What is the difference between vegans and vegetarians and raw foodists? Vegans - who are they? The difference between a vegan and a vegetarian, vegan nutrition features What is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian

What distinguishes vegetarians is that they not only adhere to a certain nutritional system, in which animal protein and fat, dairy products and eggs, fish and seafood are completely or partially absent from the daily diet, but also welcome the idea of abandoning any items in the composition of materials and in the production of which fur, skins, bones or other parts of the carcasses of slaughtered animals are used.

Historical Background of Vegetarianism

Often vegans and vegetarians (their differences will be revealed below) explain the benefits of their nutrition system by the fact that in the primitive world the ancestors modern man could rarely afford protein and fat of animal origin, and the basis of their diet was roots, herbs, foliage of trees and shrubs, berries, mushrooms, fruits, cereals and nuts for a long period of tens of thousands of years. Archeology, which studies the remains of everyday life, including the peculiarities of cooking, at the place of residence of an ancient person, has proved the failure of myths about the powerful primitive instincts of a hunter. Albeit forcedly, but the diet of primitive people was 65% filled with food of plant origin, as opposed to one third of the meat of wild animals and other animal protein foods in the form of eggs, fish, etc.

It took thousands of years for human proteins and fats to become available on a regular basis instead of regular starvation and widespread forced vegetarianism. The diet has become more varied and satisfying, but there are more diseases associated with problems of the gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels. The fact is that the genetic makeup of the body has remained virtually unchanged, while food habits and opportunities, along with lifestyle, have changed significantly. But this view is not shared by all scientists.

Their reasoning goes like this: Our ancestors' food was unevenly plentiful at the expense of a large number mined meat, which led to rapid physical development along with the function of puberty, while shortening the already short human life due to infections and epidemics, accidents, civil strife, attacks by wild animals, snake bites and poisonous insects.

History also ordered in such a way that for thousands of years practical vegetarianism as the root cause of religious preferences prevailed in the countries where Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism were spread. Adherents and distributors of vegetarianism among the masses were also adherents of various philosophical movements, such as the Pythagoreans, and later - the scientific and creative stratum of the intelligentsia. It is no coincidence that this popular food system was not immediately called vegetarian, but at first it was called "Indian" or "Pythagorean". Modern Europe and America literally worship this food system - the list of vegetarians often includes the loudest and most famous names. And in modern India, from 20% to 70% of the total population of the country adhere to the vegetarian system.

Vegans and Vegetarians: Differences

Veganism is one of the classifications of vegetarianism, which implies the rejection not only of meat, but also of fish and seafood obtained as a result of killing during hunting, fishing, industrial breeding, slaughter, industrial fishing, etc. Eggs, milk and dairy products under veganism, they are also included in the category of forbidden products, since they are obtained by exploiting animals. However, you should know, considering who a vegan and a vegetarian are: the difference here lies not only in the degree of severity of food bans in Ono, but also in observing a set of moral principles and taboos in relation to animals and other representatives of the fauna.

The difference between the concepts of “vegan” and “vegetarian” is that vegans not only do not wear clothes and shoes from natural fur and leather, do not buy leather bags and belts, do not use leather furniture and cosmetics, in the production of which, as it seems to them, animals were harmed, but also defend the rights of animals, calling for the closure and not visiting zoos, dolphinariums, circuses and other similar places, where animals are exploited and are often kept in poor conditions.

Other varieties of vegetarianism

A vegetarian is a person who consciously and voluntarily refuses to consume any meat food of animals or fish killed in the process of extraction or after special rearing for slaughter. But at the same time, they may not refuse animal products that are not obtained by force. For example, honey, dairy products and even eggs from poultry farms. People who follow this diet are called lacto-ovo-vegetarians. These include the majority of modern vegetarians who do not eat only meat and fish meals. Some vegetarians do not eat or drink all dairy products, but sometimes they use eggs as food. They are ovo-vegetarians. If, on the contrary, eggs are excluded, and dairy products remain in the diet, then adherents of such a nutrition system are called lacto-vegetarians.

Among strict vegetarians there are representatives of extreme vegetarianism - raw foodists (naturists), who completely exclude any heat treatment of food for themselves, since they are convinced that heat destroys valuable nutritional properties, unlike products consumed in their natural form, without heat treatment.

Restricting the recipe to adding seeds of cereals and spices to vegetables, fruits and herbs, raw foodists refuse any culinary techniques, including pickling, and use only grain crushing.

A pesco-vegetarian is one who enriches his own vegetarian diet with fish, caviar, crustaceans and all seafood, but completely rejects meat and processed products.

