What's the difference between Vegan and Vegetarian? Is there one?

I guess I'm out of the loop. I thought that anybody who didn't eat meat was a vegetarian. Now I hear that they eat seafood. I'm lost.

Personally, I don't like the taste or texture of most meats, but I can't give up pepperoni on my pizza, bacon, etc. I'm just selective. So I'm not going to be converted to a different lifestyle or anything.

Just curious.

Hi
:)

First off PLEASE please please please discard any
*semi*, *pesca* *flexa* ridiculousness. Those do NOT
exist. They are NO kind of vegetarian. They are not
accepted by any vegetarian society, but only by
random websites run by nitwits who love spreading
misinformation.

Vegetarians do not eat animals, of any kind.
*Not-eating-animals* is specifically what vegetarians do.

The names above are only used by people who are
completely lacking in knowledge or by people who are lazy
and want to call themselves vegetarians anyway. The first
kind of person is fine as long as they learn from their mistakes.

If a person has dropped all animals but fish from their diet,
then they have made a great step, but they are not vegetarian
because vegetarians do not eat animals.
:)
That being said:
______________________
VEGETARIANS:
*Eat NO dead animals, whether they walk, swim or fly
*There is no such thing as a vegetarian who eats fish or birds
*Vegetarians do not eat foods that are *code words* for
dead animal, such as "gelatin"
*they can eat dairy and eggs but some choose not to
___________________

VEGANS
*Same as vegetarians
*They also do not eat products that come from animals,
including eggs, dairy or honey
*They do not eat code words for products that come from
animals such as casein (and many others)
*Vegans do not wear products from animals either. This
includes: leather, wool, suede, down, silk etc.
*They (whenever possible) purchase products that were
not tested on animals or contain animal parts (soaps,
health&beauty, toiletries etc.)
________________________
Now for some similarities:

BOTH are lifestyles and not just diets (except for the small
group of vegetarians who only stop eating meat because
they are on a *diet*

BOTH lifestyles are different levels of the same cause. BOTH
contain people who are trying to wrap their minds around a
new concept (of what the meat-industry actually is) and
figuring out what they can do to not be a part of it.

Yes, the very base level of vegetarianism is simply the absence
of animal flesh. That is a wonderful step. If that person does
not ever go further, then kudos to them. But they often stay
at this point for a couple of years
A.) Because the evils of eating dead animals is all they are
aware of, and
B.) Because giving up eating meat is hard, and a person has to
work on that for quite some time.

If everyone who learned about animal cruelty learned about
every aspect at one time, it would seem too big and too
unstoppable.

If every person who went veg, went straight to vegan, he
would go back to eating animals because he wouldn't be
able to cope with all the missing food, and wouldn't have
the knowledge or experience to fill the gaps to make it a
comfortable transition.

There are many layers of vegetarianism because as people
feel comfortable, confident and knowledgeable, they drop
something else from their lifestyle. If a vegetarian does not
want to be a part of animal cruelty, then veganism would be
an ultimate goal, but it takes many people well over a decade
to get there.

A vegetarian does not eat animals, seafood is an animal, you can tell people who say otherwise that they are incorrect. Vegans, eat no animal products, no meat, gelatin, beeswax, honey, eggs, dairy etc. They do not use leather, fur or other animal products either.

Vegetarians do NOT eat seafood. Pescetarians eat seafood.

Vegetarianism is a diet, a way of eating.

Veganism is a lifestyle.

There is a HUGE difference.

Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who are too lazy to say "I don't eat red meat" or "I'm cutting back on red meat" or "The only meat I eat is fish."

Yes - fish is an animal. Made up of meat.

They opt for "I'm vegetarians" which they are not. But this cop-out term makes it difficult for real vegetarians and vegans.

A Vegan is a person that to every extent possible seeks to eliminate all animal products from their daily life. Whether that be from food, clothing, medicines, toiletries, etc. Veganism is more than a diet, it's a complete lifestyle based on not using animals.

Vegetarianism on the other hand is simply a diet in which the follower as least does not eat the flesh of animals, and may avoid other animals products as well.

In sum, Veganism is a lifestyle, Vegetarianism is a diet.

Veganism is much more hardcore than vegetarianism. They try to avoid all animal products, including eggs and dairy and often clothing too. Generally, vegetarians simply don't eat meat or seafood. Those that do eat seafood are not strictly vegetarian.

At least this is what I've been led to believe.

Eat what you want. As long as you're not completely ignorant as to where your food comes from, enjoy it. Food is a route to much happiness if you ask me.

Vegans don't eat any animal products, including eggs and dairy.

Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy, but no eggs and no animal flesh.

Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs, but no dairy and no animal flesh.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat eggs and dairy, but no animal flesh.

Pescetarians eat fish and seafood, but no mammals or bird flesh. They are NOT vegetarians, though many people get confused about that.

A vegan person will only eat plant products. Vegetarians do not eat meat also, but some will consume eggs and dairy products.

The difference between a vegan and a vegetarian is that vegetarians (to, yes, varying degrees - and I confess I don't entirely understand it either) either refrain from eating certain animal-based products - or altogether eating any animal products at all; whereas vegans abstain from using (or eating) animal products of any kind. Some examples of this would be leather or fur or things made using feathers.

vegans dont eat anything that comes from animals, like cheese, or milk, eggs etc... while vegitarians just dont eat meat, but there are alot of diferent ways people go about it, its just a personal choice about what to eat and not to eat

Vegans are like a more selective vegetarian. They do not eat meat, but they also won't eat dairy products, eggs, or anything made with animal products. There are levels of vegetarians. Some eat fish, eggs, and dairy products. Some will eat dairy products but not fish or eggs, etc. I even know some organic vegans who eat only organic foods made with no animal products.

There are other catagories too. Theres an ovo-vegetarian (eats eggs), lacto-vegetarian (drinks milk, eats butter, etc.), ovolacto-vegetarian (combo of the both), A lot of people consider a vegetarian one who eat fish and other seafoods. A vegan is a hard core vegetarian, no meat, no seafood, no eggs, no milk, not even leather products - no belts, shoes, coats, etc, anything that has to do with animals. I've heard some vegans won't even ride a horse.

No difference hun! Just a shorter way to say "There vegetarian's, you know.. Smile!!!

Vegetarian = does not eat meat

Vegan = does not eat meat, or any product that has come from animals (e.g. eggs, milk, etc)

However, some vegetarians do choose to eat seafood, but not meat. Also, vegetarians in the know sometimes choose not to eat most cheeses, as the majority contain 'rennet', which is an enzyme that is used to mature the cheese, and comes from the stomach of a cow.

Im still not even sure what a vegan is...lol