What's the difference

[chefmel]

What is the difference between a vegan and vegetarian diet? This is something that has always confused me. Aren't they both plant based and don't contain any meat or products form animals?

[lia]

Vegetarian is a broad term vegan is not. As a vegetarian. you may not eat meat but you might eat fish or products from animals like eggs or milk, cheese, etc.. On the other hand, you might not eat any products from animals and no meat or fish.

Being Vegan is a way of life. It's not just about diet. You have an entirely plant-based lifestyle. This ranges from your food right down to the clothes you wear. NOTHING comes from an animal. That means no fur, no leather, nothing the may be made with animal byproducts or that has even come in contact with animal stuff. And by the way this doesn't just mean fish, mammals, and birds, it means all living things, including bugs. So no red dye foods made from beetles, no marshmellows or jello made from gelatin (bones of animals), no honey made by bees, etc. Being Vegan is very difficult and there is no corner-cutting a there can be with vegetarianism.

You're either Vegan or you're not. There are no partial vegans. A partial vegan is a vegetarian.

[Gina]

Vegetarian is a broad term vegan is not. As a vegetarian. you may not eat meat but you might eat fish or products from animals like eggs or milk, cheese, etc.. On the other hand, you might not eat any products from animals and no meat or fish.

Being Vegan is a way of life. It's not just about diet. You have an entirely plant-based lifestyle. This ranges from your food right down to the clothes you wear. NOTHING comes from an animal. That means no fur, no leather, nothing the may be made with animal byproducts or that has even come in contact with animal stuff. And by the way this doesn't just mean fish, mammals, and birds, it means all living things, including bugs. So no red dye foods made from beetles, no marshmellows or jello made from gelatin (bones of animals), no honey made by bees, etc. Being Vegan is very difficult and there is no corner-cutting a there can be with vegetarianism.

You're either Vegan or you're not. There are no partial vegans. A partial vegan is a vegetarian.

Wow, I had no idea that Veganism was so hardcore!

[tracy1976]

I don't think that's true. I think you can still be Vegan as long as what you eat has nothing to do with eating animals or byproducts of animals. I mean of course there are hardcore vegans but I think just like vegetarians there is more than one type of Vegan.

[Ron]

I don't think that's true. I think you can still be Vegan as long as what you eat has nothing to do with eating animals or byproducts of animals. I mean of course there are hardcore vegans but I think just like vegetarians there is more than one type of Vegan.

No. There is no hardcore Veganism. You simply ARE Vegan or you're NOT. There's no cutting corners. If you cut corners than you're a vegetarian. Plain and simple.

[lia]

No. There is no hardcore Veganism. You simply ARE Vegan or you're NOT. There's no cutting corners. If you cut corners than you're a vegetarian. Plain and simple.

Exactly, Ron!

[chefmel]

Wow, I had no idea that Veganism was so hardcore!

Neither did I! I can admit that I just thought it had to do with not eating any kind of meat, fish or products from animals. I didn't know it meant bugs and other stuff, too. Well, I guess that means, if I ever to make a veggie-first lifestyle change I might just be vegetarian. I don't think I'd have the discipline it would take to be a true vegan. Respect to vegans!