vegetarian diet

 Vegan Diet vs. Vegetarian Diet: 

Which one is more advantageous to you?

When you have ever attempted to eat well or cut meat in your food you must have come across such words as vegetarian and vegan. At a glance, they might be too similar as they both are concerned with plant-based eating, but there are some significant distinctions that exist between the two. Veganism is a lifestyle that is increasingly being adopted by more individuals in India, a country where vegetarianism is highly practiced.

So, which one is better for you? We will simplify it down in an unsophisticated and straightforward fashion, as we would discuss over a cup of chai.

What Is a Vegetarian Diet?

Vegetarian diet primarily involves foods of plant origin i.e. vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds but does contain animal foods such as milk, curd, paneer, ghee, butter, and honey.

Vegetarians are of various kinds:

Lacto-vegetarian: Consumes dairy products, but not eggs and meat (is common in India).

Ovo- vegetarian: Consumes eggs but not meat and dairy products.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian: This is made up of eggs and dairy products but excludes meat and fish.

Briefly, vegetarians do not consume meat, chicken or fish, yet they can still have a warm cup of chai latte with milk or a table of paneer tikka with ease.

What Is a Vegan Diet?

The vegan diet is even more extreme because all animal products are removed. That is no milk, cheese, butter, curd, honey, nor even ghee. Vegans are fully dependent on vegetable sources of food.

However, veganism is not solely about the diet, it is a way of life that is usually founded on the concern about the environment and the compassion to animals. Several vegans do not use leather, silk, and other animal products as well.

There are several benefits of a vegetarian diet to health.

I have been brought up in a vegetarian Indian family, so it is quite natural to follow them as dal, roti, sabzi, rice and a bowl of curd are some of the common dishes. And it is quite healthy, at that!

The following are some of the proven advantages:

Healthier heart: Lessons risk of heart diseases.

Reduce cholesterol: M. dairy may also be healthy in moderation.

More user-friendly: There are no significant limitations to eating familiar Indian cuisine.

Nutrient-dense: Half combination vegetarian meals are a source of protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals.

But there are vegetarians who are inclined to consume too much of fried or processed foods (such as samosas, pakoras, and sweets). So, balance is key!

Pros of a Vegan Diet on health.

Vegan diets have the potential to be quite healthy as long as they are planned well. Vegans have a greater intake of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, which have a lot of fibre and antioxidants and do not contain any animal products.

Potential benefits include:

Weight loss: A lot of individuals naturally lose extra weight when changing into veganism.

Less sugar in the blood: Fantastic in individuals with diabetes.

Less inflammation: Skin, digestion, and energy.

Environmental benefit: Vegan diets are most sustainable to our planet.

There is, however, one problem, you must make sure you consume enough Vitamin B12, calcium, iron and Omega-3 fats, which mainly occur in animal products. They are available even in fortified foods or supplements.

Challenges to Consider

These are both difficult diets and more so when living in the day to day Indian life where our dishes are centered on milk, ghee and curd.

For vegetarians:

Dairy or sweets are easy to overdose on.

The consumption of proteins can also be low when you are not consuming enough dal or pulses.

For vegans:

Needs additional planning in order to get full nutrition.

Dining out in India may prove to be a challenge because most of the food is full of ghee, paneer or butter.

Certain social and family environments may not allow one to adhere to veganism.

In my experience, even the times that I attempted to go vegan after a few weeks, the most difficult experience was not skipping meat, but skipping chai with milk! However, since I learned about almond milk and soy curd, this became less challenging.

Which One Should You Choose?

It does not have a one size fits all. The most appropriate diet is a diet that fits your body, principles and ways of life.

Provided that you desire an easier transition, you can begin with a vegetarian meal and concentrate on whole, unprocessed food.

In case you are an animal rights activist or an environmentalist, you might identify with a vegan life more.

And in case you are not sure, go for a flexi-approach, which is to eat vegetarian the most days of the week, but go vegan one or two days a week.

Always keep in mind that little things count. You can start with swapping ghee with olive oil, experimenting with plant-based milk, or including more legumes in your diet, and change a lot in a long-term perspective.

The Bigger Picture

However, plant-based diets already have a solid base in India. Khichdi and poha, idli or rajma, and so many traditional foods are, of course, vegetarian - or even vegan! Balance, compassion, and mindful eating are already encouraged in our culture.

The conversion to vegetarian or vegan does not concern labels or rules. It is about being conscious in what you eat, appreciating nature, and improving how you feel internally.

Final Thoughts

It is your decision whether to remain a vegetarian or be a vegan but keep in mind that it is not only what you eat, but in this regard, it is the way you live. Be active, take enough water, sleep, and listen to your body.

Start small. Make gradual changes. And least, but not least, enjoy what you are eating! Since a happy mind is able to digest better than a stressed one.