In a world of fad diets like Atkins Diet and the Banana Diet, it is sometimes the case that diets will look almost identical, when in fact there can be small and perhaps important differences between them. Vegetarian diets are much the same. Foods that are eaten by one vegetarian might be rejected by another. So, what are the sub-types of vegetarianism and what differences distinguish them from each other?
The term 'vegetarian' is an all-encompassing phrase used to refer to diets which exclude the flesh of animals. But certain types of vegetarian diets might also exclude eggs, dairy products, and even cooked foods. On the other hand, supposed vegetarian diets might include non-plant foods such as fish. Vegetarianism means different things to different people not only in terms of motivations for adopting a vegetarian diet, but also in terms of what constitutes their personalized vegetarian diets.
Eggs and Dairy, East and West
In Western countries, 'vegetarianism' most commonly refers to what is more accurately described as ovo-lacto vegetarianism. This is a diet which includes both eggs and dairy, but excludes meat products. Likewise, ovo vegetarianism includes eggs but not dairy, and lacto vegetarianism includes dairy but not eggs. In countries influenced by Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, when people talk about a vegetarian diet they are typically referring to a 'lacto vegetarian' diet, as eggs are not considered to be vegetarian according to these religious traditions.
Veganism and Raw Food Diets
Stricter forms of vegetarian diets include veganism, which rejects all animal products including meats, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and often honey. Soy or rice milks replace many of the functions of dairy in this diet, and egg substitutes can be used for baking and consistency purposes.
Another strict form of vegetarianism is the raw food diet. As the name suggest, only uncooked foods are eaten by the raw food dieter. However, while most raw food eaters only eat raw plant foods, raw food diets can also include non-vegetarian foods such as sashimi (raw fish) and other uncooked animal products. The raw food diet can also include unpasteurized milk. This means that this diet is not necessarily vegetarian nor vegan, though most often it is one of these two. Sub-categories of the raw food diet include fruitarianism, in which mainly fruit is eaten; juicearianism, in which mainly fruit and vegetable juices are taken; and sproutarianism, in which mainly sprouts are eaten.
Semi-Vegetarian Diets
More relaxed forms of what are sometimes called vegetarian diets might include pescetarianism and limited vegetarianism. Pescetarianism allows fish, but not red meats. It is a kind of semi-vegetarianism or flexitarianism. These are diets that consist prominently of vegetarian foods, but also include certain types of meat at the discretion of the dieter. These are actually not vegetarian diets in the strict sense of the word. Limited vegetarianism is a vegetarian diet that is restricted to certain time frames, such as days of the week. An example of limited vegetarianism can be seen in the city of Ghent, Belguim, in which the citizens collectively keep a vegetarian diet one day of every week.
Reasons for Adopting Vegetarian Diets
Motivations for adopting a vegetarian diet include animal rights, health benefits, weight loss purposes, and environmental and economic concerns. The particular diet a vegetarian adopts typically reflects their reasons for becoming vegetarian. For example, a person who is very concerned with animal rights might adopt a vegan diet. On the other hand, someone who is primarily concerned with health or weight loss might adopt some form of raw food diet.
Vegetarian diets vary in terms of which foods can and cannot be eaten. Some sub-categories of vegetarianism are very strict, while other so-called 'vegetarian' diets may not be vegetarian diets at all.
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