Benefits of Vegetarianism

Those vegetarian offshoots that allow the consumption of milk and dairy products, eggs, and especially fish and seafood, do not cause any concern for modern nutritionists and most doctors, since they recognize such a diet as practically complete and harmless for most adults, especially for people over forty years old. . For them, vegetarianism is even useful.

But when the body does not receive any animal proteins and fats for a long time, often for years, what is the risk for a vegan or a strict vegetarian? Is it beneficial or are there long-term dangerous consequences of such a diet?

One of the obvious advantages of this style of eating, considered repeatedly proven with the help of scientific research- less, compared with traditional nutrition, the threat of getting atherosclerosis, certain types of cancer, coronary heart disease, arthrosis, arthritis, gout, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cholelithiasis.

Which vegetarian menu allows you to reduce and control weight or maintain normal body weight? Vegetarian nutritionists claim that 1500 kcal per day is enough for an adult of average height. Vegetarianism combined with light fitness is one of the most effective and quick ways achieve good physical shape.

Vegetarianism is also useful in that it cleanses the body of toxins, practically sanitizing the body.

Finally, plant foods, which include, in addition to vegetables, fruits, legumes and herbs, also grains, contain great amount essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, biologically active substances, fiber and phytoncides. All this helps the body (especially city dwellers) to withstand stress and bad ecology of cities, as well as maintain youth and lightness in the body.

Harm

There are plenty of downsides to vegetarianism too, especially if the diet is ill-conceived and unbalanced. So, vegans and vegetarians often suffer iron deficiency anemia. In plant foods, iron is not presented in heme form, it is poorly absorbed.

One of the most serious problems of a vegetarian diet is a chronic lack of an essential element, vitamin B12. This vitamin of group B is absent in plants, and without it, irreversible and very serious diseases of the nervous system develop in humans.

There are also differences between animals and Animals are superior to vegetable (including soy). Proteins are indispensable construction material for cells and tissues of the body. Without protein, hormones and enzymes are not produced. Protein also affects the immune system.

Vegans are often deficient in calcium, vitamin D, zinc, and iodine. All these substances are needed by the body in sufficient quantities.

Vegans who do not eat fish and seafood are deficient in important vitamins and minerals, especially omega-3 polyunsaturated acids, which cannot be replaced by vegetable ones.

Fiber, of course, is useful for most of us, as it removes harmful "cholesterol, toxins and excess glucose. But its excess (which can often be observed with vegetarianism) is harmful to health, interfering with the absorption of protein, despite the fact that obtaining and assimilating it is already a problem in the case of a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarianism is contraindicated for people with asthenic syndrome, immunodeficiency, as well as weakened or recovering from operations and injuries. Most doctors do not advise pregnant and lactating women to get involved in vegetarian diets, and also categorically do not recommend such a diet to children and adolescents for the entire period of body formation.

But most of these problems can be avoided if you approach nutrition wisely.

Vegetarian nutrition - a menu with enough protein

In the food chosen by vegetarians, the main problem is not only the lack of the entire range of nutrients that can be obtained from complete animal protein, but also the fact that even with a competent approach to nutrition, vegetable protein may not be enough, and even the one that comes in much less absorbed by the body. Complete proteins are considered to be those that include essential amino acids similar to the "native" amino acids in the human protein, while in the same correct proportions. Soy protein can be considered closest to the animal, then legume protein. To minimize the lack of protein, you need to ensure that plant-based foods that contain a maximum of protein and amino acids are present in the daily diet. These include soy and soy products, legumes, nuts, brown rice, and whole grains, which also contain small amounts of protein. By the way, the leader among this group is quinoa.

A large percentage of protein contains seitan - a gluten product, as well as special vegan protein powders and bars. Lacto-ovo vegetarians and those vegans who build their diet according to all the rules usually get normal, and in some cases even exceeding the norm, the amount of protein.

Vitamin D

This vitamin exists in two forms, D2 and D3. Vegetarians focus on the D2 (ergocalciferol) form. Vegetarian nutritionists and other health professionals insist in their research that most people do not get enough sunlight to synthesize this vitamin. If at the same time there is a lack of food fortified with vitamin D, then there is vitamin D in the form of pharmacy supplements. Strictly following the dosage instructions, even a vegan can take them (this, by the way, is a fat-soluble vitamin that accumulates in the body).

Calcium

If vegetarians consume lacto products, then usually problems arising from a lack of calcium in food do not arise. Strict vegans and those who refuse milk and other dairy products should always accompany plant-based foods, even those rich in calcium, with fortified soy milk and/or orange juice. For the right amount of calcium per day, 3 servings and drinks are required.

