What is the difference between a vegan or plant-based diet?
Contrary to popular belief, vegans and vegetables are two different things. A vegan omits all animal products from his diet and lifestyle and does so for life. Whereas, plant-based refers to a diet that omits animal products and focuses on plant foods. Although an eating plan for a plant-based diet may look remarkably similar to an eating plan for a vegan diet, there are key differences to keep in mind.
Plant-based
A plant-based diet is motivated by health benefits, and the word itself is quite literal, meaning the diet is plant-based. A plant-based diet could mean a completely vegan-friendly diet, or it could mean a mostly vegan-friendly diet (with some animal products in between). An individual who does not completely eliminate animal products, but reduces them, can be considered a flexitarian or reducer. Are you still?
People can choose to follow a plant-based diet for a few weeks, months, years, or for life. You may have heard of celebrities like Beyonce turning to plants to enjoy their health or to get in shape before a show. As you can probably see, it is not as strict as veganism because it has no rules other than eating plant-based.
So if you are someone looking to take advantage of the health benefits of veganism and would like the option of changing your diet, opting for a plant-based diet will work for you!
Vegan
The term vegan was coined by a British carpenter named Donald Watson in 1944 and has become more popular ever since. I don't think a day goes by without the word vegan making the news somewhere in the world.
Veganism is essentially a stricter form of vegetarianism. Vegetarians cut out meat, while vegans go the extra mile and cut anything from (or made by) an animal, including dairy, eggs, and honey. Most people who follow the vegan lifestyle are motivated by ethical and environmental reasons. For example, they believe that animals are our equals, not food, or they would like to reduce their impact on the planet.
Vegans not only omit animal products from their diet, but also from their everyday lives. A vegan home will only contain cruelty-free beauty products, cruelty-free cleaning products, and animal-free clothing and furniture.
Finally, the vegan lifestyle is not necessarily about health. You can easily stick to a vegan diet while only eating fatty foods like potato chips, plant-based meat, dairy substitutes, and vegan snacks (also known as vegan junk food). So if you are someone looking to live up to your morals and live more compassionately, then veganism will be perfect for you.
Health benefits
The health benefits of being vegan and plant-based are remarkably similar:
- Weightloss
- You are more likely to get your benefits on day 5
- It can reduce the risk of certain cancers.
- It can reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease.
- Less saturated fat and cholesterol
- Plants are rich in nutrients
- Strengthen your immune system