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Vegetarians vs vegans - nutrition vegetarian
Many people tend to confuse vegetarians with vegans, which is why some use terms such as "vegan diet" and "vegetarian diet" interchangeably, as if they were the same thing. Although there are several points in which both eating styles coincide, the differences between them are significant, from the foods they eat to the products they consider acceptable in their diets.
Based on the above, we invite you to explore this guide where we will explain the fundamental characteristics that distinguish both eating styles, as well as the key points in which they are similar. It is important to know these differences and similarities before choosing one or the other.
From an ethical and moral point of view, both vegetarians and vegans share a deep respect for animal life and the sustainability of the planet. Both reject the consumption of meat, fish and seafood, and consider plant-based foods to be the best option to support sustainability and combat global hunger issues.
In fact, the UN uses the terms vegetarian and vegan similarly in its reports, as the goals of both are often the same.
Although neither vegans nor vegetarians consume meat, there are major differences in the consumption of other animal products, such as eggs, milk or honey.
Vegans follow a strictly plant-based diet, without consuming any animal products. Vegetarians, on the other hand, include products such as eggs, milk and honey in their diet, so their diet is not limited exclusively to vegetables. While they also respect animals, they consider it acceptable to consume products such as honey or dairy products, arguing that these can help sustain farms economically without the need to slaughter animals.
Some chicken farms, for example, identify themselves as advocates of the vegetarian lifestyle, providing a stress-free environment for the animals, taking advantage of the eggs they lay without the need to slaughter them, which helps sustain the farms.
While vegetarians and vegans agree in their respect for animal life, vegans often take this principle further. They reject not only food products of animal origin, but also any product whose manufacture has caused animal suffering, such as beauty products tested on animals or clothing made from leather. For vegans, if an animal has suffered or died in the production process, that product should be avoided.
On the other hand, vegetarians tend to be more flexible in this regard, as their primary motivation is usually more related to health and sustainable lifestyle, while the vegan diet is largely driven by ethical and moral principles related to animal rights.
