2. What is a Vegetarian?
Being a vegetarian isn't just not eating meat, there is a variety of types of vegetarianism.
• Lacto vegetarians
• Lacto- Ovo vegetarians
• Vegans
• Fruitarians
• Ovo vegetarian
• Pescetarian
• Flexitarian
• Pollo vegetarian
•
Each of these vegetarians are different from one another.
3. Lacto Vegetarian
Lacto vegetarians, also known as lactarians allow dairy products into their diet, but don’t
include eggs as part of the diet. They will also stay away from foods that have gelatin in it,
due to gelatin being made from the connective tissues of animals, as well as avoiding rennet.
There are different types of substitutions that can be made for animal rennet that are
vegetarian based, which makes it suitable for lacto vegetarians to eat.
Lacto- Ova Vegetarian
Lacto- Ova vegetarians eat only vegetable-based food but can also eat eggs/dairy products.
They don't believe in eating meat of any sort, but consume
dairy products/eggs; which doesn’t make them 100% vegetarian.
Vegan
Being a vegan is someone who rejects all forms of animal product, which include dairy,
especially eggs. There are two kinds of vegans, ethical and dietary/strict. Ethical vegans
don't have anything that would include an animal as part of the process, this includes
clothing, accessories and food. Even products that have been tested on animals is avoided.
Dietary/strict vegans only eliminate animal produce from their diet, avoiding all kinds of
dairy and eggs.
Pollo Vegetarians
Also know as a pollotarian, is where poultry and in some cases fish, is consumed. Like
the pesce-pollotarian diet, mammal related red meat is not eaten.
4. Fruitarian
Fruitarians only have food sources that qualify as fruits although some include add-ons
like seeds and nuts. Grains, vegetables and animal produce are avoided. Like for
instance, some fruitarians do eat peas/legumes beans, seeds and nuts.
Ova Vegetarian
Ova vegetarians include eggs in their diet but no dairy products of any kind. They prefer
consuming free-range eggs as opposed to those that are produced in a cage.. Even
unfertilized eggs are an eating form that is looked down upon, since eggs are consumed
while the embryo is still very much alive (balut). The process that goes into
making dairy is questionable, making Ovo vegetarians stick to free-range eggs and a
dairy-free diet .
Pescetarian
A pescetarian is someone who consumes anything that they wish to, but abstains from
meat of all kinds except fish and in some cases, shellfish. They also eat dairy products,
eggs and other food ingredients but they do not eat any type of animal meat..
Flexitarian
A flexitarian is also called semi-vegetarianism simply because a flexitarian chooses to
eat meat on not-so-several occasions. There are other diets like the pesce-pollotarian
where vegetarians of this sort eat only 'white meat', that is poultry and fish.
5. Vegetarian Demographics
In the United Kingdom, more and more
people are deciding to adapt a vegetarian
lifestyle due to health benefits and the harm
to animals eating meat creates.
The Vegetarian Society claims that there are
around 4million vegetarians in the UK, which
is about 7% of the population. Although in
the past 2 years that estimation has
supposedly dropped to around 3million
people or 5% of the population.
http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=753
6. GENDER DEMOGRAPHICS
MALE FEMALE
41%
59%
Research has shown that vegetarians are predominantly female.
7. Why be a Vegetarian?
The majority of people who chose to become a vegetarian are because its
better for animals and a way to prevent 1000’s of animals being slaughtered a
day for people to eat.
Another reason to become a vegetarian is because its much more sustainable
and a great way to improve your impact on the environment. Live stock
farming produces huge amounts of green house gases and studies have shown
that the farming of animals cause more than an 18% increase in those gases,
where as public transport only causes 13.5% in greenhouse gas emissions.
The health benefits of being a vegetarian are also a major reason for why
people chose to become one. Having a health and balanced vegetarian diet has
been proven to help prevent obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood
pressure, type II diabetes, some diet-related cancers, diverticular disease,
appendicitis, constipation and gallstones.
8. Companies that provide for
vegetarians
There are many different companies that will provide for vegetarians, including food,
clothing and beauty products:
• Ahimsa Footwear
• All Vegan
• Alternative Outfitters
• Freerangers
• Heavy Red Couture Noir
• Helen Powers
These companies target vegetarian people specifically by selling products that don’t
involve animals what so ever- whether that’s testing on them or using their skin.
Quorn
Quorn is currently the leading brand in imitation meat mycoprotein within the UK. The
product was developed by Rank Hovis McDougall and the imperial chemical industries.
Quorn is produced as both ready meals to eat and as a cooking ingredient, that is sold
as an alternative to meat.
9. What to look out for as a
Vegetarian.
Margarine
Margarine with added Omega 3 can contain fish oils. Some are also fortified
with vitamin D3, which comes from lanolin from sheep's wool and therefore
unsuitable for vegans. An alternative for margarine is pure Soya Dairy Free
Spread, which is suitable for vegans and can also be used in baking.
Cheese
Although there are many vegetarian cheeses, Parmesan and Gorgonzola are
made using calf rennet. Look for vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese to use as
an alternative.
Low fat yogurt
Some contain gelatine to improve the texture of the product. You can avoid
this by looking for a clearly labelled vegetarian yogurt.
10. What vegans can and cant eat
Can eat Can’t eat
§ Items obtained direct from the § Cereals and grains
slaughter of animals: meat, fish § Beans and lentils e.g..
(including anchovies), sea
animals (e.g. lobsters) and birds
§ Nuts and seeds.
§ Any derivatives of the above § Veg and fruit
including animal fats, gelatine, § Oil
meat/fish extracts and stocks § Dairy and egg alternatives
§ Eggs & derivatives: hens’ eggs, duck § Meat alternatives
eggs, fish eggs,
albumen/albumin, egg lecithin § Some vegan flavourings
§ Dairy products & derivatives: milk, § Processed foods - there is a whole range
butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt, of processed foods available that are
lactose, casein, whey
suitable for vegans and include
§ Insect products: honey, cochineal,
shellac everything from pies and burgers to
biscuits, jellies, chocolate and
•
custard powder.