Chapter 1 - Pesco, Ovo Lacto, and Vegan - Defining the Types of Vegetarians

To most meat-eaters, the vegetarian lifestyle is mysterious and confusing. Do they never eat animal protein at all? Does that include eggs and milk? Is it something they do for health reasons or because they love animals? And how do they get enough protein in their diets if they don’t eat meat?

If you took a poll of vegetarians, you’d quickly discover that there are almost as many ways to be a vegetarian as there are, well, vegetarians. Some people claim to be vegetarians when really they’ve just cut back on the amount of animal products they consume. On the other end of the scale, there are vegetarians who eat no animal protein at all, or anything produced by animals – including milk, eggs and honey. So the first thing to consider when approaching the vegetarian lifestyle is exactly what kind of vegetarian you plan to be.

Vegetarian Diets – the Big Three

There are three main vegetarian diets, although variations abound in each category: Lacto Ovo vegetarian, Lacto vegetarian, and Vegan. Let’s take them one at a time and look at the differences:

A lacto ovo vegetarian eats mostly plant foods, but also eats eggs and dairy products including yogurt, milk, cheese and ice cream. This is the first step most people take when they switch to a vegetarian diet, because it’s easy to fulfill all your nutritional requirements and, well, everything tastes good when you cover it with cheese! It’s also an easy diet to maintain in the "real world," as there are always restaurant choices – including fast food options – so no matter where you are or who you’re with, you can always find something to eat.

Lacto vegetarians eat no meat or eggs, but do consume dairy products. While acceptable dairy substitutes have become much more palatable in recent years, it can still be difficult to avoid dairy entirely, and it makes cooking much more challenging. Many lacto vegetarians don’t eat eggs because, as ovum, they’re potentially animals. Or they choose not to eat eggs because they’re uncomfortable with egg farming practices (more on that later). Conversely, there are ovo vegetarians, who eat eggs but don’t consume dairy products.

Vegans eschew all animal proteins and animal by-products. This is the most extreme form of vegetarian diet, as vegans get all of their nutrition from grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. And vegans must avoid a large number of commercially produced foods that contain animal proteins – most breads are made with eggs, for example, and many non-dairy products are thickened with casein, a protein extracted from milk. Even vegetarian "burgers" often contain eggs! Despite the challenges, the vegan diet has steadily grown in popularity in recent years as more and more vegetarians have become savvy label-readers and vegan-friendly food companies have created more products for them to enjoy.

In addition to the three basic vegetarian diets, there’s also macrobiotics, a diet inspired by ancient Chinese principle of yin and yang which relies primarily on locally produced, seasonal foods. The basic macrobiotic diet includes fish – but remove the fish and the diet is vegan, with most macrobiotic cookbooks heavily favoring Asian-influenced cuisine and the use of ingredients like pickled vegetables, daikon radishes and sea vegetables like kelp and nori.

This isn’t to say that you’re required to sign up for any one style of vegetarian diet and follow it to the letter. Pesco vegetarians, for example, don’t eat poultry, beef or pork but they do eat fish.

The so-called "semi-vegetarian" has cut back on their intake of meat overall, but still eats it occasionally – if you’re reading this, that’s probably where you are already! Pollo vegetarians avoid red meat and fish but eat chicken. while the pesco-pollo vegetarian avoids red meat but consumes both chicken and fish.

There are even fruitarians, who only eat seeds, nuts and fruit, plus vegetables that are botanically classified as fruit like zucchini, eggplant, squash and avocados. And there are other diets that, while vegetarian in nature, further restrict consumption of certain foods depending on the diet’s purpose – the raw food diet requires that you only eat uncooked foods, and the "natrural-hygeine" diet, while making limited use of animal products, is designed to cleanse the body of toxins and the allowed foods are chosen accordingly.

But don’t let all of that confuse you! As a newcomer to vegetarianism, you should first set your sights on the three primary types of the diet – ovo lacto, lacto and vegan. Once you’ve discovered which of these best meets your needs, then you can decide if you want to adapt them even further, adding or subtracting as you see fit. For the most part, labeling your diet is less important than figuring out how to transition from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian one.