B12

The most important vitamin involved in the process of hematopoiesis and the activity of the central nervous system. is needed for proper cell growth and reproduction of genetic information, as well as for participation in the secretion of essential hormones.

Strict vegetarians should be aware of the following: there is not a single plant product that is not specially fortified during the manufacturing process, in which vitamin B12 is naturally present in sufficient quantities.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians can rest easy because they get B12 from dairy products and eggs if consumed regularly.

Vegans, on the other hand, get some B12 only if they regularly consume specially fortified foods: drinks and products made from soy and rice, breakfast cereals and cereals, and yeast. If there are few or no such artificially enriched foods on the vegan’s table, then negative consequences cannot be avoided.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Vegetarian diets are usually high in omega-6 fatty acids, but extremely deficient in omega-3s, which are very important for the proper functioning of the brain, cardiovascular system and other organs and systems. Omega-3 acids are present in fatty fish, eggs, which means that they are absent or insufficient in a vegetarian and vegan diet, especially if plant components that are also rich in omega-3 are not actively present in it. Yes, these fatty acids are also of plant origin - this is alpha-linoleic acid. It is found, in addition to marine microalgae, in soy, flaxseed, walnuts.

But even if herbal products from the list are regularly present, it is still better to additionally take omega-3 fatty acids in the form of capsules or liquid fish oil. If strict veganism prevents this, it is advisable to look for deliveries that do not contradict these beliefs. Now, by the way, there is even iron in the form of supplements that vegans can take without compromise.

Main difference between vegan and vegetarian is that vegans do not eat animal products, but some vegetarians do.

Vegans do not consume animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, honey, or gelatin. They eat grains, beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and seeds.

In contrast, if vegetarians do not eat meat for health reasons, they are known as nutritious vegetarians. Those who avoid meat as a sign of respect for environment and animals are called "ethical vegetarians". The term "ovo-lacto-vegetarian" is used for those who eat milk and eggs.

Anyone who does not eat meat is considered a vegetarian, including vegans, lacto-vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians, and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. A vegetarian diet is sometimes referred to as a meat-free diet.

Vegetarians do not eat animal meat. While some people may use the terms "pesco-vegetarian" to refer to those who eat fish or "chicken-vegetarian" to those who eat chicken, they are not vegetarian types.

Differences between vegetarian and vegan

Both forms of the diet exclude all animal products from their diet and build their diet mainly from plant foods such as fruits and vegetables. The differences are that while vegetarians generally allow dairy, eggs, honey, fish and fish products on their menus, this is unacceptable for vegans. Vegans consume mostly foods made exclusively from plant parts, such as:

legumes
nuts
seeds
various fruits and vegetables
vegetable roots.

Basics of Vegetarian Nutrition

Vegetarianism is a food system built on the basis of food of plant origin. There are two main types of vegetarianism: strict and moderate. Moderate vegetarianism allows the use of milk, dairy products and eggs.

The variety of plant products is great. They are divided into four main groups:

Cereals and flour
Berries and nuts
Vegetables
Fruit
Legumes

The first two groups mainly provide the energy needs of the body. In addition, they are carriers of a significant amount of proteins. They are rich in phosphorus, magnesium and numerous trace elements. Have great importance as sources of vitamins B1, B1 and PP and valuable fibers. Wheat and rice are the most important of the grain products. Raw beans, lentils, peas and soybeans play an important role, but nuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, etc. serve as impulses.

Vegetables and fruits also provide many valuable nutrients. They contain about 1% protein (potatoes - 2%). There is no practically significant amount of fat (except for olives). More - the amount of carbohydrates. Most fruits contain up to 10% carbohydrates, mostly oligosaccharides; stone fruits - 10-15%, grapes, dates, figs and bananas - more than 15%. Most vegetables contain about 5% carbohydrates; carrots, melons, salad beets and onions - 5-10%, and green pea- more than 15%.

The average energy value of 100 g of vegetables is 50 kcal (potatoes - 80 kcal), and fruits - about 55 kcal.
Fruits and vegetables are sources of minerals. Most of them contain 150-300 mg of potassium per 100 g of product (potatoes - 500 mg). Rich sources of iron are apricots, quinces, peaches, apples and others. More significant amounts of manganese contain green beans, lettuce, green peas, beets, etc. A number of products contain a complex of microelements useful for the body. For example, strawberries are a source of iron, cobalt, manganese and honey, while apples are a source of iron, cobalt and manganese.

