Social media went into a frenzy after an Indian doctor claimed that dairy products, such as milk and cottage cheese are not vegetarian foods. 

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Dr Sylvia Karpagam, who is the working editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, said that such products are just like chicken or beef as they come from animals and they should be considered non-vegetarian. 

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While responding to a post on social media platform X, Karpagam said, "...paneer and milk are not 'veg'. They are animal source foods.....same like chicken, fish, beef and all." 

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She was responding to a post by another doctor, Sunita Sayammagaru, who had shared a photo of a vegetarian meal. In the post, she claimed that the meal consists of paneer (cottage cheese), moong dal, and a salad with carrots, cucumbers and onions. It also had a raw coconut, walnuts and a bowl of kheer. 

In the caption, she wrote, "Dinner plate of husband vegetarian meal. Has protein, good fats and fibre." 

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However, the reaction from Karpagam triggered a debate with netizens flooding the comment section with their opinions. 

One user wrote: "Wow..so when baby drinks breast milk..can you use this same logic. Do you really treat patients". Another said, "No one is killed … to eat paneer or mill."  

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Vegan vs vegetarian difference 

One user called it propaganda, saying, "milk products are the animal products that no animal has to be killed to get hence is indeed vegetarian & not vegan, any killing or harm of animal is on the milking set up, veg means vegetarian. stop imposing stupid western vegan standards here in India (sic)." 

The debate also highlighted the need for a basic understanding of the difference between vegan and vegetarian. The textbook says that vegetarians don't eat any food products made from meat, fish, shellfish, crustacea (such as prawns or crab) or animal by-products (such as gelatine or rennet). Meanwhile, vegans don't eat any food products that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs. 

(With inputs from agencies)