Find Your Vegetarian Style

The term "vegetarian" does not describe one way of eating, even though, in its broadest definition, it means not eating animal products. There are many different reasons for choosing a vegetarian diet, and there are several different styles of vegetarian. Use these definitions to find the style that works for you.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian: "Lacto" refers to milk and "ovo" refers to eggs, so a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes eggs and dairy products, but no meat, poultry, or fish. The majority of vegetarians in the U.S. fit into this category.

Lacto-vegetarian: This type of diet includes dairy products, but no eggs or egg derivatives such as albumin or egg whites.

Vegan: A vegan diet is one that excludes all animal products–meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and all other dairy products. Food with animal products as ingredients such as baked good with butter, foods cooked in lard, foods flavored with meat extracts, margarines made with whey or casein, and foods made with gelatin are also avoided. Some vegans avoid foods with honey, which is made by bees.

Semi-vegetarian or flexitarian: Following a flexitarian diet means that you normally follow a vegetarian diet (usually a lacto-ovo diet), but occasionally eat meat, poultry, or fish in small amounts.

March 2008

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