The quest for healthy living and eating has seen many people change their dietary patterns over the last few years. More people are moving away from animal foods and products towards plant-based diets. Taking a deeper dive into this matter, the change in eating and living patterns has brought relatively new terminologies. These terms are vegan vs plant-based.
It’s essential to understand the common reasons why people adopt these two lifestyles. One main reason is the health benefits. There is a lot of information today showing the benefits of eating fruits, nuts, and vegetables contributing to a healthy body and brain.
Another reason is the rising concern about animal protein. Health experts have for decades advised people to consume less meat. The growing concern from too much meat consumption is its association and implication in health problems such as cancer, stroke, heart attack, bad cholesterol buildup, and more.
Other primary reasons vegans hold and give for their lifestyle are upholding moral values and general animal welfare. They believe all animals have a right to life, freedom, good health, and comfort without being subjected to any form of cruelty or harm.
While many people are eliminating or reducing animal products in their diet and calling themselves vegan or plant-based, questions arise on their true meanings, similarities, and differences.
Vegan
In 1944, Donald Watson, an animal rights activist and founder of The Vegan Society, created this term. The terminology has evolved real quick and may have confusing meanings to different people. But, in simple language, a vegan eliminates all animal products from their diet and other aspects of their lives.
Vegans are not concerned about their diets only. They focus on a lifestyle that prevents any form of animal cruelty and exploitation, such as for beauty, clothing, food, and other purposes. Vegans don’t even purchase products made of leather.
The vegan lifestyle, also known as veganism, holds its philosophy deep in animal rights protection. Vegans are not just moral high-grounders but firm and dedicated believers in its environmental, ethical, and healthy benefits.
We have a more in-depth article describing veganism here if you’d like to learn more.
Plant-Based
Plant-based lifestyles purely focus on the benefits of avoiding animal products in their diet and not necessarily the ethical aspects like vegans.
American biochemist Dr. T. Colin Campbell came up with the term plant-based diet in the 1980s advocating for a high fiber, low-fat vegetable-based diet in nutrition science. Plant-based diets don’t necessarily eliminate all animal products but mainly focus on eating fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables.
Vegan vs Plant-Based
There are myriad reasons, but health, animal welfare, and environmental concerns are the main reasons for vegan vs plant-based choices. But when it comes to plant-based vs vegan lifestyles, there are some differences.
Vegans are more focused on preventing animal harm for moral and ethical reasons. They don’t necessarily care about the dietary benefits but the protection of animal rights. Vegans comfortably consume processed foods, provided they are not animal-made products.
Being vegan doesn’t mean it is healthy. One can still eat vegan junk food such as potato chips and other non-animal products.
Veganism also avoids any animal products such as cosmetics, clothing, and other household items. A vegan will also not use beeswax products, leather products, or any animal-made items.
On the other hand, plant-based is concerned about the dietary or health benefits of eating plant foods. Plant-based emphasis on eating whole plant foods like grains, nuts, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and avoid processed foods.
People on plant-based lifestyles and diets freely buy and use other animal-made products, like leather, beeswax, cosmetics, clothing, and other personal care products. Some plant-based may eat restricted amounts of animal products, but their strict focus is on whole foods.
Similarities
While vegan vs plant-based lifestyles has different engaging concepts, they are both rooted and firm believers in plant foods and related benefits.
Vegan and plant-based both promote a healthy and moral lifestyle. Their primary focus is improving how people live and eat with a keen focus on the products they consume. Both don’t advocate for the consumption of animal foods.
A happy and healthy living starts with the choices people make and follow. Vegan and plant-based may have differing reasons for their choices but all advocate for a disciplined lifestyle.
The world today is focused on the longevity of life through healthy living and environmental conservation. Choosing to become a vegan or follow a plant-based diet is the best choice to make today to start a healthy, moral, and ethical living.
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