Fruits and vegetables are sources of vitamin C, P-active substances, carotene, folic acid, valuable fibers, pectin, organic acids, aromatic and dyes and many other biologically active substances. Fruits and vegetables are essential foods.

Vegan basics

Veganism is a lifestyle that seeks to eliminate, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.

Several categories of veganism are sometimes distinguished.

Dietary vegans (or strict vegetarians) refrain from eating animal products, not just meat, but also eggs, dairy products, and other substances derived from animals.

The term ethical vegan is often applied to those who not only follow a vegetarian diet, but also expand the philosophy into other areas of their lives and oppose the use of animals for any purpose.

Another term is ecological veganism, which refers to the avoidance of animal products based on the premise that animal farming is harmful to the environment.

The vegan diet includes all grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits and an almost endless number of foods to combine.

Many foods are associated with veganism, such as soy milk, non-dairy breast milk substitutes and tofu.

Vegans also eat many common and familiar everyday foods such as green salad, spaghetti, peanut butter sandwiches, chips and salsa.

For example, foods such as vegetarian burritos without cheese or sour cream will be vegan, Thai curry with coconut milk, pasta with tomato sauce or others not meat products.

Often people who start out as vegetarians end up going vegan. But this different systems nutrition, and their adherents do not have to go through both. The difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is that they can enrich with products of animal origin, and vegans deny themselves this, focusing exclusively on plant foods.

Vegans and Vegetarians

The decision to change eating habits in both cases is based on a love of nature and an unwillingness to cause suffering to living beings. In the twenty-first century, humanity is able to provide itself with food without killing animals. There are other good reasons:

the desire to live a long time without cluttering the body with toxins;
striving for a healthy lifestyle, lightness in the body and clarity in thoughts.

Vegetarians, while reserving the right to eat eggs and honey, as well as drink milk, kefir and other dairy drinks, are more interested in the quality of life. Vegans are opposed to humanity and food industry exploited animals. Refusal of some of the usual products is one of the forms of their protest and a way to show how one can live in harmony with wildlife. This is different from vegan.

For those who have chosen a philosophy of life and nutrition with a less strict approach to diet, menu planning is easier. Vegans, on the other hand, to make up for the nutritional deficiencies caused by the rejection of meat and dairy products, must skillfully combine plant-based ingredients and make the diet balanced.

Brief history of development

The rationale behind the benefits of vegetarianism and veganism is the same. Followers of both currents believe that people were historically created to eat plant foods. It was not so easy for a primitive man to catch an animal in order to add animal fats and proteins to his diet. Therefore, our ancestors in the distant past ate the same things that primates eat today: fruits, nuts, greens, cereals, vegetables and roots.

Archaeologists searching for ancient household items and tools, as well as recreating pictures of the life of that time, found out that prehistoric man was not such a great hunter. More than half of our ancestors' diets were plant-based.

Only after many millennia did man learn to catch wild animals, and then he was able to domesticate them and breed them on his own. Then animal fats and proteins came in and made it more varied, satisfying and nutritious.

But supporters of veganism warn: the physical structure of the body, including blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tract, differs little from what primitive man possessed. But eating habits have changed dramatically. This explains the prevalence in our time of diseases of the stomach, heart, pancreas and blood vessels.

Religious movements that reject meat products: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, have made their contribution to the culture of eating plant foods. long time the term "vegetarianism" did not exist. This phenomenon was called the "Pythagorean food system" because it was adhered to by adherents of Pythagoreanism.

AT modern world more and more people prefer excluding animal products. There are many supporters of vegetarianism and veganism in America and Europe. More than half of the population of India follows this diet.

Definition and main differences

Both streams are very close. But vegetarianism is a broader concept, and veganism is one of its directions along with fruitarianism.

Vegetarians are people who voluntarily give up meat and fish. Their diet contains animal products, for which no violence was used. Honey, eggs and milk are an integral part of the nutrition of supporters of this system. There are also ovo-vegetarians who do not add milk to the menu, but eat eggs. Lacto-vegetarians, on the other hand, eat dairy products, not recognizing eggs. Pescatarians do not refuse fish, seafood and caviar.

Vegans are "pure" or "absolute" vegetarians. They strictly approach the menu, removing from it all products that are related to the animal world. They do not eat eggs, fish, milk, cottage cheese. In accordance with their philosophy, animals are not created to serve man, they are born to be free and happy.

Vegans do not even consume gelatin, because among the ingredients used to prepare it are connective tissues and animal bones.

The table compares vegetarian and vegan diets.

