Veganism vs. Vegetarianism

Veganism vs. Vegetarianism

Very often, people confuse veganism with vegetarianism, yet there are glaringly stark differences between the two. Let us look into this and hopefully shed some light on this topic. First and foremost, veganism is a lifestyle which incorporates the ideal that whatever one does, they will do so with the least harm (in as practical a manner as possible) to other sentient life forms. This should never be confused with a plant based diet, as vegans do consume plant based foods as the greatest way to impact a cruelty free endeavour is to not support the meat, dairy and egg industries (Cows piracy and Earthlings are documentaries highly recommended) as well as to reduce the impact on the environment.

 The fact that veganism looks at and considers more than diet, means that even honey is not consumed, as it is produced by bees as their food.

Vegetarianism on the other hand, had its genesis in the concept that a healthier diet would be a plant based one, which for one excludes the saturated fat and cholesterol of meat and other animal products amongst other things.

Over time however, and in some instances, on a personal level only, the introduction of dairy became par for the course. Over time this led to the coining of other types of ' vegetarianism', these include:

1. Lacto - incorporating dairy - cheese and butter in the diet

2. Ova - eggs are included.

3. Lacto-ova (or ova-lacto) - dairy and eggs are included.

4. Pasco- fish is included in this diet.

The vegan lifestyle is significantly different from the vegetarian one, in the regard that even wearing leather is not an option. Other omissions from one’s lifestyle as well as diet include:

1. Any products containing palm oil which was unethically harvested.

2. Coconuts picked by captured monkeys.

3. Wearing pearls

4. Bee pollen, etc

5. Supporting products tested on animals and containing animal products, even makeup.

6 The zoo and circus as places of entertainment.

7. Vitamin D fortified foods.

8. Wines 'fined' with casein (milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein) and isinglass (fish bladder).

9. Most fast food dough, which contain human hair and/or turkey feathers.

10. Commercial sugars clarified through animal bone char.

The move to go vegan also is spurred by persons who recognize that in so doing they are:

Preserving the resources of the earth: In the following two ways.

It is quite factual that, factory farming impacts greatly, in a negative way, the methane output to the earth’s atmosphere. The very same activity or practice also utilizes large and copious quantities of water.

1. Land space – Up to 50% of the US land mass is used for animal agriculture.

2. Water usage. It takes about 660gallons of water to produce 1/3 lb of edible beef from cattle. Look at statistics here: http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-gallons-of-water-to-make-a-burger-20140124-story.html

Just the very fact that we can live healthily without factory farming is enough for me to not contribute to such a business, how about you?

-            Jan P. López