Different Types of Vegetarians:

What do they mean?

When you are just starting as a vegetarian, it can be confusing since there are so many types of vegetarian diets. You may have heard the word vegan or even ovo-vegetarian. Yet, you still have no idea what that is. Generally, when people think about a vegetarian diet, they typically think about a diet that doesn’t include meat, poultry or fish. But vegetarian diets vary in what foods they include and also what they exclude. Below we hope to decode this mystery for you. This way you can understand the different forms of being a vegetarian and help guide you to the type that fits your lifestyle. So, let’s get started with the Different Types of Vegetarians and what they mean.

Lacto-Vegetarian

As we spoke about above, there are many forms of a vegetarian diet. The form of diet we are about to discuss here is called Lacto-Vegetarian. If you are new to the vegetarian lifestyle, you are probably wondering what the heck is a Lacto-vegetarian. Well, let me explain what being a Lacto-vegetarian means. For the most part, or better yet – in a nutshell, the lacto-vegetarian definition is a vegetarian that also includes dairy in their food consumption.

Let me explain. You see, this vegetarian does not include meat of any kind. This means that lacto-vegetarian meals do not contain any type of meat. So, this vegetarian would not eat red meat from a pig, a cow or any other mammal. A lacto-vegetarian would never consume bacon or hamburgers made from an animal.

Red meat is not the only flesh that this kind of vegetarian would not eat. Fish, shellfish, chicken, and turkey are also off-limits. Eggs are not consumed either. That includes any products made with eggs. There are so many items made with eggs these days. Reading the product label would help to determine if the product contains eggs.

Here are some items that contain eggs that you may not know had eggs in them. Cakes are often made with eggs. So are pancakes, and often cookies are as well. I have even seen potato salad have eggs. So, if this is your vegetarian diet choice, reading labels will become part of your lifestyle as well.

Now, if this is the style of vegetarianism for you, then you could consume dairy products such as butter, yogurt, cheese, cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, and even goat’s milk. That means ice cream is on the menu also.

Below are a couple Lacto-Vegetarian recipes and also more on the different types of vegetarians.

Lacto Vegetarian Recipes

To get you started, we have included a couple of recipes for you that are Lacto-Vegetarian Friendly.

The first recipe is a Tempeh Reuben Sandwich, Tempeh (Tem-PAY) – This high protein product was first used in the country of Indonesia. Since then, it has traveled throughout the world as people added this high protein meat alternative to their food. Traditionally, Tempeh is made with soybean that has been cooked, soaked, fermented, and shaped into a patty. Now, other grains are also used such as barley, millet and brown rice. This Tempeh Reuben Sandwich is a quick and easy vegetarian recipe. While Rueben’s are generally made with Russian Dressing, we prefer using Thousand Island alongside the sauerkraut and cheese.

For our Tempeh Reuben Sandwich Recipe, click the link.

Tempeh Ruben Sandwich

The second Lacto-Vegetarian Recipe we have included is our Black Bean Pizza Recipe. This Black Bean Pizza Recipe has been one of our all-time favorite veggie pizza for longer than we can remember. Now, some people have told us that they feel it’s the best Mexican Black Bean Pizza.

While we cannot guarantee that you will find this to be the best pizza you ever had, we do hope that you will enjoy making and eating this pizza as much as we do. This recipe works great for those who love pizza and for those who love black bean recipes.

For our Black Bean Pizza Recipe, Click Here 

Black Bean Pizza – 8 Slices

Ovo-Vegetarian

We have heard the Ovo-Vegetarian Diet referred to by different names. Names such as Lacto ovo Vegetarian and even Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian. The main reason for the different names is that a Lacto-Vegetarian Diet overlaps with the Ovo-Vegetarian Diet. There is one key element that separates these two forms of vegetarianism.

So, let’s talk about lacto vegetarian vs. ovo vegetarian. We will start with the similarities. With both of these vegetarian diets, no meat of any kind is consumed. The ovo-vegetarian also does not include eating any stock made from an animal, including bone broth. Gelatin is also off the menu for both of these styles of vegetarian diets.

Diary, on the other hand, is perfectly acceptable whether you choose to be a Lacto-Vegetarian or an Ovo-Vegetarian. So, cheese made from animal or microbial rennet is suitable. So is yogurt, sour cream, and animal-based milk.

Now, here is the main difference between the two. Ovo-Vegetarians will consume eggs while Lacto-Vegetarians do not. Some believe that eating an Ovo-Vegetarian meal opens up more options for food choices while allowing additional B12 consumption that some plant-based diets tend to lack.

Ovo-Vegetarian Recipe

So, we have included our favorite Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche Recipe

Our Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche Recipe is one dish that we simply love. If you are looking for a simple quiche recipe, then this Ovo-vegetarian recipe is for you. There are only a handful of ingredients. Even with the small number of items, this easy quiche recipe is very tasty. Our recipe will feed us for days since it creates a total of eight slices.

Moreover, it is very filling; this is especially true if it is accompanied by toast and or a glass of fresh juice. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

Click here for our Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche Recipe.

Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche

Vegan

Being a vegan is yet another style included in the types of vegetarians. Eating a vegan diet can be the most restrictive of all of the vegetarian style diets. Yet, at the same time, it can be considered the most compassionate as well.