The difference is that vegans have stricter food taboos than vegetarians. Therefore, a person who wants to change the world by showing others the right example of life and nutrition must first assess the state of health. For those with chronic illnesses gastrointestinal tract, veganism may be contraindicated.

Directions of vegetarianism

Vegetarianism has many directions, which differ from each other in permitted products. Often within each direction there are separate currents depending on the confession, traditions and personal views of the followers.

Vegetarians fall into three main groups:

allowing eggs, dairy products and fish in the diet;
abstaining from all animal products except eggs;
abstaining from all animal products except dairy.

Vegans also differ in their preferred food:

supporters of generally accepted veganism, that is, they refused food of animal origin, but continue to thermally process food if necessary;
raw foodists - those who stopped thermally processing foods and switched to those foods of plant origin that can be eaten raw;
supporters of fruitarianism, having in the diet only the fruits of plants.

Among the restrictions that "classic" vegans voluntarily accept are the prohibition of:

for meat and offal;
seafood and fish;
dairy;
eggs of any origin and caviar;
products obtained from bees;
gelatin;
flavors of natural origin;
confectionery products containing carmine, gelatin and shellac;
noodles, vermicelli, pasta, if the dough contains eggs;
drinks with egg white and casein - wine and beer.

Vegans also avoid foods that contain sugar: chips, ice cream, dates, cookies, maple syrup etc. This is another difference with vegetarians.

Many people think that veganism is unhealthy. It is impossible to unconditionally believe this, because the topic has been little studied. But the rejection of junk food and the systematization of nutrition will benefit every person. And the decision not to participate even indirectly in the killing of living beings will help make the world a better place.

Do you know that more than a billion people living on planet Earth have already given up food of animal origin?! And recently there has been only an upward trend in this indicator. The popularity of veganism and vegetarianism is so high that these directions have their own trends and varieties. And the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is huge.

What is the difference

These currents have gained great popularity relatively recently, despite the fact that they originated more than one thousand years ago. Adherents of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism introduced us to vegetarianism. They preached non-violence towards any living beings, be it a man or a cow. And the differences between a vegan and a vegetarian have been formed for many decades. And so far in India, almost 40% of the inhabitants do not eat animal products, and in some areas it is even forbidden to kill animals for food. After India, this type of food became widespread in Ancient Greece, but it was not called vegetarianism or veganism, but the Pythagorean diet. The well-known Pythagoras was considered its founder, and the food system was named after him. The scientist believed in the transmigration of souls, and from this point of view, eating animal meat does not look entirely ethical. But in the Pythagorean diet, even legumes were banned. Why did it happen? It is not known for certain, but many scientists are of the opinion that the shape of the bean is similar to the human embryo.

Vegetarianism in Europe

The rejection of meat for ethical, moral and medical reasons came to Europe much later than to the Hindus and Greeks. It was the middle of the 19th century, only then the colonialists began to master oriental culture. India is the birthplace of vegetarianism and veganism. On the territory of England, the first vegetarian movements appeared only in 1847, and Bernard Shaw, Mahatma Gandhi and the McCartney family adhered to it for a certain period of time. Even 150 years ago, only 900 people called themselves vegetarians, and now vegetarian and vegan dishes are sold in almost any institution anywhere in the world.

Vegetarianism in Russia

In Russia, Leo Tolstoy is considered the father of the movement. The classic of Russian literature refused meat when he was 50 years old, and tried in every possible way to convey his moral values to others. In his essays, he wrote that cows feed entire families with milk, sheep warm people with their wool, and as a reward, a person cuts their throats and eats them. Already to late XIX centuries, vegetarian canteens began to appear in the Russian Empire. The movement died out with the advent of Soviet power. They began to actively fight against vegetarians, closed all canteens, and in 1929 they completely banned this movement and even sent vegetarians into exile. Another wave of popularity covered the world only in the 21st century, when healthy lifestyle life has become extremely fashionable.

Who are vegans

Interest in vegetarianism grew, and people began to explore other diets that avoid animal products. Simply put, veganism is more severe than vegetarianism. This is because vegans refuse not only meat, fish and seafood, but also any other animal products. Vegans do not eat milk, eggs, honey, do not wear fur coats and leather jackets, do not go to circuses and zoos. Simply put, any place, food or thing that is somehow associated with human manipulation of animals is prohibited. The vegan menu is plant-based food and nothing more.

Where did this current come from?

Who are vegans? The term came into use after the founder of the vegan philosophy itself, Donald Watson, simply took the first and last letters of the word vegetarian (vegetarian).

