Vegan Vs. Vegetarian - The Differences

To most people the differences between the dietary groups of Vegans and Vegetarians is small and insignificant. For those of us who follow the Vegan or Vegetarian diet however these small differences become not only important, but essential to how we run our daily lives!

The main, over riding, difference between Vegans and Vegetarians is incredibly simple.  Vegetarians do not eat meat, vegans however eat no animal products.  If you are interested in becoming either vegan or vegetarian feel free to check out this great free collection of Free Vegan Recipes! 

So while a vegetarian will not eat beef, a vegan will not eat beef or drink milk.

The simple answer to why this divide occurs is on several levels, animal cruelty, dietary purposes and personal preference.

First off, Animal Cruelty.

Altering your diet for animal welfare is not uncommon, in fact it is often well thought of.  There is no doubt that many animals suffer, and this is the reason many people turn to veganism or vegetarianism.  The major difference between these two parties is that vegetarians tend to feel bad about eating the animal itself that suffered, similar to a guilt complex.  Vegans on the other hand tend to be more pro-actively boycotting all industries that thrive off animals.

Dietary purposes tend to differ, and seems to rest on peoples beliefs.  Many vegetarians do so as part of a diet, as well as vegans.  Both can help you keep in shape and help you lose weight, if done properly!  You have to be careful when following either diet however as improper vegan or vegetarian diet can cause heath problems due to malnutrition.  You can check out several Vegan Diet Advice tips on My Vegan Planet!

The final difference between vegans and vegetarians is personal taste, some people don't like the taste of meat that much, others feel queasy when they drink a drop of milk.  The truth of the matter is that people are different, some people like foods that others don't.

But whether you are vegetarian or vegan you can both enjoy some fantastic vegan recipes from My Vegan Planet 

While Veganism and Vegetarianism both might seem clear-cut it is actually not at all uncommon to find vegetarians who eat fish, and even sometimes chicken as well as Vegans who eat things such as honey and wear fur coats.

This non adherence to the basic principles of the diet does annoy some of the more hardcore vegans and vegetarians, who do not feel that 'part time' vegans or vegetarians should class themselves as they do.

This close blurring of the lines is in my opinion a matter of non discussion, people can eat what they want as far as I am concerned, to some however it has led to outcry.