People are often asking me, “Can you eat this?” My answer is usually “Sure, I can eat whatever I want.” But I choose not to eat certain things. When and if you are deciding on what type of vegetarian you want to be, think about what you want to include or avoid. You don’t have to fit into one of these categories, or any category, but understanding them can help you think about your short-term and or long-term goals.
Flexitarian/Semi-vegetarian
You don’t have to be vegetarian to love vegetarian food! “Flexitarian” is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat. Many people who call themselves "flexitarian" or "semi-vegetarian" have given up red meat for health reasons while others, for environmental reasons, only eat free-range or organic animals and animal products. However, A flexitarian or a semi-vegetarian is not truly a vegetarian. Many vegetarians strongly resent the use of this term, because headlines such as “Meat-eating vegetarian” confuse and dilute the definition of a true vegetarian diet. Most vegetarians are not big fans of the flexitarian diet, because it's not vegetarian, yet it somehow causes plenty of confusion! Many vegetarians have been told that "some vegetarians eat meat..." as they are being served a plate of chicken, having requested a vegetarian meal. This is a problem, because true vegetarians, again, do not eat meat.
Pescatarian (also spelled pescetarian)
Occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish. Although the word is not commonly used and a pescatarian is not technically a vegetarian, more and more people are adopting this kind of diet, usually for health reasons or as a stepping stone to a fully vegetarian diet. Pescetarians often believe that moderate consumption of fish or fish oils, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, is necessary for optimum health, although vegetarian alternatives, such as flax seed oil, are available.
Macrobiotic
The macrobiotic diet, revered by some for its healthy and healing qualities, includes unprocessed foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and allows the occasional consumption of fish. Sugar and refined oils are avoided. Perhaps the most unique qualifier of the macrobiotic diet is its emphasis on the consumption of Asian vegetables such as daikon and sea vegetables such as seaweed.
Vegetarian (Lacto-ovo- vegetarian)
When most people think of vegetarians, they think of lacto-ovo-vegetarians: People who do not eat beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish or animal flesh of any kind, but do eat eggs and dairy products are lacto-ovo vegetarians (“lacto” comes from the Latin word for milk, and “ovo” for egg). This is the most common type of vegetarian in North America.Lacto-vegetarian is used to describe a vegetarian who does not eat eggs, but does eat dairy products. Many Hindu vegetarians are lacto-vegetarians who avoid eggs for religious reasons while continuing to eat dairy.Ovo-vegetarian refers to people who do not eat meat or dairy products but do eat eggs. Some people are ovo-vegetarians because they are lactose-intolerant.
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein
Vegan
Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool. A vegan diet includes all grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits and the nearly infinite number of foods made by combining them. Many vegan versions of familiar foods are available, so you can eat vegan hot dogs, ice cream, cheese, vegan mayonnaise, egg substitutes, along with many other dairy and meat substitutes most of which are either soy or vegetable protein based among other natural ingredients.
Some people easily go from eating meat to vegan right away, while others struggle with their new commitment, or choose to go vegetarian first and then slowly omit eggs and dairy. There's no right or wrong way to do it, but you may want to learn about what's worked for other people. However you do it, keep your goals in mind and always remember why you are choosing to adopt a vegan diet.
My body will not be a tomb for other creatures." - Leonardo Da Vinci
I’m a level 5 vegan, I don’t eat anything that casts a shadow.” - Character on The Simpsons
Raw vegan/Raw food diet
A raw foods diet consists of unprocessed raw vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). Food that is cooked above this temperature loses their enzymes and thus a significant amount of their nutritional value and can be harmful to the body, whereas uncooked foods provide living enzymes and proper nutrition. There are many benefits to eating raw foods, including weight loss, more energy, clear skin, improved digestion and improved overall health. Many people clarify that they eat a "high raw" or a certain percentage of raw foods in their diet, such as "75% raw diet" or a "90% raw diet". Some people include unprocessed dairy products in their diet, but most follow a raw vegan diet. The raw diet has seen an increase in popularity in recent years with raw food restaurants open in most major cities.
The raw foods diet includes foods in their unprocessed and uncooked state and omits most other foods. Raw foodists also drink fresh fruit and vegetable juices and most people include a limited amount of foods that have undergone some processing, as long as the processing involves does not involve heating the food over 115 degrees. Some of these processed raw foods include: cold pressed oils, unprocessed olives, raw nut butters, Raw nut "milks", fermented foods such as miso, kimchee and sauerkraut. pure maple syrup, unpasteurized raw soy sauce (nama shoyu), dried fruits and vegetables, vinegars and foods cured in vinegar and unprocessed raw cacao (raw chocolate).
”Let food be thy medicine” - Hippocrates
“People eat meat and think they will become as strong as an ox, forgetting that the ox eats grass."- Pino Caruso
Final Thoughts
If you are interested in this type of lifestyle then do your research, educate yourself and above all else, do it for you, for the planet, and for other living beings. There are still a lot of people who do not understand this lifestyle or who could not comprehend even attempting it, and some will even ridicule those who do, because that is how some people deal with things that are different, by either mocking it based on lack of understanding, or by hating it based on fear of things that are different. Some people even hate it because they attempted it and were not able to stick with it, and through their lack of will power they cultivate spite and anger.
This is just something you will have to ignore if you want to truly try this for yourself. Remember that life is not about what others want, you live within the body that you have, and you should be the one to make the choice of what goes into it, no one else should be allowed to make that choice for you, let them worry about their own shell.
"One should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite another to kill. Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world. It is more important to prevent suffering, rather than sit to contemplate the evils of the universe praying in the company of priests." -Buddha