A vegetarian is generally defined as someone who doesn’t eat meat. One could conceivably eat dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese. A lacto ovo vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but does consume eggs, milk or cheese. A lacto vegetarian consumes milk and cheese products, but doesn’t consume eggs.
A vegan is someone who doesn’t consume any animal product or by-product, including dairy food. They only eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and legumes. They also don’t use animal products, such as leather. Vegans don’t use white sugar because it’s often processed with a substance derived from animal bones that whitens the sugar. There are other categories within the vegetarian community. Fruitarians, for example, eat only fruit. Their rationale is that fruits, including tomatoes, are self-perpetuating and don’t need to be planted to create the food source. They consider it as a way of eating that is in balance and harmony with the earth, the most natural. All of the above eat cooked vegetables, fruits and legumes. There is also a growing movement towards eating only raw or living foods. This is based on the assumption that cooking food processes most of the nutrients out of it, and to get all the nutritional value, vitamins and amino acids from food, it’s best consumed raw, or juiced. If cooked at all, it should only be cooked to slightly over 100 degrees, so the nutrients are still retained. You have to make sure that you are getting all the necessary proteins and vitamins that you need to maintain good health.
