Did you think your child was vegetarian only to find out they also don’t eat eggs or cheese? Are they vegan? Or simply plant-based? Many people still confuse the nuances of these diets, and here we aim to clarify the distinctions between these eating habits and explore how they have gained popularity on our tables over the last few decades.
It can be tricky to navigate the differences between vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian diets. Beyond these fundamental distinctions, how can we make sense of the rising trend of meat-free diets? And where did this phenomenon originate? Here, we address your inquiries.
What Are The Differences Between Vegetarian, Plant-Based, And Vegan Diets?
Vegetarians Avoid Meat And Fish
A vegetarian refrains from consuming meat, fish, or insects but may still eat animal products such as eggs, dairy, and honey.
Plant-Based Individuals Avoid All Animal Products
Individuals following a plant-based diet do not consume meat, fish, or insects, nor do they include animal products like eggs, dairy, or honey in their diet.
Veganism Is A Holistic Approach
Veganism encompasses a comprehensive lifestyle rather than solely dietary changes. While vegans eat plant-based, their commitment extends to their entire way of life. A vegan consciously avoids purchasing or wearing wool, fur, down bedding, cosmetics, and products containing animal-derived ingredients (like beeswax or certain fats) or those tested on animals. Labels such as Cruelty-Free, often depicted with a small bunny on the packaging, help identify such products.
Are Meat-Free Diets A New Trend?
A Timeless Practice
Although these dietary choices seem recent, they have deep historical roots stretching back thousands of years. For example, Platonic philosophy, which posited that a “healthy city is vegetarian,” or Pythagorean beliefs that the souls of animals could transfer to those who consume them, illustrate its age-old presence.
Later, philosopher Plutarch criticized meat consumption, describing it as based on a “selfish pleasure of the mouth,” arguing that civilized individuals should be able to do without killing for sustenance.
Historically, vegetarianism has remained relatively common, with notable historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci stating, “The body should not be a tomb,” and many other luminaries such as Rousseau, Voltaire, and Marguerite Yourcenar also subscribing to vegetarian beliefs.
A More Recent Terminology
The term “vegan” emerged in 1944 in England to distinguish strict plant-based eaters from their vegetarian counterparts. However, vegan practices trace back to ancient times, particularly in countries like India where religions such as Hinduism promote treating animals as equals, exemplified by the principle of “Ahimsa.”
Will I Lose Weight By Eating Vegan Or Vegetarian?
A Focus On Whole Foods
Some may erroneously believe that switching to these diets leads directly to weight loss. Those who start these diets with that aim may be disappointed. If weight loss occurs, it is often because individuals transition from a heavily processed diet rich in salt, fats, and sugars to a diet that emphasizes whole foods.
Eating foods in their most unrefined state, or “Raw,” means opting for the most natural and whole ingredients possible. A vegan typically gravitates toward whole foods like legumes (lentils, chickpeas) and grains (quinoa, rice), rather than pre-packaged meals, making it easier to prepare their own dishes without eating common items like cheese or eggs.
Recent Industrialization Trends
However, food corporations are increasingly recognizing the growing market for plant-based consumers. In recent years, the market has been flooded with plant-based steaks, nuggets, and patties. Not all of these products offer the same nutritional value, making it essential to evaluate their composition, including fat content (especially saturated fats), protein levels, and sugar quantities.
What Motivates These Dietary Changes?
Ethical Considerations
The primary motivation behind many vegans and vegetarians is the well-being of animals. This ethical stance often reflects a desire to regard animals as equals. This philosophy questions human rights over animal lives: to what extent can we dictate their existence?
Vegans take this consideration further, believing that rights extend not only to the lives of animals but also to what belongs to them, including milk and eggs. They often criticize the industries producing these secondary products, as they frequently align with practices similar to those in the meat industry. For instance, 80% of the “beef” on our plates often comes from cows that were previously dairy producers, ending their lives prematurely due to economic reasons.
Additionally, dairy cows typically must give birth for milk production. This often involves artificial insemination, resulting in calves being taken away shortly after birth. Female calves may become milk producers, while males are often raised for meat and slaughtered at a young age. Likewise, 45 million male chicks are killed annually, frequently through methods like grinding or drowning.
Two Main Philosophical Approaches Exist:
- The Welfarism movement aims to improve the living conditions of farm animals to minimize suffering. This perspective tends to exclude vegans who advocate for the complete abolition of animal exploitation. Nevertheless, it is often used by animal welfare organizations to promote better practices, such as initiatives by the Lyon-based L214 group that negotiates better treatment for farm animals.
- The Abolitionism approach advocates for the total and unilateral cessation of animal exploitation.
Environmental Concerns
The second motivation for those sometimes called “anti-meat” advocates is the environmental impact of meat products. Feeding a person with plant-based foods necessitates significantly less arable land than that required for meat consumption.
Moreover, intensive livestock farming is responsible for 18% of carbon dioxide emissions globally, contributing significantly to climate change.
In some cases, certain pig farms can pollute groundwater with nitrates found in animal waste.
Health Benefits
Lastly, health considerations can drive individuals to adopt these diets. Generally, these eating patterns reduce the risk of various diseases, including colon cancer and cardiovascular conditions. For instance, a vegan diet is typically devoid of cholesterol and is often lower in fats and sugars compared to standard diets (providing one avoids processed snacks and chips), along with being less acidic and more fiber-rich, which helps diminish obesity risks among others.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE
A vegetarian diet is highly nutritious and does not necessitate supplements as long as it is sufficiently varied.
Conversely, a vegan or plant-based diet requires more in-depth nutritional knowledge. While it has been established that this diet is viable at all life stages, attention must be paid to essential elements like vitamin B12, iron intake, adequate sun exposure for vitamin D, and iodine. Regular testing of these components can help prevent possible deficiencies.
No matter what type of diet one follows—omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan—variety remains the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle: consume a colorful, diversified mix of both raw and cooked foods!
