What is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian
In an attempt to eat healthy, I’ll like to weigh my options and define a diet
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Answers ( 1 )
Though these terms can vary depending on geography and context, usually you can think of vegans as a stricter subset of vegetarians. While vegetarians don't eat any animal flesh or by-products of animal slaughter, vegans go one step further and seek to avoid all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty as much as possible. On a practical level, with respect to diet, the main difference is that while vegetarians may choose to eat eggs, dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.), honey, and other products that are made by animals but don't involve their slaughter, vegans try to avoid those items as well. Another difference is that vegetarianism is usually spoken of strictly in terms of diet, whereas veganism usually extends to the person's entire lifestyle, including clothing, entertainment, labor, science, and any other items they use or purchase.
There are also other common exclusionary diets, including flexitarian (which is primarily plant-based but occasionally includes some kind of animal flesh). pescatarian (which includes aquatic animals but excludes land animals), and even "beegan" (which is a vegan diet that also allows honey).
When speaking purely in terms of health, any of these diets can be equally satisfactory, as long as care is taken to ensure that all nutritional needs are met. But it's a common misconception to see any of them as inherently healthier than a standard omnivorous diet. In fact, the idea that veganism or vegetarianism is the healthiest diet is the direct product of marketing efforts on behalf of those lifestyles. The research cited in their support tends to compare healthy vegan diets with intentionally unhealthy omnivorous ones that include high levels of fried food, saturated fat, and other confounders not inherent to ominous eating. And in practical situations, many vegans and vegetarians often follow less than optimal versions of their diets, because of the limited options they have available to them. Many rely on a very limited set of foods because they don't have enough good options.
If you are truly going to "attempt to eat healthy", then there's a good chance that trying to "define a diet" is a mistake. If you're seeking to optimize for health, the key is variety. Anything that eliminates entire groups of nutritional options just makes your task harder. If you eliminate animal products, you have to make sure you get the nutrients found in those items (such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, and certain amino acids) in other ways. For some, going vegan or vegetarian is a good hack for avoiding certain foods that are unhealthy in large quantities. But like most broad hacks, it also introduces other problems.
Instead, it's worth changing the way you look at food. Foods are sustenance not poison. So healthy eating should focus on getting enough of the good stuff, rather than completely avoiding every morsel of bad stuff. Any food is healthy in moderation. And diets that eliminate large groups of foods are unnecessary from a nutritional perspective. The better strategy is to eat more types of things not fewer. But to also keep in mind which foods might be less optimal in large quantities and simply don't overdo those. So don't avoid having red meat, just don't eat it every night. And don't feel guilty about having a slice of birthday cake at a party, as long as you don't eat the whole cake. If you're getting enough of what you need from a variety of sources, and not grossly overdoing your caloric intake or eating too much of any one thing, you're doing about as well as you can.
There are many possible reasons people give for going vegetarian or vegan, from animal ethics to environmental concern to simple squeamishness about eating living things (or things with arms, faces, or whatever). And whether those motivations stand up to proper scrutiny is a topic for another answer. But in terms of health outcomes, a vegetarian or vegan diet isn't inherently any better for you than being an omnivore. What matters is your general eating patterns, and your ability to make good choices. As long as you're getting all the nutrients you can use, and not massively exceeding your metabolic/caloric needs, you should avoid "diets" and seek variety.
NOTE: Because I am not a practicing physician, this post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. But more importantly, commercial diet books and plans also do not constitute medical advice, and are usually just seeking to make a buck or advance an agenda. Always consult with a physician or registered dietician (an actual RD, not an unlicensed "nutritionist") before undertaking any new dietary regimen that represents a significant change.