Answer 1

Some of the vegans on here will say that one is a *diet* while the other is a lifestyle... I think that is a bit uppity, personally (even with as fond as I am of some of those vegans.)
:D

Aside from the small percentage of vegetarians who are using vegetarianism to *be on a diet,* I would say both are lifestyles, and that both groups are simply at different point on the same path of figuring out what they can do (and are able to do) to not be a part of a horrible system.

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The very base level of vegetarianism is simply not eating the flesh of animals (including fish... there is no such thing as a vegetarian who eats fish because vegetarians, quite simply, do not eat animals.) or any products containing forms of the flesh of animals. Everything else is game.

Many vegetarians are further along than this and often times wont eat dairy or eggs or wear dead animals. If animal suffering or the environment are concerns for a vegetarian, than becoming vegan would be the ultimate goal.

Vegans do everything in their power to contribute to the use and torture of animals. No meat, dairy, eggs, skin, beauty products etc. that were made from or tested on animals in any way.

Answer 2

Vegan do not eat any meat or dairy products. Vegetarians i think sometimes eat cheese and eggs but vegans do not. I think that is the difference.

Answer 3

A vegan will eat no animal products, meat, dairy. anything that is made from an animal. A vegetarian can eat bread, butter milk and so on.

Answer 4

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 5

there are lots of differences
vegetarians eat no meat or fish, but do consume animal by products, such as eggs or dairy, and wear or use items that are derived from animal sources. Vegans do not consume anything that comes from an animal, even leather shoes or belts, or cosmetics tested on animals. Pescatarians do not eat meat, but do eat fish. A true vegan will not even consume honey

Answer 6

when you're a vegan, you eat no products produced from animals in any way (ie milk, eggs, honey etc.). A vegetarian however doesnt' eat meat, but may eat animal products.

Answer 7

A vegan does not consume or use animal products, notably meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
Vegetarian do not consume the flesh of any animal, but will consume dairy products or eggs.

Answer 8

There many more vegetarian sub levels, but vegan-ism is the most restrictive:

lacto ovo vegetarians eat plant foods & eggs & dairy products

lacto vegetarians don't eat any meat or eggs but consume dairy products

vegans don't eat animal proteins & animal by-products & have to avoid breads or even vegetarian burgers that are made w/ eggs, don't eat poultry, meat, fish, or dairy products

pesco vegetarians don't eat poultry, beef, or pork but do eat fish

"semi vegetarians" cut back on their intake of meat overall but still eat it occasionally

pollo vegetarians avoid red meat & fish but eat chicken

pesco-pollo vegetarians avoid red meat but consume both chicken & fish

Answer 9

There are different forms of Vegetarianism. Lacto, Ovo, Lacto-Ovo, and Pescatarian.
Lacto vegetarians don't eat meat or eggs but will drink milk.
Ovo Vegetarians don't eat meat nor drink milk, but eat eggs.
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians don't eat meat but eat eggs and drink milk.

Pescatarians eat seafood but no meat and then they can add lacto or ovo or both to their title.

**when I say milk, that includes all dairy.

Vegans don't eat eggs drink milk eat meat, nor do they eat/wear/support any forms of animal by products like gelatin leather fur etc.

Now I am a lacto ovo vegetarian and I support some vegan views, I don't eat gelatin, wear leather or fur and all that jazz.

Hope that makes sense. =]

Answer 10

vegans are a very hardcore vegetarian....they don't eat or wear anything that comes from an animal whether it harms the animal or not .... check out website for more info... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism