Vegetarianism is a diet method that avoids consuming any animal's meat. This could be poultry, red meat, fish, seafood or other animals hunted for their meat. Vegetarianism is basically defined in this way. Vegetarians generally avoid consuming gelatin and other animal by-products or other animal parts that are processed and used in food. However, in practice, vegetarians have more special rules.

According to the vegetarian diet, meat, fish or poultry are never eaten. Instead, a variety of plant-based foods are consumed for a healthy diet. People of all ages and backgrounds are okay to follow a vegetarian diet.

The vegetarian diet has a longer history than the vegan diet. The first vegetarian movement emerged in England in the 1800s. Vegetarianism focuses solely on consuming vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and nuts. While some vegetarians consume milk, dairy products and eggs, some vegetarians avoid using these products as well. It is mainly recognized as a theory or practice of vegetarianism, with ethical, environmental and health concerns.

In short, all vegetarian diets exclude cattle, poultry and seafood. However, while many vegetarians use milk and dairy products, some do not consume these products. For example, vegetarians in European countries generally consume eggs, but vegetarians in India do not eat eggs.

The vegan diet that excludes animal products altogether is a stricter approach and avoids all kinds of animal products such as leather, silk, honey and wool.

Who Are Vegetarians?

As explained somewhat above, the vegetarian diet requires avoiding eating meat, fish and poultry. People who follow this type of diet are called vegetarians. Vegetarian people generally adopt this type of diet for religious or personal reasons or ethical approaches such as animal rights. Many vegetarians adopt and follow this diet for sustainability issues. For example, today there are many people who decide to become vegetarian for environmental reasons. Because livestock breeding increases greenhouse gas emissions, contributes to climate change and requires large amounts of water, energy and natural resources.

In fact, vegetarianism is divided into several types, each with different limitations and differences from each other. The most common types can be listed as follows:

  • Lacto-ovo-vegetarians do not consume meat, fish and poultry, and consume eggs and dairy products.
  • Lacto-vegetarians do not consume meat, fish, poultry and eggs, but dairy products.
  • Ovo-vegetarians do not consume meat, fish, poultry and dairy products, but eggs.
  • Pesketarien-vegetarians do not consume meat and poultry, but fish, and sometimes eggs and dairy products.
  • Vegans do not consume meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products, as well as other animal derived products such as honey and any products containing animal by-ingredients.
  • Flexible vegetarians occasionally consume meat, fish or poultry (this is the usual vegetarian diet).

According to studies, vegetarians who follow their diets in a balanced way tend to lack a few essential nutrients compared to other people. For this reason, vegetarianism leads to weight loss, reduced cancer risk, better blood sugar and better heart health.

Why Vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism is adopted for a variety of reasons. Some people prefer this diet because they respect conscious life. In their eyes, animals are also conscious and have the right to life. It does not deserve to be cut or used in any other way.

Such ethical motivations are included in various religious beliefs as well as in animal rights advocacy. Apart from ethics, other motivations for vegetarianism are health, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic, economic or personal preferences.

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