Vegetarianism is a dietary practice which is centered around the abstention of eating animal meat. While every vegetarian abstains from eating animals, different types of vegetarians might abstain from eating other foods as well. This fact often confuses non-vegetarians who may either want to accommodate vegetarians or might want to become vegetarians themselves. So let this be a quick reference guide across the vegetarian spectrum
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian
This perhaps the most common type of vegetarian. Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians eat no animal meat but do eat dairy products (lacto) and eggs (ovo). This form is so common in fact, that it’s what people think all vegetarians are.
Ovo Vegetarian
Like the lacto-ovo vegetarian mentioned earlier, ovo vegetarians (a.k.a “eggetarians”) eat eggs but not dairy.
Lacto Vegetarian
Lacto Vegetarians abstain from meat and eggs but will consume milk and dairy products.
Vegan
Vegans are by far the most serious and strict vegetarians. Like the aforementioned types, vegans eat no animal meat. But they also abstain from eating any milk products, eggs and animal by-products such as honey. Veganism also extends far beyond dietary considerations as they also abstain from any clothing made from animal such as leather. Veganism is more of a lifestyle choice than just a dietary choice.
Raw Vegan
A subset of Veganism, know as Raw Veganism, goes one step further by prohibiting the cooking of any vegetable, nut, or seed, allowing only for the consumption of fresh and uncooked food.
Fruitarian
And now we’ve arrived at the most extreme end of the vegetarian scale.While the main focus of the previously mentioned forms of vegetarians seek to mitigate the suffering of animal life, fruitarianism extends that courtesy to plant life as well. Instead of pointing out what as to what a fruitarian abstains from eating, let me instead point out they permit themselves to eat: foods that can be harvested without killing the plant.
Some vegetarians may be so strict that they may reject any food that used animal ingredients in the creation of that food, even if the animal components are not present in the food it’s self. Examples include, whey, rennet, and bone char.
Tags: animal meat, dietary choice, different types of vegetarians, lacto vegetarians, lifestyle choice, milk and dairy products, ovo vegetarians, quick reference guide, strict vegetarians, types of vegetarians