HELP - Question on Vegeterian/Vegan

I have a question...the other day a colleague at work stated he was going to become a Vegan and I thought wow thats a pretty big leap...I also thought ok I currently have limited my intake on beef and mainly eat poultry and fish so am I that much different??? Could I become a Vegetarian????  So my question is what exactly is a Vegetarian and whats the difference between being a Vegetarian and a Vegan????  It just seems there is a difference and I want to be clear on it.

Hi

A veggie is someone who doesn't eat meat and usually only eats other animal products that are free-range or from better treated animals e.g. cheese and eggs.

Vegans don't go near any animal products - meat, eggs, dairy, leather, gelatine (hidden in a lot of places like sweets), egg products (this means no vaccinations as wel since a lot of them are grown in chicken eggs)... etc you get the idea.  It's a real commitment.

As for you, you could almost call yourself half way to being a veggie, the next step isn't too big a leap.  Going from omnivore to vegan is a huge leap so if you wanted to follow, take it easy and exclude animal products slowly because it's much easier to remain veggie if you change your lifestyle instead of a huge change (kinda like dieting really!)

http://www.vegsoc.org/

Vegetarianism is a way of eating: veganism is more of a lifestyle choice. As miserybabe says it involves a lot more than just stopping eating animal products. Even down to what shampoo and soap you buy and clothes you wear.

I'm a vegetarian, but I eat lots of vegan meals (for health reasons mainly, to cut out the saturated fat that is in dairy). Most vegetarians eat lots of vegan food, so they may be dietary vegans (or close to) but are not classed as vegans because they use animal products (leather, wool etc).

I agree with what aimforhealth said: Vegetarianism is more a lifestyle than a diet choice.

I haven't eaten meat for over a year now but I still wouldn't really classify myself as a vegetarian purely because I don't want that type of food in my body. I don't pay as much attention to what's in my makeup products, or what my shoes are made out of as vegetarians do.

Here's the quickest distinction: vegetarians don't eat dead animal. Vegans don't eat any animal products. 

There's also pescetarians who are like vegetarians who also eat fish/sea food. 

I think the others have answered the definition of v*ganism.

I wanted to address the reasons people become vegetarians/vegans.

Some people do it because of ethics, they don't want to kill or harm animals.  Others do it for health reasons.  And some do it for the environment.  Some folks simply don't like the taste of flesh.  And others, like myself, do it for all of the above reasons.

If you decide you want to give it a go, you'll find help and information on this forum.

I would be happy to send you any informational links if you are interested.

Original Post by zenseekercu:

I think the others have answered the definition of v*ganism.

(Side question for zenseekercu, sorry it's off topic but I have ALWAYS wondered... why the asterisk in the word vegan? I am vegan, and I visit lots of vegan forums and websites and see this all time... but it feel like an inside joke that I missed out on! Care to explain? Thanks!)

And to address dave98z3, I think it's great that you are even considering veganism! It's always inspiring to see people look at others who are different than them, and try to see through their eyes, rather than immediately go "That's weird!" I became vegan for ethical and health reasons. Each vegan truly impacts the enviroment in a really positive way, and eating a vegan diet can be very beneficial to one's health. I have not been sick one single time since going vegan!

Plus, vegan food is YUMMY! Good luck on your journey.

Original Post by folkharpist:

 sorry it's off topic but I have ALWAYS wondered... why the asterisk in the word vegan? I am vegan, and I visit lots of vegan forums and websites and see this all time... but it feel like an inside joke that I missed out on! Care to explain? Thanks!)

 

veg*n  = veg(etaria)n OR veg(a)n

used to talk about both groups as a whole

Thanks everyone...it helps me better understand the differences as well as the commitment others do towards the Veg lifestyle.  Again thanks to all for your input it was EXACTLY what I was looking for...

There are some important dietary and health concerns to consider chosing any of the vegetarian diets. You must be aware that to get all your required nutrients, you need to eat combinations of foods that inlude all of these. There is a group of amino acids called essential amino acids that your body cannot synthesize or create from foods that do not contain them. There are about 8 of them and I won't bore anyone with lists. But your diet has to be researched and planned to include all the essential amino acids in your diet. It is possible, and a totally healthy lifestyle if done correctly. Just wanted to give you a heads up, that your diet needs to include certain vegetables to enjoy the benefits of a vegetarian diet and be healthy. Here is a link that gives a very good overview of the various vegetarian diet and the considerations for each.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/healthy- eating-vegetarian-diets-organic-foods

This is not in doctor speak and very easy reading.