So what is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian? At the age of fourteen, the guy saw pigs being killed on a farm. The sight impressed Donald so much that he stopped eating meat. And after the boy studied the details of making milk, he refused it. At the same time, Watson had no supporters and did not know a single person with the same life position as his. The only person who shared his interests was his wife. Together they organized a society of vegans, which Donald Watson was engaged in developing and popularizing until his death. The father of veganism has died at the age of 95. He has not eaten meat or animal products for over 60 years.

Directions of vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is a large-scale movement that has 4 branches:

Veganism is the complete absence of any animal products from the diet. What do vegans eat? These are exclusively cereals and cereals, vegetables and fruits, that is, products of plant origin.
Lacto-vegetarianism - adherents of this trend eat dairy products in addition to plant foods.
Ovo-vegetarianism - suitable for those who cannot refuse eggs. They are allowed because chickens do not appear from them during industrial production.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian - both eggs and milk are allowed.

However, veganism is not yet the most severe food system. Raw foodists, for example, refuse any products of animal origin, eat exclusively plant foods and do not subject them to heat treatment, that is, they eat everything raw. The maximum temperature of thermal processing of products - 40 °C.

Famous Vegans

The era of vegetarianism has begun to fade, and veganism is taking its place with firm steps. Who are vegans, we found out. Surely you will be interested to know that celebrities who have given up animal products include Bill Clinton, Jared Leto, Ozzy Osbourne, Anthony Kiedis, Ben Stiller, Michael Tyson, Suria Bonaly, Timothy Bradley, Jack La Lanne, Fedor Konyukhov and a lot others.

The most common myth is that sport and veganism are incompatible concepts. But this is fundamentally wrong, the famous boxer M. Tyson, the Olympic champion in figure skating S. Bonaly, the real master of fitness J. La Lanne prove the opposite. Vegans just need to plan their diet more carefully and remember to eat plant-based foods that are high in protein. In general, most vegans are active defenders of animal rights.

Restrictions for vegans don't just apply to food

Food taboos aren't all that vegans have to deal with. Their long list of bans also includes:

Cosmetics, if animals were involved in any of the stages of its production.
Circuses, zoos and any other activities in which animals take part and this process may cause them discomfort.
Under the ban any products made of fur or wool, leather.
Alcohol. Indeed, for the manufacture of some varieties, gelatin and other animal proteins are used. But even here, the modern alcohol industry has got out and offers vegans a special wine or beer, which contains only plant ingredients.
Honey was also included in the list of strict “no”, because in the process of collecting it, bees can not only be injured, but also killed.
And, of course, gelatin is banned, because it is prepared from the joints and cartilage tissue of animals.

This is the answer to the question, what is the difference between vegans and vegetarians.

Vegan currents

Like vegetarianism, vegan nutrition has its own directions, the main ones are as follows:

Traditional veganism is a strict rejection of meat, milk, fish, eggs, honey, etc. The diet should contain only cereals, cereals, vegetables and fruits.
Raw food diet. This food system implies a complete rejection of the heat treatment of plant products.
Macrobiotics - representatives of this direction, among other things, also refuse sugar and oils.
Fruitarianism. In this case, everything is extremely simple. Fruit, fruit and more fruit.

As we can see, classic veganism is not yet the most severe food system.

Where to get protein

The main problem of all vegans and vegetarians is the search for protein, the lack of which can adversely affect health. This is the main disadvantage that meat-eaters trump. But there is a way out of this situation. Protein-rich foods for vegans are nuts, soy, broccoli, spinach, peas, avocados, beans, lentils, etc. Vegans have learned how to bake bread and sweets without eggs and milk, how to make chocolate without adding animal products, and you can even no problem finding a vegan sausage made from soy.

Experienced vegans advise beginners to carefully read the ingredients when buying products in the store in order to avoid unpleasant situations. Especially if you are a vegan by conviction.

Advantages

In the confrontation between veganism and vegetarianism, official medicine took the side of the latter. And this is understandable, because vegetarianism does not prohibit the use of milk and eggs. But what other advantages do these power systems have? They are the following:

Vegetarianism can be attributed to a balanced type of nutrition, such a system is even prescribed for therapeutic purposes.
Reduced risk of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, gout and diabetes.
This is one of the best ways for those who want to get rid of extra pounds without debilitating diets.
Slags and toxins do not linger in the body.
Vegans and vegetarians get all the necessary vitamins in the right amount due to the fact that they consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables. This has a positive effect on the immune system and the general tone of the body.

At the same time, it is important to carefully plan your diet in order to get all the necessary elements.

