Different Types of Vegetarians

There are many different types of vegetarians. And probably just as many definitions!

Seems like everyone does their own thing. And then they fit it into a definition. I will give you a broad general list. You will definitely see some different ones, but this will give you an idea about the different levels of vegetarianism.

Pesco-Vegetarians : (or pescatarian) Vegetarians that include fish in their diet.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian : (or Ovo-Lacto) They eat dairy products, eggs, fruits vegetables, greens, legumes, grains, soy products, nuts and honey. This is the most common type.

Lacto Vegetarian : They do not eat eggs. They do eat dairy products.

Ovo Vegetarian : Just the opposite. They eat eggs, but not dairy products.

Pure, Strict, or Total Vegetarian : Sometimes confused with veganism. Even though the diets are similar, it is the reasons that are different. They are in it for the health, spiritual, ethical, and environmental reasons, just to name a few. No dairy products or eggs. Some do eat honey.

Vegan : It is ALL about the animals. They do not eat anything from animals, including honey. They also minimize the use of any product made with animal byproducts. Their main goal is to lessen animal cruelty and exploitation.

Low Fat Vegetarian : This is primarily used to treat diseases and lower the fat content of your diet. The diet consists of less than 10% of it’s calories from fat.

Raw Vegetarian or Vegan : They do not eat anything that has been cooked. That is anything that has been heated to above 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fruitarian : A raw vegetarian that only eats fruit, greens, and some nuts and seeds.

Occasional, Casual, Transitional, or Social Vegetarian : These are people who may have heard of the many health benefits, or others who just want to try it. They will eat meat, just not as much. They will eventually give it up or perhaps move into one of the other categories.

So there you have it. Not a complete list by any means. There probably is no such thing. Because people are different and will do their own thing for their own reasons. But this list will give you a good idea of the different types of vegetarians and some of the reasons why.