Vegans versus Vegetarians - Coursework Example

Vegans vs. Vegetarians Introduction The essential difference between a vegan diet and a vegetarian diet is the level of exclusion in terms of what can and can not be eaten. While a vegetarian may consume certain animal products and even consider consuming fish or poultry as white meat, a vegan may simply refuse to consume any product that is connected with an animal in anyway (Dwyer, 1988). Of course, there are also differences which go beyond dietary lifestyles and these are more associated with the basic philosophies that these diets suggest but for the most part, they have more similarities than differences. To better understand both the vegan and vegetarian diet, it becomes important to examine them individually. Vegetarian A vegetarian diet excludes the consumption of mean except in certain subcategories of vegetarianism in which fish or certain products that contain animal fat may be consumed. However, this is frowned upon by strict vegetarians since the consumption of fish is considered to be non-vegetarian diet. Beyond this difference there are also issues within the vegetarian diet concerning the use of dairy products such as cheese and milk since they too are derived from animals in some form. Additionally, other products such as eggs and honey also become questionable in terms of their use since they too can be considered animal byproducts and thus going against the diet which recommends eating fruits and vegetables alone. Despite the differences amongst the varieties of vegetarianism, the predominant diet of a vegetarian would be fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains and other food stuff that is not derived from animals. Undoubtedly, the diet also connects with moral, ethical, religious and even health related ideals (Marcus, 2000). Many Hindus have a religious obligation not to consume any meat while some religions may forbid the consumption of meat on certain days out of the year. There are also moral arguments for not consuming animal products since the pain and suffering caused to the animal as it is farmed is considered to be very unethical by those who prefer to consume vegetables. Of course, it can be questioned if such diets are healthy since they exclude animal products and meat which is part of the recommended balanced diet given by many medical experts. For The American Dietetic Association (2009) notes that vegetarian diets may be low in vitamin B12 and some other mineral nutrients that can be obtained from animal products (ADA, 2009). Therefore, those who select a vegetarian diet are asked to take some nutritional supplements to make sure that they are not lacking nutrients required for a healthy lifestyle. The American Dietetic Association (2009) gives detailed information about the vegetarian diet and makes several interesting points about having such a diet. For example, the website notes that vegetarians who do not consume animal fats will need to fulfill their daily fat requirements through plant fats coming from plant oil and should consume things such as nuts and seeds to ensure that they meet their daily requirements. In essence, there is nothing wrong with the vegetarian diet since whatever is eliminated from the diet through the non-consumption of meat can be largely replaced with supplements. The advantages of having a vegetarian diet are quite striking since such diets can help in controlling weight for those who need to lose it (Dwyer, 1988). A vegetarian diet has also been known to reduce the risks for heart disease and osteoporosis. On the other hand, a non-vegetarian diet that includes the heavy consumption of non-lean red meat has been linked with the increased chances of lung cancer, liver cancer, esophagus as well as the colon. However, despite some vegetarians claiming tremendous health benefits for the diet, research has shown that there were no significant differences between vegetarians and those who consume meat and animal products with regard to stomach cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer (ADA, 2009). Scientifically, the vegetarian diet offers several benefits beyond the prevention of disease and these benefits reduce the risk factors associated with heart disease and obesity. For instance, a formal vegetarian diet automatically reduces the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein that an individual consumes. Further, it increases the level of plant fiber, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin C and E that a person takes in. This results in vegetarians generally having a lower body mass index as well as lowered levels of cholesterol and blood pressure (Leneman, 1989). These health benefits result in fewer cases of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s for vegetarians (Rouse et. al., 1983). At the same time, the varieties of vegetarianism make it a slightly complicated matter to recommend the right type of diet for vegetarians. For example, lacto-ovo-vegetarians may consume dairy products and eggs while strict vegetarians may not. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians may suffer from diseases that result from having low levels of calcium and this means that they will have to supplement their diet with calcium if they wish to maintain a healthy diet (ADA, 2009). Thus, whatever is lacking from the diet of a vegetarian will need to be supplemented from various sources and these supplements can help a vegetarian keep a healthy body (Stepaniak, 2000). The recommendation for a diet which is balanced in all respects can not be denied but it seems that there are several health advantages which can push a person towards being vegetarian. The disadvantages and the missing nutrients can easily be gathered and obtained from supplements therefore being vegetarian can be a considerably healthier choice. Vegan The American Dietetic Association (2009), reports that nearly half of the vegetarians in their survey were identified as being vegan. While vegetarians may consume certain animal products, vegans completely shun any product for which animals were used. This includes eggs, dairy products and even honey since bees are kept on honey farms. Due to their lack of intake with regard to dairy products, vegans have been found to have calcium deficiency particularly when it comes to vegan women. In fact, the vegan diet is also found to be typically low in protein since there is a great focus of the diet on fruits and vegetables. There are recommended alternatives for vegans such as calcium fortified soy milk but it is not likely that all vegans consume soy milk on a daily basis. Further, for many individuals who choose to have a vegan diet, soy milk can become quite expensive compared to regularly available milk. In essence, the choice of drinking fortified soy milk can be considered unrealistic (ADA, 2009). Most importantly, the vegan diet comes with the vegan lifestyle and in some ways a vegan philosophy which has strong tenants such as Ahimsa i.e. the idea of doing no harm to anyone. The vegan philosophy also extends itself to the point that the exploitation of animals goes far beyond simply using them for food or using animal products such as milk, eggs or honey. Even the use of leather, fur or any form of what may be considered animal exploitation is shunned by those who live the vegan lifestyle (ADA, 2009). Fundamentally, it becomes clear that the vegan diet is a more extreme form of a vegetarian diet. The central difference between them is the manner in which animal products and animal derived products are treated as being permissible or not. Even strict vegetarians may consume milk and dairy products resulting in acceptable levels of calcium and protein in the body but vegans would not readily use milk, eggs or other dairy products which makes being vegan a health risk in some ways. As vegetarians are supposed to take supplements with their diet, vegans may have to take more supplements than vegetarians because their diet lacks more nutrients (ADA, 2009). Conclusions In conclusion, it becomes easy to see that being vegetarian certainly brings some benefits in terms of diet if the diet is supplemented through other means. However, being a vegan may actually have a negative impact since many essential nutrients could be missing from the diet of a vegan. Therefore, it becomes easy to say that the vegetarian diet, supplemented with dairy products and dietary supplements is a far better option than simply being a vegan. At the same time, since it is essentially a matter of choice, it would be better to be a vegetarian rather than a vegan even if the same philosophical ideas are followed. While there is nothing better than a balanced diet which includes all food groups that are recommended in certain quantities, being vegetarian is a viable option for those who wish to be so. Works Cited American Dietetic Association (ADA). 2009, ‘A new food guide for North American vegetarians’, [Online] Available at: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/governance_5105_ENU_HTML.htm Dwyer, J. 1988, ‘Health aspects of vegetarian diets’, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 48, no. 3, pp. 712-738. Leneman, L. 1989, Slimming the Vegeterian Way: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight, Wildside Press. Marcus, E. 2000, Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, McBooks Press. Rouse, I. et. al. 1983, ‘Blood-pressure-lowering effect of a vegetarian diet: controlled trial in normotensive subjects’, Lancet, vol. 8314, no. 5, pp. 5-10. Stepaniak, J. 2000, Being Vegan: Living With Conscience, Conviction, and Compassion, Lowell House. Read More