image via charlotteaclarke.blogspot.com
A lot of people get us vegetarians and vegans confused, and I get it. We are the weird people who don’t indulge in meat, so why should you care which restrictions apply to whom? Well, just in case you are curious, I decided to point out a few differences, because though we both don’t eat meat, we are not the same thing.
Vegetarian
image via atlantablackstar.com
I belong to the vegetarian group, so I’ll start with them. Upon telling anyone that I am a vegetarian, I get a few usual responses. I’ll get the raised eyebrow, long pause, and then, “Uh, so what the heck do you eat?” Or, I’ll get the people who start to ask about everything I can’t eat and then get confused.
Them: “OMG so you don’t eat ice cream or drink milk or anything?”
Me: ” That’s vegans, I just don’t eat meat.”
Them: (Not paying attention to my last comment) ” But you can’t eat eggs right?”
Me: “I do eat eggs.”
Them: “But I thought vegetarians can’t?”
And then it goes on and on. One guy was even asking what types of meat I eat…
Let’s Define a Vegetarian
So let’s lay down some ground rules to what a vegetarian is (note: there are many different versions). A Vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat, including fish and poultry. It’s not like this rule is super restrictive however, since some people will eat fish, or maybe just chicken and nothing else. It really depends on why they are vegetarian in the first place. If they are doing it for animal’s rights, chances are they aren’t eating anything “with a face” (yup, just stole that from John Tucker Must Die, whatcha gonna do?) If, however, they are doing it not by choice but for dietary reasons, chances are they will eat some type of animals because it is hard to quit meat cold turkey (hur hur).
So What Do They Eat Exactly?
My answer to this question is “I eat everything you do, without the meat.” A lot of people think this concept is harder than it actually is. Think about it. If you are having chicken, rice, and vegetables for dinner, I’d just eat the rice and the vegetables. Most sides to main courses are what a vegetarian’s main course is. We also eat dairy products, so yes we can eat ice cream, have milk with our cereal, and tons of cheese on our spaghetti. The thing most people argue with me about is eggs. They get confused that I eat them since “it’s killing an unborn chicken.” This is of course untrue. Chickens lay eggs every couple of days, whether they are fertilized or not. If you crack open an egg and there is no red speck in it, it wasn’t fertilized and therefore isn’t/ wasn’t going to be chicken. If there is a red speck, it was fertilized, and then I can’t eat it (personal preference).
Meat-Tolerance
A lot of people also think that they can’t eat meat in front of vegetarians, but we all have different tolerances of the sight and smell of meat. Fishy things are my weakness, and also rare-cooked meat where you can see the blood squeeze out when the person stabs it with a fork. Other than that, I can still enjoy my veggie meal while my carnivorous friends enjoy theirs. Some vegetarians won’t eat something if it has touched meat, but this doesn’t really bother me if the meat can be picked out. If my friends order a pepperoni pizza and I’m really hungry, I will just pick the pepperoni off so they don’t have to order a whole other pizza with cheese. Other vegetarians would rather not eat than have their food touch meat; so if you have a veggie friend, just ask their meat-tolerance.
Vegans
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Let’s move on to vegans now. You can think of a vegan as a hard-core vegetarian. Vegans don’t eat meat or ANY animal bi-products. That means no dairy, no eggs, nothing that comes from animals, period (that includes what they wear, like no leather etc.). There are also different extremes of vegans, from raw vegans (which is super extreme and probably the healthiest people you will ever meet) to vegans that allow themselves a cheat day once in a while and get that half pint of Ben&Jerry’s.
So What Do They Eat?
As I’m sure you have seen in stores, there are many vegan friendly products now a day that are actually pretty tasty. They drink soymilk, or almond milk, and can still indulge in vegan treats. They eat a lot of fruits, veggies, and tofu. If you meet a vegan who can cook well, chances are that even if you love meat, you’ll love their vegan cooking. My roommate last year who was vegan showed me the awesomeness of ice cream made from coconut milk. Not only is it healthier for you, you honestly can’t even tell it’s not the regular ice cream that you’d normally eat. If you have never tried vegan food, take a trip to a vegan restaurant, and be amazed. Vegans also have a stricter policy when it comes to eating something that has touched meat, so watch out!
How Is It Healthy?
Many people don’t think you can get enough nutrients without consuming meat, but being vegan is a very healthy lifestyle choice. (I just can’t give up sweets or cheese, but I definitely have mad respect for the people that can pull through with being vegan). They get protein from assortments of beans, and vegetables. Vegan products also contain protein and can be a lot better for the body than meat in some instances. The main thing is that you have to educate yourself on the lifestyle, and find out how to get the nutrients your body needs.
End Note
To the carnivores that made it this far down the page, we vegetarians and vegans thank you. Though not everyone agrees with the lifestyles, it’s good to know the differences. And hey, don’t knock it till you try it!
Challenge for the Brave:
Think you’ve got the self-control to be a vegetarian or vegan for a week? Challenge yourself and see how it goes! Good luck 