Which Comes First – the Dairy or the Egg?

Giving up meat but holding onto eggs and dairy in your diet is a good way to start your vegetarian experience. Your menu options are far greater, and it’s easier to work enough protein into your diet than by jumping straight to a macrobiotic or vegan lifestyle. Yes, there are good reasons to avoid eggs and dairy, and we’ll discuss that as we go along. But ovo lacto vegetarianism is perhaps the most popular, simple and straightforward approach to vegetarianism.

Besides being a great protein source, eggs also provide your body with lecithin, a substance that emulsifies dietary fat and which is needed to build cell walls. In fact, lecithin is very important in protecting your cells from oxidation, and is vital in building the protective tissues that surround the brain. (Should you choose not to eat eggs, lecithin is still important – but there are now soy-based lecithin supplements that have been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels.)

Besides, eggs are an easy meal and, for many vegetarians, the veggie omelet is a great fall-back meal that’s available at virtually every coffee shop. You should limit the amount of yolks you eat, though, as they’re high in fat and cholesterol – egg whites, on the other hand, are almost pure protein.

As for dairy, you may find yourself going overboard when you first start your vegetarian diet, making up for the loss of meat by eating more cheese and drinking more milk. Keep an eye on the amount of fat you’re eating – changing your diet isn’t going to make you feel better if you start loading up on extra fat and cholesterol!

So – What Can I Have For Lunch?

If your first thought is that you’re about to embark on a way of eating that’s going to be boring, repetitive and limiting, then you have a surprise in store. Vegetarians – vegans included – enjoy a widely varied diet made up of tasty and nutritious foods, most of which you already eat on a regular basis.

All of the same things that you eat today – burritos, burgers, casseroles, soups, lasagna, sandwiches – can be enjoyed as part of a vegetarian diet. All you need to do is remove or replace the meat. The key is to make sure you get enough protein from combining grains and legumes (which we’ll discuss in detail in Chapter Five) and choose your meals wisely.

Take that burrito. Skip the meat-based style and go for one that’s packed with beans, rice, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and sour cream. It’s delicious, chock-full of protein and other vital nutrients, and absolutely delicious. Even something as decadent as stroganoff can be adapted to a meat-free diet – cubes of tofu, marinated in soy sauce, make for a find meat substitute when tossed with noodles, spices and cream.

And don’t overlook the cuisine of cultures that have long celebrated vegetarian cooking. Miso soup, Spanikopita , hummus, vegetable curries, tabouli salad, samosas and veggie stir-fry dishes are all on your menu – so enjoy!

Once you become accustomed to eating meatless meals, you’ll find that it’s much easier than you think. With a little creativity, you can even plan entire meatless dinner parties around foods so delicious that your most carnivorous guests won’t even notice that meat’s missing from the menu – a dinner of hearty vegetable chili topped with shredded cheese with a spring salad of field greens, toasted walnuts and crumbled bleu cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette, followed by key lime pie for dessert ... well, who wouldn’t love that?

By choosing to adopt the vegetarian lifestyle, you’re going to improve your health, help conserve the earth’s natural resources, eat more ethically and responsibly, and lower your risk of contracting meat-borne illnesses from E. coli contamination and additives like hormones, chemicals and antibiotics. But that doesn’t mean your diet has to be boring – there’s a whole world of foods out there that you can enjoy.

Whatever the reason you’ve decided to remove meat from your diet, you’ll find that it’s the best nutritional decision that you’ve ever made. In the course of this book, you’ll learn about the fascinating history of vegetarianism, how you can transition from a meat-eating diet to a meatless one, the ways in which you can insure that you’re getting proper nutrition, how to buy food and cook for your family, and how to stick with your diet in a world full of carnivores.

You’re about to embark on a journey which will make you healthier and happier. Congratulations on choosing to live as a thoughtful, caring eater – your body will thank you!