When the Soul Argues with the Body: What Do Omnivores and Vegetarians Say?

What Is the Difference Between Vegans and Vegetarians?

As the names already imply, both vegans and vegetarians focus on plant-based diets. The reasons for choosing these eating habits can stem from similar concerns – health, ethics, religion, or trying to treat the environment better. Nonetheless, there are indeed several differences between the groups. What are they?

The Philosophy of Vegetarians and Vegans Not Just a Diet, but an Outlook on Life!

When somebody becomes a vegan, they surely have serious personal reasons for that, as it is a rather huge lifestyle change. That is because it’s not just about food; if you are vegan, you also have to quit a variety of things others consider completely normal and of daily use – you avoid leather clothes and footwear, you take great care not to use shampoos or other products tested on animals, and you have to be quite picky when it comes to food as well – even an innocent marmalade can be non-vegan if animals were used to produce its coloring.

Becoming a Vegetarian Is Easy, Staying One Is Much Harder

Why do people become vegetarians? Everybody decides on their own – the reasons can be religious, ecological, ethical or health-associated. Which motives are closest to your heart? Deciding to eat vegetarian takes only a matter of seconds. But what if you run into problems down the line? How long can you last when everybody around you is eating meat?

How to Correctly Eat Vegan and Vegetarian

A plant-based diet can provide the body with everything necessary, assuming that it is varied and contains enough protein – even if it isn’t from meat. That is why it is important to observe several basic parameters, and to provide the body with the nutrients it needs through food supplements when necessary. So, what exactly is it that we need?

Specific Diets: Who is Who and What is What

There are several types of vegetarians, but who eats what and how do they refer to themselves? Do they eat, for example, chicken, or fish? Vegans are the strictest, avoiding even the use of leather clothes and all animal-based products.

Vegans, Watch Out for a Vitamin B12 Deficiency!

The B12 vitamin (cobalamin) cannot be produced by plants or organisms. And yet it is crucial for us – it enables the proper functioning of the nervous system and blood formation. As such, it is not found in plant-based foods, but only in meat. That is why vegans need to be careful and ensure they have a sufficient amount of it from sources other than from the foods in a conventional vegan diet.

Plant-based Diets Can Help with Civilizational Diseases

People living in the richer parts of the world have, within the last century, gotten used to prosperity, which is accompanied by serious health risks in the form of civilizational diseases. Areas where ensuring enough quality and nutritious foods is problematic (such as India, Africa and others) basically don’t encounter civilizational diseases at all – yet in rich countries they are a true bane and a literal epidemic.

How to Replace Meat?

If we stop eating meat in the long term, we need to replace it with something else so as not to lose an important source of amino acids, iron and even vitamin B12. So how do we do it? What can work as an effective replacement? Which valuable vegetables, legumes and sides can we choose from?

Legumes a Source of Protein and Joy

One of the foods which undoubtedly helps vegetarians and vegans substitute meat is legumes. Not only do they contain protein, but also saccharides, fiber, vitamins (especially B-group ones) and a variety of minerals, primarily phosphorus, magnesium, iron and calcium. In short, they are treasure troves of everything we need, and thanks to their variety and numerous possible combinations we can find them delicious!

Miso The Way to Health

Miso has been an important traditional food in Asia for centuries. It provides the body with probiotics —thanks to which it fortifies the immune and digestive systems — and with vitamin B12, which for vegans is indispensable. That is why it shouldn’t be missing from the table of anybody who doesn’t eat meat or animal-based products, and can definitely help even those with no qualms eating meat.

Pumpkin A Pleasant Surprise of a Vegetable

The pumpkin is the kind of vegetable which some eaters love and others almost fear. However, there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of, as pumpkin is a great food not only for vegans and vegetarians, but for anyone who enjoys delicious food and new flavors.

Your Child Wants to Become a Vegan What on Earth Should You Do?

In recent years, veganism and vegetarianism have started resonating with growing numbers of young people. Their motivation being (unlike older people who often do so for health reasons) the protection of animals and the environment. The looming climatic changes and devastation of the environment are common topics for young people – and those who wish to start with themselves often turn to adjusting their diets towards vegetarianism. But when they tell their parents, who prepare their food, they often run into a brick wall – and the problem emerges. How to deal with such a situation?

Raising a Vegan?

Are you vegans or vegetarians and considering whether you should raise your child in a similar spirit? Is it ethical at all to decide their trajectory, or would it be for the better to let them choose on their own one day? And if you feed them a plant-based diet, what can and can’t they actually eat? These questions are floating in the heads of more and more parents who chose vegetarianism as their own path.

Replacing Meat What is What?

It is the most widespread source of plant-based protein.

Cereals The Fundamentals of Vegan and Vegetarian Cuisine

Those who avoid eating meat, milk and eggs are always looking for ways to enrich and spice up their diets. As such, a great part of a vegan and vegetarian’s diet are – apart from vegetables – all kinds of cereals and similar sides (the so-called pseudocereals), and that doesn’t have to mean only the obvious rice or corn. These days one can easily buy not only the conventional sides we all know well, but even those which come from distant parts of the world, having become widespread only relatively recently. Join us in exploring some of them and try a vegan recipe yourself!

Eggs Are a Traditional Food, But They Can Be Replaced

Have you opted to eat a vegan diet and realized you miss eggs? That can happen. Some may be missing their flavor, while others may be looking for ways of replacing them as binders and thickeners in conventional cooking. There are certainly solutions to this and there’s no need to give up on your favorite meals. Here are a couple of handy tips!

Tofu the Pillar of Vegan Cuisine

Whoever is thinking about replacing meat while getting enough protein won’t manage this without tofu. Many people don’t fully trust it and don’t really know how to use it, nor how to prepare it properly or use it in cooking. Yet there are so many options!

What to Eat if You Want a Plant-Based Diet?

People often fear the shift to a vegetarian or even vegan diet. They have many questions: What will I actually eat? Won’t I be lacking something? Which foods should I replace and with what? Can you actually go shopping normally when vegan or vegetarian, or go to a restaurant? You don’t need to fear any of this, it isn’t as difficult as it may seem at first glance. The food is delicious, and you certainly won’t die of hunger!

Why Meat Isn’t as Healthy as We Thought

Children are often told: eat meat, your body needs it to get its strength back. And when children refuse, the parents aren’t exactly happy. So what is the truth, and how beneficial is meat really?

15 Delicious VEGETARIAN Recipes

4 servings, prep time 45 min, roughly 12 hours soaking