Similar to the lacto-vegetarian diet, vegans do not consume animal flesh of any kind, and eggs are off the menu. Vegan also do not consume dairy. If an animal produces it or is harmed by it, a vegan will not eat it or use it.

Those that follow the vegan diet plan expand their beliefs beyond food. Instead, it is a way of life. Or the Vegan Lifestyle. Because of a vegan’s concern about health, the environment, and the lives of animals, any products, including shampoo, conditioner, and more, are not used if it harms an animal or contains animal ingredients. Many vegans are very aware of their impact on the environment and work diligently to reduce that footprint.

Some additional items not consumed would be honey due to being produced by bees, and even cane sugar which is made with bone char. In our opinion, anything made with bone char should be off-limits for anyone staying away from animal consumption.

Now, even though both of us here at the Vegetarian Cooking Couple do not consider ourselves vegan, we do eat vegan more often than not. Additionally, we spend a great deal of our time helping animals and working on protecting the environment as much as we can.

As a result, we have included a couple of vegan recipes here to get you started.

Vegan Recipes

The first vegan meal recipe we would like to share is or favorite beet recipe – called Stewed Beets

The cooking beets can be scary for some people. This is especially true for those who have never had fresh beetroot before. Since fresh beets and canned beets have a very different flavor, you may be surprised how much better this recipe for stewed beets tastes.

Out of all the beet recipes, we have tried, this is our favorite. The good news, this beet recipe is simple and yet so tasty. Please give this recipe a shot. We hope you love it as much as we do and make this recipe for your family for many years to come

For the complete Stewed Beets Recipe, click the link.

Stewed Beets

The second vegan recipe is called Crispy Brussel Sprouts.

Are you wondering how to cook brussel sprouts? Then this recipe is for you. There are multiple ways to cook sprouts. Some cooking ways include roasting or baking. While roasted brussel sprouts or baked brussel sprouts can be delightful, our recipe is cooked on the stovetop. In our opinion, this methodology is quicker and just as good as cooking in the oven. That is why this Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Caraway Seeds side dish is our all-time favorite way to eat this vegetable, as a Vegan Recipe.

As you will see, we are using caraway seeds as our spice. Caraway Seeds also go by the names Persian Cumin and Meridian Fennel with the flavor is similar to mild anise. There is something about this combo that works so well in this recipe.

Here is our Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe, click the link.

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Semi – Vegetarians

What is Semi-Vegetarian? Semi-vegetarians are those that focus mostly on a plant-based diet. Yet, their daily intake may also include fish or poultry. Below we will discuss some of the diets.

Pescatarian

There has been a debate amongst some vegetarians whether being a Pescatarian is considered a vegetarian diet. Let us explain. Like the vegetarians listed above, Pescatarians also eat fruit and vegetables. They also shy away from poultry and red meat. The one main thing that sets them apart from lacto-vegetarians and ovo-vegetarians is what Pescatarians eat that the others do not. That one difference is fish. Pescatarians consume fish as part of their diet choice. That consumption is considered to be an animal to some. Hence, the reason some vegetarians consider the consumption of fish a non-vegetarian diet plan.

Now, some Pescatarians do not eat dairy or eggs, while some do. A pescatarian who eats eggs and dairy would be considered an Ovo-Pescatarian.

Since we focus this blog on vegan and vegetarian diet recipes, we do not have a fish recipe to share with you. However, a recipe is just a google search away.

Pollo-Vegetarian

So, someone who considers themselves, Pollo-vegetarian, also known as Pollotarian, do not eat fish. Any type of red meat is not eaten either by a Pollo-Vegetarian. They may also shy away from gelatin and even animal rennet that is popular in many types of cheese. Beef stock would also not be on the menu.

A Pollotarian will consume fruit and vegetables. Honey, dairy, nuts, seeds, beans, eggs, and grains are also part of their diet.

What sets this Pollo-Vegetarian apart from other types of vegetarians is their willingness to eat chicken and other poultry.

Subsets of a Vegan Diet

Raw Vegan Diet

Included with the different types of vegetarians is the Raw Vegan Diet, like traditional vegan meals, excludes all foods from animal origin. The same foods are eaten as vegan. The main difference between the two is that Raw Vegans like to either keep their food completely raw or not to exceed approximately 115-degree heat. The thought process is that higher heat kills natural enzymes and nutrients.

Fruitarian

In Fruitarianism, processed foods are off the menu. However, the foods consumed consist mainly of fruit, seeds, nuts, and some vegetable fruits. The type of seeds a Fruitarian enjoys will include but are not limited to, sunflower and pumpkin.

The vegetable fruits that fit this type of diet are squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, while some of the nuts that can be eaten include walnuts, almonds, and cashews.

Different Types of Vegetarians

Now that you have read about the different types of vegetarians, you should have a basic understanding of each. As you can see, they range from eating dairy and eggs, to excluding these items as well. There are also the semi vegetarian diets such as pescatarian and pollotarian.

Whichever you choose for you, it is your decision. Many of us vegetarians will eat a certain way, but only consider ourselves vegetarian without choosing a label to which to live. So do not worry if you do not fit perfectly under a specific type of vegetarian diet plan. Just be yourself.