Your Ideal Vegetarian Diet

A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of any age group, and this includes children, teenagers, adults, pregnant women and even breast-feeding mothers. If you are having doubts that a vegetarian diet is not right for you, consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

Three Types of Vegetarian Diets

What comes into your mind when you hear “Vegetarian Diet”? Most would think that an all-vegetable diet does include meat, fish or poultry. We can categorize vegetarian diets into three types:

1. Vegan diet – this excludes fish, meat, poultry and dairy products and also (unnecessary word) foods that contain these mentioned products.
2. Lacto-Vegetarian diet – dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and butter are included in this diet, but excludes fish, meat, poultry and eggs, also foods that contain them.
3. Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian diet - this again excludes fish, meat and poultry, but you will be able to prepare eggs and dairy products.

If you want to have a primarily plan-based diet that includes fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products on occasion or in small quantities you will be considered or called a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian.

There is no single or specific type of vegetarian eating patterns. The total vegetarian or vegan diet includes only vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts (food from plants). The lacto vegetarian diet includes plant foods plus cheese and dairy products. The Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets or ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes eggs. Lastly, semi vegetarians or flexitarians do not eat red meat but may include chicken, fish with plant food, dairy products and eggs in their diet.