Relevant information about the five most popular restrictive diets: Gluten-free, Lactose-intolerant, Pescetarianism, Vegan and Vegetarian.
Simply put, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat. That is an incredibly vague definition, however, and doesn’t accurately represent the many different kinds of vegetarian diets. Some vegetarians won’t use any by-products of animal slaughter. The word vegetarian has been around since the mid-19th century.
There are several different kinds of vegetarian diets. Three of the most popular are Lacto-ovo vegetarians, Lacto-vegetarians, and vegans. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat milk products and eggs, but do not eat fish, seafood, poultry, or meat. Lacto-vegetarians eat milk products, but not fish, seafood, poultry, meat, or eggs, while vegans are complete vegetarians who do not eat any product that comes from an animal in any shape or form. Some vegans also avoid animal products such as silk and leather used for clothing. Many processed or packaged foods, including yogurt, chocolate, cookies, and cake, often contain animal ingredients and are usually avoided by vegetarians as well. Many people choose to follow semi-vegetarian diets, which usually include poultry or fish or some other meat, albeit on an infrequent basis. There are many different reasons behind why someone decides to become a vegetarian. Many people do it for health reasons, and actually don’t enjoy the taste of meat, making it a natural step for them to follow. Others do it for ethical reasons, and don’t want to consume or use anything from an animal.
So you’ve decided to become a vegetarian. Before you start drastically changing your diet, you need to consider your reasons for becoming a vegetarian. Decide whether they are moral or ethical, or if they are due to health or taste reasons. Next, you want to research what it takes to become a vegetarian. This will help you explain your decision to friends and family, and to figure out where to get started. You also want to research various recipes online. There are many vegetarian cookbooks available or websites devoted to publishing vegetarian recipes. Some people are able to switch to a vegetarian diet overnight. Others, however, may find that very difficult. If you feel like you belong to the second category, try adjusting your diet slowly. Start by eliminating meat for 2-3 days a week, and move on up over the course of a few months. It is incredibly important to read the labels at the grocery store before you buy anything. At first, this may cause your shopping trip to take twice as long. Over time, however, you will become much faster. Many additives use ingredients that would not be considered vegetarian. It is especially important to check things like salad dressing and pasta sauce. Since you are eliminating meat from your diet, you will need to research your nutritional needs. Ideally, you should go to your doctor or nutritionist and discuss your new diet. They will be able to recommend replacement foods for important things like protein to ensure that you stay fit and healthy. Lastly, it is important to remember that you will have a few relapses on the way, but it is perfectly normal for that to happen.
