There are 6 basic forms of Vegetarian or Vegan eating. Here is a brief description of each.
1. Pescatarian (also spelled pescetarian)
The word "pescatarian" is occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet.
2. Flexitarian/Semi-vegetarian
You don't have to be vegetarian to love vegetarian food! "Flexitarian" is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat.
3. Vegetarian (Lacto-ovo- vegetarian)
When most people think of vegetarians, they think of lacto-ovo-vegetarians. People who do not eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish or animal flesh of any kind, but do eat eggs and dairy products are lacto-ovo vegetarians ("lacto" comes from the Latin for milk, and "ovo" for egg).
Lacto-vegetarian is used to describe a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, but does eat dairy products.
Ovo-vegetarian refers to people who do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs.
4. Vegan
Vegans do not eat meat of any kind and also do not eat eggs, dairy products, or processed foods containing these or other animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin. Many vegans also refrain from eating foods that are made using animal products that may not contain animal products in the finished process, such as sugar and some wines. There is some debate as to whether certain foods, such as honey, fit into a vegan diet.
5. Raw vegan/Raw food diet
A raw vegan diet consists of unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). "Raw foodists" believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost a significant amount of their nutritional value and are harmful to the body.
6. Macrobiotic
The macrobiotic diet, revered by some for its healthy and healing qualities, includes unprocessed vegan foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and allows the occasional consumption of fish. Sugar and refined oils are avoided. Perhaps the most unique qualifier of the macrobiotic diet is its emphasis on the consumption of Asian vegetables, such as daikon, and sea vegetables, such as seaweed.
Do vegetarians get enough protein?
The notion that eliminating all meat, eggs, and dairy products from the diet (100% vegetarian, or vegan) might result in a protein deficiency remains one of the most common and unfounded beliefs about vegetarianism. Adequate protein intake is easily achieved by consuming a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. According the American Dietetic Association, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same time. (Back in the 1970s, it was thought that such "food mixing" was necessary.) For those vegetarians who choose to consume high levels of protein, soy products such as meat analogs provide a low-fat alternative to animal flesh. Even professional athletes do not need meat, eggs, or dairy products.
How do dairy-free vegetarians get adequate calcium?
Many legumes, vegetables, and soy products contain significant amounts of calcium. However, calcium intake among vegans is generally lower than that of lacto-vegetarians (this term applies to vegetarians who eat eggs and egg products). According to the American Dietetic Association and other nutritional authorities, vegans may have lower calcium needs than non-vegetarians since diets lower in total protein have a calcium-sparing effect. In fact, according to the most comprehensive study ever undertaken concerning the relationship between diet and disease (the Cornell-Oxford-China Diet and Health Project), those Chinese who consume little or no dairy products appear to be at a much lower risk for osteoporosis than we do in the West, where hip fractures are approximately five times more common even though dairy products are consumed in abundance.
Without meat, eggs, and dairy, are there any tasty meals left?
Unlike most of the world, the Western diet is laden with animal products. In America, animal products typically are consumed at every meal. Vegetarians and vegans usually broaden their tastes to encompass other cuisines which are not so heavily biased toward meat and dairy products. Indian, Mediterranean, Chinese, and Thai cuisines offer an enormous variety of vegetarian entrees. Vegan Italian, Mexican, and Japanese entrees are becoming more widely available in U.S. restaurants as well. For those who still love American cuisine, easy substitutes for almost all animal products already exist in abundance, from meat-free burgers, hot dogs, and deli slices to rich, dairy-free desserts. With just a little exploration, delicious vegetarian meals are easy to come by, whether or not you like to cook for yourself.
Should vegetarians take vitamin supplements?
A well balanced, 100% vegetarian diet can provide adequate levels of all nutrients, with the possible exception of vitamin B12. This vitamin is not produced by plants or animals, but rather by microorganisms present in soil, meat, and dairy products. Traces of B12 may be found on root vegetables, and Asian foods such as miso and tempeh may contain significant amounts, but these are not reliable sources. Vegans should be sure to include a good source of vitamin B12. Fortified staples include many breakfast cereals, meat substitute products, some brands of soy milk, and other vegetarian foods. Check the label for cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin, the best absorbed forms of B12. Vitamin B12 is also found in almost all standard multivitamin tablets.