Have you ever considered a dietary switch? Want eating habits that are healthier for both you and the environment? There are so many dietary options out there to choose from! Here are a few of the many different vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian diets out there.
Vegetarianism
Vegetarians follow a mostly plant-based diet along with egg and/or dairy products. Variations of vegetarianism include lacto vegetarianism, ovo vegetarianism, and lacto-ovo vegetarianism (see below).
Lacto Vegetarianism
Lacto Vegetarians follow a vegetarian diet (see above) while avoiding egg products. However, milk and diary products are allowed, meaning lacto vegetarians can continue to enjoy yogurts, cheese, and (vegetarian!) pizzas.
Ovo Vegetarianism
Similar to lacto vegetarians, ovo vegetarians follow a vegetarian lifestyle while enjoying egg products. Say hello to delicious vegetarian omelets!
Lacto-ovo vegetarianism
Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not consume meat, but do consume egg and dairy products in addition to plants. This is the most common and popular form of vegetarianism.
Veganism
Vegans avoid consuming foods with animal products. In addition to not eating meat, including poultry and fish, vegans do not consume foods with animal by-products, such as honey, gelatin, eggs, and milk. Vegans will also typically avoid using products with beeswax, silk, leather, wool, and other animal products, choosing substitutes such as synthetic wax and pleather.
Raw Veganism
This is a dietary style that takes veganism just a small step further. In addition to following only a plants-based diet, raw vegans consume only unprocessed vegan foods that have been cooked at 115 degrees Fahrenheit or less. It is believed that this method of consumption best preserves the foods’ nutritional value and enzymes.
Flexitarianism
Flexitarians follow a mostly plant-based diet with small amounts of meat consumed. For example, some flexitarians have one day where they consume meat and other animal products, including fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Some variations of flexitarians are pescatarians and pollotarians (see below).
Pescatarianism/Pescetarianism
While this flexitarian diet is mostly plant-based, it allows some meat consumption for seafood only. Non-seafood meats such as beef, pork, and poultry are not consumed.
Pollotarianism
Another flexitarian diet, pollotarians consume poultry in addition to their mostly plant-based diet. However, some pollotarians will also consume fish and other seafood.
When it comes to healthy, green eating, the options are truly limitless! Which one of these diet options would you try?
