You might be curious about what vegan means and how it differs from vegetarian as vegan diets gain popularity. The fundamental distinction is that a vegan diet forbids the use of any animal products or foods.1 A vegetarian diet may include eggs, honey, milk, and dairy products but excludes meat, fish, poultry, and shellfish.
According to research, eating a vegetarian or vegan diet might both have advantages and disadvantages in terms of health.2 Learn about vegan diets, what you can eat, and the benefits and drawbacks by reading on.
Vegans abstain from all consumption of foods derived from animals. This implies that they cannot eat any meat, seafood, poultry, or dairy products, nor can they consume honey or goods containing animal-derived additives like gelatin (from cows and pigs) or whey (from milk).
Vegans have a variety of plant-based eating options. Some options for vegans are:
Fruits Vegetables
Nuts Grains
Vegetable oils such as avocado, sesame, canola, and olive
Legumes
grain-based goods
Pasta Bread
foods made of soy, such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame
nut butter and nuts
alternatives to dairy and meat made from plants
Vegans and vegetarians are still a tiny percentage of the population, but their numbers have grown significantly in the past few years. The more people who eat this way, the more vegan options manufacturers add.
Health food stores usually carry a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. Traditional grocery store chains and retailers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and even Walmart now do too.
Some vegan alternatives to traditional animal-based products include plant-based meat, milk, and dairy substitutes. Their nutritional content can vary, and some plant-based options are highly processed and may be higher in sodium, lower in protein, and higher in saturated fat than the original. If you’re concerned about nutritional content, check the label to see how they compare.
