Vegetarianism is a diet based primarily or exclusively on plants. Depending on the type, it includes or excludes certain animal products.
There are many reasons why a person chooses a vegetarian diet. Whether the reason is religious, philosophical or ideological, there are different types of vegetarianism, as demonstrated in the table below.
Table 1. The different types of vegetarianism
| Types
|
Ovo-lactovegetarian | Ovo-vegetarian | Lacto-vegetarian | Pescatarian | Vegan |
| Foods consumed | Cereal products | Cereal products | Cereal products | Cereal products | Cereal products |
| Fruits and vegetables | Fruits and vegetables | Fruits and vegetables | Fruits and vegetables | Fruits and vegetables | |
| Nuts, grains and legumes | Nuts, grains and legumes | Nuts, grains and legumes | Nuts, grains and legumes | Nuts, grains and legumes | |
| Dairy products | Dairy products | Dairy products | |||
| Eggs | Eggs | ||||
| Fish and seafood |
Most vegetarians exclude meat, poultry, fish and seafood from their diet. Vegans exclude all animal products from their diet, such as dairy products and eggs.
A vegetarian diet that is varied and balanced can cover the needs of a healthy adult. However, the more restricted a diet is (e.g. veganism), the more varied it should be, as to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Additionally, pregnant women on a vegan diet should pay careful attention to their diet.
