Food and Nutrition

Vegan vs Vegetarian

Are these groups healthier than meat-eaters?

Plant-based diets give many benefits because they are minimally processed so they lower the risk of heart disease.

Vegans and vegetarians are people who do not eat products and preparations of animal origin. I do not totally eat veggies, so at the start, I didn’t know there are two categories for this.

Vegetarians still consume products that are obtained without having to kill animals such as eggs, milk, dairy, and honey while vegan has more strict and specific about what can be eaten and what not.

Vegans and vegetarians have anniversaries around the world which are celebrated on different days and months.

Vegan World Day is celebrated every November 1, while Vegetarian World Day is celebrated every October 1.

As a matter of fact, both vegan and vegetarian consist of several types. Let’s dive into each type deeper:

Vegetarian

A vegetarian does not consume foods such as meat, poultry, fish, insects, or anything that requires the slaughter of animals to get ingredients for us to eat.

However, many vegetarians still consume by-products that are obtained without having to kill the animal. Here are some types of vegetarianism:

Lacto Ovo Vegetarian

People who avoid meat but still consume animal derived-product like milk and eggs.

Ovo Vegetarian⠀

People who refrain from meat and eggs, but consume dairy products in the specific case

Flexitarian

People who follow this type of diet usually avoid all meats except fish and other types of seafood.

However, this does not meet the general definition of vegetarianism. That’s why sometimes this is also called a semi-vegetarian diet.

Vegan

Vegan can be said the strictest form of vegetarianism. Vegans pay attention not only to what they eat but also to their lifestyle.

They avoid all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals as much as possible including for cloth and stuff they wear. Specific to food a vegan avoids not only meat, but also dairy, eggs, and other animal-derived products including gelatin, honey, carmine, pepsin, shellac, albumin, whey, casein, and some forms of vitamin D3. Here are the vegan categories based on their concerns:

Ethic Vegan

Apart from food, veganism also does not want to use products made from animal skin

Health Vegan

Those who live only on vegetables grow from the soil.

Environment Vegan

They do not eat any animal products and anything cooked above 115 degrees Fahrenheit because they believe that the food will completely lose nutrients and enzymes.

Is a plant-based diet Always healthier?

It is difficult to say which of the two is more healthful because both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

For example, unlike vegans, Lacto-vegetarians get their calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D from dairy products.

Meanwhile, when avoiding dairy products and eggs, a vegan easily controls their cholesterol levels.

In addition, A plant-based diet isn’t automatically healthy. Some dishes like french fries, chips, biscuits, candies, refined grains, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages can be total vegan/vegetarian foods but still contain too much-saturated fat, sugar, and salt from any source that isn’t good for your health.

However, any foods that have been highly processed should be eaten mindfully whether they are plant-based or not.

Things to watch out for if you want to be vegan

If you want to try a vegetarian diet, pay attention to the following:

1. Reduce carbohydrates and sugars that come from processed foods which usually contain more carbohydrates than the original product.
2. In order not to be deficient in vitamins, you should take a multivitamin that contains 100% of vitamin B12 and at least 70% of zinc which meets the daily value. Especially for children and women of childbearing age, 100% zinc is needed according to the daily value.
3. Take algae-based DHA supplements or high-quality fish oil supplements. Also, make sure to eat plenty of plant-based fats-3 from plant-based protein. Choose products made from soybeans, chia seeds, flaxseed, canola, dark leafy vegetables, wheat germ, and walnuts.
4. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a chronic illness, always consult your healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
5. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables in large quantities.

Bottom Line

What I learn here is even in the vegetable-eating group there are many more types in it.

Which made me even more aware of how heterogeneous and unique humans are on this earth.

In addition, the difference is not about what is right or wrong but depends on the tastes and preferences of each.

Even with something as simple as this we can learn from what we eat. Especially in the larger areas of our lives.

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