Hello everyone,
Today's post is dedicated to the differences among three lifestyles: vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian. Maybe you're a meat eater who is interested in learning about these lifestyles, maybe you want to convert, or maybe you're already a convert and want some quick clarification. Whatever your objective is, I'm just glad you're here.
You might think that most people understand the differences. Well, not exactly. I mean, I learn new things about veganism every day. So, don't ever be embarrassed, disappointed, or even discouraged because you didn't know something. It takes time to learn!
To continue, I've casually explained the differences among the three lifestyles below. If you have any questions or points you want to discuss, please feel free to comment on this post. I love to hear your thoughts!
VEGAN
A vegan does not eat animals or anything made from animals. For example, eggs come from chickens, therefore, it is made from an animal. Dairy is also off-limits to a vegan diet because it comes from cows and other animals such as goats. Foods like marshmallows (which is hardly a food… just sayin’) contain gelatin which comes from cows or pigs. Another non-vegan edible item is honey which comes from bees. Bread is also another great example. It's usually a vegan food, however, if it is enriched, it will likely contain milk or eggs within the ingredients. This can be quite annoying if you're trying to commit to this lifestyle, however, I assure you that optimism is key!
Am I a vegan? Truthfully, no. Am I trying to go vegan? Yes, every single day! Regarding that journey, I will leave that for another post.
Am I a vegan? Truthfully, no. Am I trying to go vegan? Yes, every single day! Regarding that journey, I will leave that for another post.
In addition, vegans do not use or buy anything made from animals. This is where it can a be a little challenging for some, including myself. Below, I've listed a few things that are made by exploiting animals. Hopefully, this will give you a better understanding of vegan vs. non-vegan.
- Cosmetic, Personal, and Household Products – Many companies test on animals before selling a product, as discussed in my previous post Animal Testing: A Clarification On Which Animals Are Used. An easy way to make sure you are buying cruelty-free is to look for a bunny that has pink ears or that is leaping on the product you are buying. Sometimes, products have a cruelty-free label with or without the bunny. Also, there are great apps that make it so incredibly easy to shop by telling you exactly which brands are cruelty-free. The one I use is called Cruelty-Free. Having an app really makes shopping so much easier!
- Clothes, Shoes, Bags, and Jewelry – Clothes, shoes, and bags are commonly made from leather, fur, wool, suede, silk, and feathers. Yes, silk is non-vegan since it comes from worms. Regarding jewelry, it can sometimes have or be made of ivory, bone, and fur.
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| An example of a vegan dish. There's fruit, hummus, almond milk for coffee, and bread. (Photo: Pixabay) |
VEGETARIAN
A vegetarian simply does not eat meat. This diet allows for more flexibility because you can still eat and drink dairy products, as well as wear and use products of your choosing.
Are eggs on the menu? This is debatable, but it's completely up to you. Eggs are not yet meat, so you will still be considered a vegetarian if you decide to eat or use eggs. On the other hand, there are those that consider eggs to be meat. Like I said, it's up to you!
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| An example of a vegetarian dish. You have fruit and lentils, however, there's also cheese which is a dairy product. (Photo: Pixabay) |
PESCATARIAN
A pescatarian diet is a vegetarian diet with fish. It’s that simple. It’s pretty much the same concept of being a vegetarian except there’s a little more leeway. So, you can eat sushi, a bagel with lox, even cream cheese, as long as there is no meat in your diet.
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| An example of a pescatarian dish. Fish equals pescatarian, cheese equals non-vegan, and bread equals vegan. (Photo: Pixabay) |
So there you have it! I wish you guys all the best and I hope I was able to teach you a thing or two, or three!
Until next time!
Nala
Nala
Thank you for the clarification. I am on a daily journey of transitioning from meat eating to vegetarianism. A vegan lifestyle would be great, but seems a bit challenging for me. What advice would you give the vegetarian mom who lives in a house full of carnivores.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jenelle!
DeleteThank you so much for commenting! I also live in house full of carnivores. I have my Italian side that cooks and buys meat daily. From prosciutto to steaks to ribs, you name it, we have it in the freezer. Then, I have my Mexican side that cooks just about everything with meat, even for flavoring in soup and sauces. Trust me, I understand your struggle very much.
I found that the easiest way to stick to a vegetarian diet is to:
1. Talk to my family. Although I appreciate them offering me food, I have to kindly decline (something that is a little rude in my culture, but this is why you talk to them. That way, they know you're not trying to be rude.)
2. Set up a meal plan for the week. Online there are many vegetarian/vegan meal plans people have made for the public. You can make a print-out and put it on your fridge, somewhere in the kitchen (helps to remind other people in the house), or wherever else you prefer.
If you are finding it hard to come up with a meal plan, that's okay. There are apps for that. The one I use is called Meal Plans. It's an app that gives you ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, even snacks. You choose your plan and it even gives you a grocery list.
Another option is an app called Hello Fresh. It does ALL of the work for you. All you have to do is purchase the Veggie Meal Plan for $60/week and it feeds 2 people and provides 3 meals/day for 1 week. The next week is a whole new "menu" under the same plan. They send you the food with cooking instructions. You don't even have to go to the store.
3. Reserve a drawer/section in the fridge for your food. Let your family know that this is for your meals. If you don't, they will eat it! Also, do the same for your food that doesn't need to be in the fridge.
4. This one is a bit much, but it does help. Set alarms on your phone when it's time to eat. If you think you're going to get hungry between meals, have snacks to munch on in a ziplock bag. I like to munch on mini carrots, cheerios, pistachios, assorted nuts, broccoli (great source of protein!), crackers, granola, etc. This really does help me stay full and happy between meals.
I hope these tips help you, Jenelle. I understand that transitioning can be quite challenging at first. For me, after the first two weeks, being vegetarian was second nature. I even started disliking the smell of meat and the taste of unnatural things like candy.
I wish you the best of luck in your transition! Please, feel free to reach out to me if you need support or help with anything :)
- Nala