Vegan Vs. Vegetarian
August 27, 2010, By Sylvia Cochran 26 comments
Both vegan and vegetarian diets purport to be more socially responsible – and more respectful of animal life. They're also healthier for the human body. With high cholesterol and heart disease as current silent killers, it's no secret that avoiding meats and high fat dishes makes sense. In fact, plenty of athletes have started looking to a meat-free existence to boost performance and enhance physical endurance as well as reduce recovery times.
So what’s the difference between vegan and vegetarian – and what's the big deal?
The Vegetarian Food Pyramid
At the heart of vegetarian dishes is a plant-based diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains are the staples. There's room for some animal products in a vegetarian, although purists label these as offshoots within the vegetarian community. Examples include:
- Ovo vegetarians: Eggs are ok, but no milk or milk products
- Lacto vegetarians: Milk and its byproducts are ok (like cheese), but no eggs
- Lacto-Ovo vegetarians: Milk, honey, and eggs are part of the diet
While butchered animals are excluded from the vegetarian diet, their products are not. Vegetarians who fall into these categories will frequently look to buy humanely produced eggs, milk and honey. Fish-eating vegetarians – usually termed “pescetarians” – used to be considered vegetarians, but over the last 10 years they're no longer considered part of the vegetarian community by purists.
A Vegan Diet Foods List
Vegan foods, on the other hand, include absolutely no animal products.
Comments (26):