Understanding the Different "...tarians"

All the different names and catergory's for people who don't eat this food and don't eat that can get quite confusing. Here's an explanation for who eats what so that you can get clued up on what to serve your guest when they tell you that they are a lacto-ovo vegetarian.

A vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat, yes all meat including chicken and fish. They may or may not choose to eat other animal products such as eggs, dairy, gelatin, or honey.

These are the different types of vegetarians:

• Flexitarian: also known as semi–vegetarians. They occasionally eat animal products and are often eating this way to reduce their meat intake but still nurture their love for the taste of meat. If you're thinking about wanting to eat less meat this is a great place to start rather than going full vegetarian straight out.

• Pesci–vegetarian: or “pescatarians” eat fish, dairy, and eggs but don’t eat poultry or any other meats.

• Lacto–ovo vegetarian: don’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but do eat eggs and dairy products (ovo means eggs and lacto means dairy). This is your typical vegetarian diet - they avoid meat Lacto–vegetarian: don’t eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs, but do eat dairy products.

• Ovo–vegetarian: Ovo–vegetarians don’t eat meat of any form or dairy, but do eat eggs.

• Plant Based: avoid eating any animal products or animal-derived ingredients. They don’t eat meat of any kind, dairy, eggs, honey, or gelatin.

• Vegan: Eat a plant based diet but also choose not to wear clothes containing animal products, such as leather, or wool, or use beauty products that have been tested on animals or contain animal based products, such as beeswax. Veganism is a philosophy rooted in the protection of animal rights.

All this can get a bit complicated and seem unnecessary but, remember that YOU don't have to put a title on the way you eat if you don't want to. Although I believe it is important to do your part for our planet and be kind to animals, eat what feels right for you, tastes good and leaves your body AND soul feeling nourished.