Vegan vs Vegetarian:
What is the actual difference?
Updated March 2026
Vegetarians do not eat meat. Vegans do not eat any animal products at all - no dairy, eggs, honey, or gelatin. Both reduce heart disease risk. Only vegans need B12 supplements.
| Food / Product | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, pork, lamb | - | - |
| Chicken, turkey | - | - |
| Fish and seafood | - | - |
| Eggs | + | - |
| Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter) | + | - |
| Honey | + | - |
| Gelatin (Jell-O, some gummies) | - | - |
| Fruits and vegetables | + | + |
| Grains (bread, pasta, rice) | + | + |
| Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas) | + | + |
| Nuts and seeds | + | + |
| Tofu and tempeh | + | + |
| Plant-based milks (oat, almond, soy) | + | + |
| Dark chocolate (check labels) | + | + |
| Factor | Vegetarian | Vegan |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty level | Moderate - easy in most restaurants | Hard - requires careful label reading |
| B12 supplement needed | No - eggs and dairy provide B12 | Yes - mandatory, no food sources |
| Protein sources | Eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu | Legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds |
| Eating out | Most restaurants have options | Limited in many places, improving in cities |
| Grocery cost (whole foods) | Slightly cheaper than meat-eating | Cheaper than meat-eating with whole foods |
| Grocery cost (specialty) | Similar to omnivore | More expensive if buying vegan substitutes |
| Heart disease risk | Lower than omnivore | Lower than vegetarian |
| Environmental impact | Better than omnivore | Better than vegetarian |
| Social challenges | Manageable | More challenging at family events/travel |
The plant-based spectrum
Most people who eat plant-based diets land somewhere in the middle. "Mostly vegan" with occasional eggs or dairy is a reasonable long-term position for many people.
Health comparison
- +Both reduce heart disease risk vs typical Western diets
- +Both associated with lower rates of type 2 diabetes
- +Both reduce some cancer risks (colon cancer particularly)
- !Vegans must supplement B12 - deficiency causes nerve damage
- !Both groups need to monitor iron, zinc, and omega-3 intake
- !Protein is easy to get with legumes, tofu, and whole grains
Cost comparison
- +Rice, beans, lentils, oats are the cheapest foods available
- +Whole-food plant-based eating costs less than a meat-heavy diet
- -Vegan meat substitutes (Beyond Burger etc) cost 2-3x real meat
- -Specialty vegan products like cheese, yogurt cost more
- !The cost difference depends entirely on which foods you choose
Which should you try first?
Start vegetarian. It is significantly easier to maintain socially and nutritionally. Most restaurants have vegetarian options. Family dinners are manageable. You can eat eggs and dairy, which makes protein and B12 simple.
If you have been vegetarian for a while and want to reduce your environmental impact further, try going fully vegan for 30 days as an experiment. Many people discover they do not miss dairy and eggs as much as expected.
Many long-term healthy eaters settle on something like 80-90% vegan with occasional flexibility. There is no moral obligation to be perfect. Consistent reduction in animal products has real environmental and health benefits.
Common Questions
Do vegans need to take B12 supplements?
Yes, B12 supplementation is not optional for vegans. B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products. Plant foods do not reliably provide it. B12 deficiency develops slowly but causes irreversible nerve damage. Take 1000mcg of cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin 2-3 times per week, or 50mcg daily.
Where do vegans get protein?
Protein is not the hard part. Lentils (18g per cup cooked), black beans (15g), tofu (20g per cup), tempeh (31g per cup), edamame (17g per cup), and seitan (25g per 100g) are all high-protein plant foods. Eating a variety of whole plant foods easily meets protein needs for most people.
Is veganism more expensive than vegetarianism?
It depends on what you buy. Beans, lentils, oats, tofu, and vegetables are very cheap. Specialty vegan products like cheese alternatives, vegan butter, and plant-based meat are expensive. A whole-food vegan diet is typically cheaper than a meat-eating diet. A highly processed vegan diet can be more expensive.
Can vegetarians eat fish?
Traditional vegetarians do not eat fish. Pescatarians eat fish but no other meat. Some people describe themselves as vegetarian while eating fish, but by the standard definition, fish is excluded. If you eat fish, the correct term is pescatarian.