Flaws

There has been a lot of controversy about the benefits and harms of veganism and vegetarianism. Reasonable disadvantages include the following:

Both vegans and vegetarians suffer from a lack of iron and vitamin B 12, which is fraught with low hemoglobin, anemia and diseases of the central nervous system.
The ban on the use of fish provokes a lack of omega-3 fatty acids, so you should use them as a dietary supplement.
Often in vegans and vegetarians, due to the high content of fiber in the body, protein ceases to be absorbed normally.
It is forbidden to practice veganism for people suffering from immunodeficiency syndrome, as well as during the rehabilitation period after serious operations and injuries.

In fact, all the disadvantages are insignificant, and they can be easily avoided if you approach the food system responsibly and plan the menu correctly. Who are vegans? These are, to a greater extent, those who refuse animal products due to moral convictions.

In recent years, vegetarianism is gaining more and more followers. However, various currents and disagreements appeared within it, concerning both nutrition and moral and ethical principles.

Some call themselves a lacto-vegetarian, others an ovo-vegetarian. And then there are raw foodists, fruitarians, pescatarians, pollotarians, flexitarians - the number of offshoots is growing by leaps and bounds. But the most important thing is to figure out how a vegetarian and a vegan differ from each other, because they are the main carriers of this worldview.

Food

In fact, vegetarians and vegans are the same as, for example, a plant and flowers, that is, a genus-species pair. Vegetarianism is a broader, generic concept, and veganism is a narrow, i.e. species. And the main difference between them is food.

Food

Vegetarians don't only eat meat. As for such controversial products as eggs and milk, this is already a personal matter for everyone. General principles food does not prohibit eating them for the reason that you do not need to kill anyone to obtain them.

Vegans (often also called pure or absolute vegetarians) refuse not only meat. Their diet is much stricter. They do not eat fish, seafood, eggs, or milk. Anything related to animals is strictly prohibited. It even comes to the point that they refuse to eat gelatin, because it is made from the connective tissue and bones of cattle (which means that many confectionery are banned), and honey, because it is mined and produced by bees. And this is the main difference between vegans and vegetarians.

Based on this, we can draw the following conclusions about the diet of vegans:

it is much poorer than that of vegetarians;
differs not only in scarcity, but also in imbalance;
it practically lacks protein, which is found in eggs and dairy products;
the menu is very difficult to compose;
comes on quickly;
has much more contraindications;
adversely affects the functioning of many organs and health.

These differences do not speak in favor of veganism, if only because such a diet is fraught with numerous health complications.

Classifications

Since vegetarianism is a fairly broad concept, it includes many subspecies. As a rule, food products that are either allowed for consumption or not are the basis for classification. In turn, each of these groups is divided even more finely, depending on religious beliefs, traditions and personal experience.

Vegetarian classification:

Ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eat meat and fish, but include eggs and milk in their diet;
ovo-vegetarians exclude meat, fish and milk, but they do not refuse eggs;
lacto-vegetarians, on the contrary, extend the ban on meat, fish and eggs, but regale themselves on dairy products;
Vegans do not accept all animal products.

Vegan classification:

raw foodists refuse any food processing, i.e. they eat everything raw;
Fruitarians feed exclusively on the fruits of plants.

So from the point of view of subspecies, these two food systems and worldviews also have significant differences.

The reasons

It is one thing for a person to become a vegetarian for medical reasons (to reduce the risk of a particular disease) or for economic reasons.

But the situation is completely different if the choice is made due to religious or ethnic principles. Many are guided by moral and environmental views (you can not kill animals - this negatively affects the environment). Here you will no longer take a step to the right or left, since the taboos in such food systems are very strict. And this applies specifically to vegans. That is, the differences between them and vegetarians may lie much deeper than it seems at first glance.

So in terms of nutrition, a vegan differs from a vegetarian in many ways. When choosing one of the directions for your lifestyle, you should ask yourself how these diets will affect your health and how strong your fortitude is to refuse what is banned here.

List of forbidden foods for vegans

As an appendix to this paragraph, we bring to your attention full list foods that are prohibited for vegans:

Animal products:

meat: beef, pork, veal, lamb, horse meat, offal, etc.;
game: turkey, goose, chicken, duck, partridge, quail, etc.;
fish and seafood: anchovies, shrimps, mussels, squids, crabs, fish sauce, lobsters, etc.;
dairy products: yogurt, cheese, milk, butter, ice cream, cream, kefir, curdled milk, etc.;
eggs: chicken, duck, quail and even fish;
bee products: honey, royal jelly (jelly piano), pollen, propolis.

