Some people are unsure of whether they should become vegan or vegetarian. They have likely heard of the benefits of the two diets, but simply do not know which one to follow. It all comes down to your reasons for going on a healthy diet, and what benefits you wish to obtain. This article will assist you in choosing which diet is suitable for you.
Vegan Vs. Vegetarian: The Differences in Food
What do vegetarians eat?
Vegetarians do not eat meat, whether it be red, white, fish or seafood. However, vegans do eat dairy products including butter, cream, cheese, milk and ice-cream.
What do vegans eat?
Many people know what vegetarians eat, but know little about the vegan diet. So, what do vegans eat? Vegans eat any food that does not contain meat or dairy products. So they do not eat fish, chicken, seafood, red meat, cheese, butter, cream or milk. Vegan food consists mostly of legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, tofu, nut-spreads, vegan crackers and breads, meat-substitutes, whole-grains, potatoes, falafel, juices, soy-based smoothies, vegan coconut or soy ice-cream, vegan chocolate and other dairy-free sweats, cakes and desserts.
Vegan Vs. Vegetarian: The Benefits & Disadvantages
What made you want to become vegan or vegetarian to begin with? What are your reasons? Was it animal rights, health problems, weight loss, food allergies, wanting to feel more energized, wanting to concentrate better, or some other reason?
Animal Rights
If your sole reason for become vegan is because you are unhappy about how animals are slaughtered for meat, then becoming vegetarian will probably suffice for you. Alternatively, if you are also saddened about how animals are treated for their milk, cream and dairy products, then you should consider going vegan.
Weight Loss
Many people chose to adopt a vegan diet for weight loss purposes. The reason why weight loss is so easy on the vegan diet is because vegan food is mostly plant-based, and is therefore, naturally low in calories and fat. Becoming a vegetarian will simply not suffice for weight loss purposes, since cheese, butter, cream and milk are still being consumed. Dairy foods are notoriously high in calories and fat, so you should opt to go on the vegan diet rather than the vegetarian diet for weight loss purposes.
Health Problems
Do you have severe health problems which you wish to alleviate or reverse? Becoming a vegetarian is a great step to begin clearing up chronic health problems, since omitting meat from ones diet has been proven to prevent, treat or reverse heart disease, lower the risk of cancer, treat or prevent coronary artery disease, reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, lower bad cholesterol in the body, and reduce or reverse other chronic ailments. However, if you are vegetarian yet continue to eat cheese, milk, cream, ice-cream and butter on a regular basis – chances are, you will not see your health problems improving like you anticipated.
Becoming vegan is indeed, a much stronger “antidote” for chronic diseases since it completely excludes all high-cholesterol, fatty meat and dairy foods from ones diet. Yes, the vegan diet has been known to cure, treat or prevent a multitude of illnesses and diseases ranging from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, early-stage prostate cancer, arthritis, and allergies. Many people attest to the miraculous health benefits of the vegan diet.
Feel More Energized & Concentrate Better
Eating too much meat in one’s diet has been known to cause feelings of sluggishness, low energy, and a lack of concentration. Dairy has likewise been known to cause similar problems, and in many cases – is more of a culprit than meat! If you wish to improve your energy levels, or increase your focus and concentration – omitting all forms of meat from your diet should definitely assist you in these areas. However, to see a massive improvement, you should really consider going vegan. Plant-based foods provide long-lasting energy, while meat and dairy products sit in your stomach for hours, taking a long time to digest, and will constantly leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and unable to concentrate.
Vegan or vegetarian? It’s up to you in the end, the choice is yours. As I mentioned in the above article, when it comes down to the toss-over between vegan vs. vegetarian – it all comes down to what reasons you wish to go on your diet, and what health benefits you wish to attain.
The vegan diet has certainly been known for decades to assist with weight loss, allergies, skin conditions and chronic health problems, and you will be 100% helping to save our planet and its beautiful animals. On the other hand, the vegetarian diet may be for you if you simply do not agree with how animals are killed for meat, or if you are currently not willing to go 100% vegan. If you are not seeing the results that you anticipated on the vegetarian diet, then you should really consider going vegan. Hundreds of thousands of people all around the world are happily following the vegan lifestyle and will attest to the many physical and mental benefits that it brings!