All true vegetarian diets completely eliminate meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish. The lacto-vegetarian diet consists of plant foods plus dairy (lacto) products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians consume plant foods plus dairy products and eggs (ovo). A vegan diet, the most limited type, excludes all foods of animal origin, including dairy, eggs, and honey. Individuals who restrict their consumption of some meats may refer to themselves as vegetarians, but they are more appro-priately considered semi-vegetarians. This includes those who exclude only red meat but eat all other animal products (quasi-vegetarians), those who’s diet excludes red-meat and poultry, but includes fish and shell fish (pescatarians), and those who eat a mostly plant-based diet but who occasionally eat meat too (flexitarians). (INFOGRAPHIC 9.1)

Question 9.1

Not only can vegetarians meet the recommended intakes for various nutrients with a bit of dietary planning, but they can also benefit from a reduced incidence of chronic disease and lower mortality rates compared with people eating a typical Western diet of high meat intake, and refined grains. However, the decision to “go vegetarian” does not necessarily guarantee better health. Some vegetarians eat primarily grain-based foods or legumes without much attention to variety or overall nutrition, which is not necessarily good for them. The quality of the diet depends significantly on the distribution of the nutrients being consumed and the types of food choices being made.

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