The reasons why some people decide not to consume meat are different, which to some extent explains the different categories of vegetarianism.
Some stop eating meat as a protest against the factories that produce it, while others because they don't want animals to be killed in order for them to be fed.
And while the experts continue their debates over the benefits and harms of vegetarianism, a significant amount of people choose one of the 5 groups of food diet which to follow.
Flexitarian
This is one of the newer types of vegetarians, describing people who lead a semi-vegetarian way of life. Flexitarians mainly eat foods of plant origin, including dairy products, eggs and meat and fish only from time to time in their diet.
According to flexitarianism, the meat which they consume needs to be obtained by ethical means only, i.e. the animals need to have lived freely and to have fed on organic foods.
Some flexitarians eat meat dishes only if they are served to them at social events, but never cook meat in their own home.
Pescetarian
Pescetarians are also among one of the new groups. The name owes its origin to the Italian word "pesce", which means fish.
Pescetarians eat seafood but not any other types of meat. This type of diet is chosen by many people who wish to get additional proteins.
Seafood is a key source of proteins, healthy fats and some minerals.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian
This is the most popular type of vegetarianism and includes the most amount of people. Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not consume any type of meat but do eat products of animal origin, such as milk, cheese and eggs.
This group also includes lacto-ovo vegetarians who eat eggs but not dairy products.
Vegans
The food diet of vegans is based solely on plant foods, with the people from this group abstaining from consuming meat and animal products.
Vegans normally only eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and wheat. A large majority of these people do not use products of animal origin, such as leather, for example.
Raw foodists
Raw foodists refrain from eating any products of animal origin. The people in this group only eat foods that are prepared at a certain temperature, because it is thought that heat treatment produces cancerous substances.
The diet of raw foodists includes honey, nuts, roots and root vegetables, fruits and cereals, such as wheat, soya, barley and corn.
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