A vegetarian diet consists of all foodstuffs other than fish or meat. Several variations of vegetarians exist. If you're a vegetarian, you probably fall into (or between) one of the following diet categories:
- Vegan: People who follow a vegan diet
eschew all substances that come from animals — specifically meats, poultry, and seafood, as well as milk, eggs, and other dairy products. Some avid vegans even prefer not to wear animal products, such as garments made of leather.
- Ovo-vegetarian: This diet is the same as the vegan diet but includes eggs.
- Lacto-vegetarian: Lacto-vegetarians include animal milk products in their diets.
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: These folks include milk and egg products in their diets.
Studies show that people who eat a balanced, mostly-vegetarian diet enjoy distinct health benefits. Vegetarians eat more vegetables and fruits by definition, and these foods are loaded with protective vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, and other goodies. They often live longer, healthier lives, and they suffer from fewer degenerative diseases that can plague heavy meat-eaters, such as arthritis, heart disease, and cancer. Many vegetarians appreciate not only the health benefits of their diets, but also the fact that their meal choices don't involve inhumane treatment of animals or wasted water and land resources.
 | As a vegetarian of any type, you need to make sure that you aren't deficient in nutrients that are abundant in animal foods, such as amino acids, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B-12. |
Use Table 1 to help you determine the nutrients you need.
Table 1: Getting Nutrients from a Vegetarian Diet
 | Although vegetarians often need a little extra vitamin B-12 in their supplement, your body can store this crucial vitamin for up to a year or more. Still, it is possible to become deficient, and small amounts in a daily supplement can add extra insurance. |
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