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Vegetarians: Many Different Types, Many Different Choices

Generally speaking, vegetarians are persons who do not eat animal flesh, including meat, poultry, and fish. Rather, a vegetarian’s diet is comprised primarily of plant foods, including fruit, vegetables, bean, grains, seeds and nuts.

The Different Types of Vegetarians
Not every vegetarian adheres to this rigid definition. Different types of vegetarians include lactovegetarians, ovovegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians and semivegetarians.

Lactovegetarians eat dairy products, ovovegetarians eat eggs, and lacto-ovovegetarians eat eggs and dairy products. Some vegetarians eat a diet that consists primarily of plant foods, but they occasionally include fish and poultry. These pesco- and pollo-vegetarians are referred to as semivegetarians. Pure vegetarians often do not consider semivegetarians to be true adherents of the lifestyle.

Another set of vegetarians are known as vegans. The difference between vegetarians and vegans is that the latter group excludes all animal products or foods that involve the use of animals, such as honey, from their diet.

The vegan diet is comprised primarily of lentils, beans, fruits, vegetables and soy products. Some vegans eat only unprocessed food that has not been heated above 115ºF. Raw vegans believe that cooked food loses its nutritional value and is harmful to the body. Studies question these claims, however.

Why Vegetarianism?
Vegetarianism is often more than a simple dietary choice; it sometimes reflects the personal, political, ethical and spiritual beliefs of the individual. For instance, many vegans believe that it is unethical for humans to kill and consume animals. Thus not only do vegans refrain from eating animal products, they also do not use or wear animal products, including leather, wool, or silk.

Many vegetarians are of the opinion that animal product industries place an unnecessary burden on natural resources and believe that by not consuming animal products they are helping to conserve the environment.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of A Vegetarian Diet
A typical vegetarian diet, low in fat, high in fiber, and full of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, meets dietary recommendations for healthy eating. Consequently, vegetarians tend to have a reduced incidence of heart disease, adult onset diabetes, and obesity. Vegetarians also have a lower risk of appendicitis and gallstones.

The biggest drawback of the vegetarian lifestyle is that some vegetarians fail to meet their basic nutritional needs or eat lots of high-fat vegetarian foods such as whole milk or nuts. While vegetarian diets are largely healthy, pure vegetarians who exclude dairy and egg products should be sure to fulfill their daily calcium requirements with soy products and plenty of dark green leafy vegetables.

In order to acquire sufficient levels of the omega fatty acids that are essential for brain function, vegetarians should eat foods like flax seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts on a regular basis. Nuts, seeds, green vegetables, beans, and whole grains contain plenty of calcium, iron, zinc and protein. Vegan diets include little or no vitamin B12, and it is essential for them to obtain that vitamin through the regular consumption of fortified soy milk, yeast, or supplements.

According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets provide adequate nutrition for infants, children, and adolescents. However, experts stress that growing children need frequent high-caloric meals and snacks and that it’s okay for children to have some refined foods and foods that are high in fat in order to meet their energy demands.