The Different Vegetarian Types

Many people think vegetarians are one homogeneous group that simply eats no meat. There could be nothing further from the facts, however. There are as diverse various categories of vegetarians as the reasons for going vegetarian in the first place.

A vegetarian is defined generally as someone who does not eat meat. Yet somebody who is vegetarian will possibly eat dairy products like milk, eggs and cheese. A vegetarian lacto ovo does not eat meat , fish or poultry but prefers eggs , milk, or cheese. A vegetarian lacto consumes dairy and cheese products but does not eat eggs.

A vegan is someone who eats no animal products or by-products, including dairy foods. They only eat vegetables , fruits, nuts, cereals, and legumes. Interestingly, they don't use animal items, including leather. Vegans often should not use white sugar since a material extracted from animal bones that whites sugar is mostly processed.

Additional categories exist within the vegetarian community. For example, fruit-keepers eat only fruit. Their reasoning is that fruits, including fruits like tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and need not be planted to create the source of food. They find it a more healthy and harmonious way of eating with the planet, the most normal way.

All of this must eat cooked grains , fruits and legumes. There is also an growing trend towards consuming raw or living foods only. This is based on the assumption that cooking food absorbs most of the nutrients from it, and is better eaten raw or juiced to get all the nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from the meal. If cooked at all, it should only be cooked to a slightly higher than 100 degrees, so the nutrients remain.

However, the more rigid you are with your diet, the more informed you need to become to make sure that you are getting all the proteins and vitamins you need to maintain good health, especially muscle and heart health.