Food supplements that are made from animals:

food additives with the letter E in front: 120, 322, 422, 471, 542, 631, 901, 904;
cochineal (carmine);
gelatin;
fish glue (used in the production of alcoholic beverages);
natural flavors: beaver musk;
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids;
gummilac (shellac);
vitamin D3;
dairy ingredients: whey, casein, lactose.

Controversial products (look carefully at the labels):

bread products may contain L-cysteine (produced from bird feathers);
beer and wine - egg white, casein, gelatin, fish glue;
confectionery - gelatin, shellac, carmine;
french fries and other fried foods - fried in fat;
olive tapenade - anchovies;
pesto sauce - cheese;
pasta - eggs;
potato chips - animal flavors, casein, whey;
sugar - bone coal;
chocolate - whey, milk;
fruits and vegetables - waxing;
Worcestershire sauce - anchovies.

Limiting the consumption of certain vegan foods:

vegan fast food: sweets, ice cream, cookies, chips, sauces - because of sugar and fat;
vegan sweeteners: molasses, agave, date and maple syrup - due to sugar;
vegan meats and cheeses - due to numerous food additives;
artificial milk - because of sugar;
vegan protein bars - because of the sugar.

It is not hard to guess that the list of products allowed for vegetarians is much wider, and this is its pleasant difference from veganism.

Health impact

Before considering the following differences between vegans and vegetarians, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that their dietary patterns affect health and well-being. This is the subject of many scientific studies that are still ongoing. Their results often contradict each other. However, you need to know what you doom your body to by moving to this lifestyle.

Vegetarianism in its broadest sense (when eggs and milk are allowed):

reduces the risk of developing cancer of the stomach, liver and intestines, heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases;
reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood;
allows you to create a balanced vegetable and milk menu that will fully provide the body with the necessary substances;
improves well-being;
strengthens the immune system;
increases lifespan.

Veganism:

leads to a deficiency of vitamins B2, D, B12, amino acids, iron, iodine, calcium;
increases the risk of developing anemia and iron deficiency;
destroys tooth enamel and bones;
disrupts the functioning of the thyroid gland due to the lack of tyrosine in the diet;
accompanied by brittle nails, hair loss, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, low performance, in women - menstrual irregularities;
slows down the absorption of proteins (of which there are very few), the result is muscular dystrophy, decreased immunity, and the risk of developing tuberculosis.

These are controversial data, scientific assumptions that are constantly confirmed or refuted. But, one way or another, all these facts should lead you to a single conclusion - the most significant difference between vegetarians and vegans. Although the former are criticized, they still have a reduced risk of developing many diseases, thanks to a more or less balanced diet. But the latter in most cases suffer from a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. This leads to serious health problems.

Types of veganism

Separately, it is worth dwelling on the classifications, since many do not understand, for example, how vegetarianism differs from a raw food diet. You need to know these nuances in order to move into one of these systems, not to violate its boundaries and to correctly self-determine.

There are 4 trends in total:

Traditional vegans do not eat meat, milk, eggs, fish and honey, leaning on cereals, cereals, nuts, vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits.
Raw food diet - eating only those products of plant origin that have not been processed by humans in any way.
Macrobiotics - avoiding sugar (bone charcoal is used to purify beet-derived sugar) and oils.
Fruitarians only eat fruit classic rep this group - Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood).

Vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists are essentially similar (they are united by the rejection of animal products), but each has its own nuances (the differences relate to the list of permitted and prohibited foods and how they are processed).

Lifestyle

Among other things, the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is in the way of life. The latter, as a rule, continues to enjoy all the benefits of civilization, while the former refuses much due to moral and ethical principles. Veganism does not allow any harm to animals, and therefore invites its followers not to use items in everyday life, in the production of which material of animal origin was used.

Restrictions apply to:

clothes and any other fabrics made of leather, silk, wool;
fatty soap;
printed photographs (after all, their production requires gelatin);
many medicines and cosmetics containing animal extracts;
entertainment related to the exploitation of animals: zoos, circuses, horse races, dolphinariums (it is unnecessary to talk about hunting, which is blasphemy for vegans).

Some restrictions reach the point of absurdity, but this is precisely the difference between the concepts.

Table

The table below illustrates the main differences between vegetarians and vegans:

For someone uninitiated, a vegetarian and a vegan are one and the same. Actually it is not. Vegetarianism is a generic concept that is broader and includes many branches with all their addictions to fruits, milk, eggs, etc. Veganism is a specific concept, narrower, relating not only to nutrition, unlike other currents. Its adherents completely refuse animal products, things made from animal raw materials.

For those who are going to join this worldview, it is necessary to understand these basic terms and know the differences between them.