Vegetarian, What Is It? And Who?

[CoolBreeze 154]

Hello fellow Sleevers.

Gotta question. I have been noticing - here on VST and personally that when people talk about being vegetarian most (and in my family too) talk about NOT eating meats. But some say they eat fish/chicken/turkey/seafood. Most, that I talked to, do not consider these things meats. Can a vegetarian explain just what makes a vegetarian?

And what considered meat (other than the obvious) not considered meat?

I am eating veggie burgers (Morning Star Famrs products), chicken thighs, turkey (roasted, grilled, slice (lean)), as well as eggs and soy/egg based Protein Shakes (those I can tolerate).

This I have been doing since May (was sleeved on June 26, 2012).

Thanks.

[JenC 90]

Vegetarianism is absentence from eating meat (any meat...no birds, no fish, no seafood, no beef, no pork all of these are meats). Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians supplement their diet with dairy products and eggs. Vegans do not eat meat or any animal products (dairy or egg derived).

Many people call themselves flexitarians these days adding fish, animal products, or lean meats when they feel their bodies or lifestyle requires it. There are benefits to being selective about the meats that you eat but in the end if it was a living animal/fish at some point it is meat! Theres no getting around it.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

A vegitarian does not eat any meat at all.

Pescitarian adds only fish to a vegitarian diet.

A Pesci-pollitarian adds fish & foul to a vegitarian diet. (There is some controversy over pork as it is not a red meat, but by definition is not included in this diet)

Vegan is another controversial term. So I'll list the 2 most common practices

1. Does not eat any animal durived products. Meat, eggs, dairy,etc

2. A strict vegan goes farther than #1 an will not use any animal derived products at all. To include leather, collagen lotions, animal tested products, etc.

Then there is the more recent label Flexitarian- this is actually an omnivore that observes a vegitarian diet most of the time.

My wife falls into the Flexitarian category, only eating meat products a couple times a month.

[MegInNOLA 531]

Hi there! There are quite a few terms that are used for a vegetable-based diet--some of these diets include limited animal products, some do not.

Vegetarian: Someone whose diet is plant-food-centric. Most people who use this term mean that they don't eat meat but do consume dairy and/or eggs. NOT a very specific term and easily misunderstood. :-)

Vegan: Someone whose diet includes NO animal products. No meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, honey, Gelatin, Worchestershire sauce, nothing with animal products.

Lactovegetarian: Plant-based diet that also includes dairy.

Ovovegetarian: Plant-based diet that also includes eggs.

Lacto-ovovegetarian: Plant-based diet that also includes dairy and eggs.

Then there's a group under the umbrella term "flexitarian": This is a vegetable-centric diet with occasional inclusions of fish, poultry, meat, dairy, eggs as Protein sources, but limited amounts. The focus here is on eating for health and nutrition, using animal products as sparingly as possible and limiting consumption of high-fat, low-nutritional-value foods. Flexitarians take advantage of seasonal produce and local animal Proteins (locavores--trying to eat food grown/caught in the vicinity) for freshness and optimum nutrition.

There are a bunch of sub-types here, pescetarian (eats fish occasionally), pollotarian (eats chicken occasionally), etc. etc.

If someone on this board says they're a vegetarian without further amplification, I would assume they mean no red meat, no poultry, and no fish, but that's just an assumption. If you need/want to know exactly what they mean, you have to ask. :-)

I personally am a flexitarian, mainly lactovegetarian with occasional seafood.

[CoolBreeze 154]

Well from what I am reading so far, I'm the 'Flexitarian'.

I have not eaten red meat in such a while that I am afraid that if I did now, I would be sick. I really don't miss it. I go by McDonald's on my way to work each morning and would actually like to get a fish sandwich or a fruit/yogurt cup.

I'll stay in the 'Flexitarian'.

Thank you all for your comments, much appreciated

[nyxa 159]

O.T.R.sleever & MegInNOLA are correct.

there's also very strict vegans that are called Fruitarians, who only eat the fruit of plants.. so they'll eat fruit and nuts (because they're the fruit of a tree) & etc.

there's also vegans that are "raw" meaning they don't eat any cooked food... they will "warm" food up to 110 degrees or less, otherwise it destroys the digestive enzymes in the food & they consider it "dead" & lacking nutritional value.

there are "raw" foodists who eat meat, but they're not vegans/vegetarians. they also drink raw milk and stuff.

all kinda strange diets out there, isn't there?