The practice of consuming a diet consisting exclusively of plant foods or plant products.
A diet that emphasizes plant foods and restricts some or all animal foods. There are three types of vegetarians: lacto-ovo-vegetarians, lactovegetarians, and vegans. Lacto-ovo- vegetarians consume milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs along with plant foods. Lacto-vegetarians consume milk, cheese, and yogurt but no egg products. Vegans eat no animal products at all.
Restriction of one’s diet, for health, cultural or humanitarian reasons, to foods of fruit or vegetable origin. Most vegetarians, while excluding meat and fish from their diets, include foods of animal origin, such as milk, cheese, eggs, and butter. Such a diet should supply an adequate balance of nutrients and may protect against those chronic diseases related to consumption of excess animal fat. People with special dietary requirements such as pregnant or feeding mothers, and very strict vegetarians may require dietary supplements.
The practice and philosophy of eating grains, nuts, vegetables and fruits, but not meats or animal flesh. Approaches to vegetarianism differ some vegetarians eat fish, eggs, and/or dairy products, while others do not.
A belief in and practice of a diet that avoids meat, fish, fowl, or in some cases, any product derived from animals, such as eggs, cheese, gelatin, et cetera. The purest form of vegetarianism, called the vegan diet, consists of grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and fungi. Lacto-vegetarians add dairy products, while lacto ovo-vegetarians include eggs and dairy products. Although uncommon, some more radical forms of vegetarianism, such as the fruitarian (fruit only) diet and the raw foods diet, have attracted followers. Evidence suggests that any diet, vegetarian or otherwise, ought to include a wide variety of foods.
Some within the conventional medical establishment have questioned the adequacy of a vegetarian diet in providing the individual’s complete nutritional needs, particularly in regard to satisfactory levels of protein. However, in the right combinations and proportions, a strictly vegetarian diet devoid of all animal products can meet the body’s protein needs, as well as most or perhaps all other nutrient requirements. Scientists now contend that the only essential nutrients not available from plant sources are vitamin B12, or cobalamin, and vitamin D. Current research in edible fungi may soon solve the problem of the vegetarian’s B12 deficiency, while some 20 minutes daily of direct sunlight stimulates the body’s production of enough vitamin D. Many vegetarians make use of dietary supplements to ensure adequate consumption of essential vitamins and minerals.
Consuming a diet that eliminates meat and fish, and occasionally all forms of animal-derived products, is a practice observed by some. It’s important to note that humans can sustain their health without consuming meat or animal products, as long as the essential nutrients from plant-based foods offer a well-rounded diet. Nonetheless, individuals who completely exclude animal products (referred to as vegans) must pay careful attention to their diet planning or consider supplements. This precaution is necessary to prevent deficiencies in vitamin B12 or calcium.
Vegetarian diets tend to have a notable fiber content, potentially offering protection against diverticular disease and intestinal cancer. These diets are typically lower in fats, particularly saturated fats that could contribute to coronary artery disease and certain types of cancer. Additionally, vegetarian diets often feature reduced sodium intake and increased potassium levels. As a result, individuals following vegetarian diets commonly exhibit lower blood pressure compared to those who include meat in their diet.