What is a Vegetarian?

"Vegetarian" is derived from the latin root "vegetare" meaning "to grow". There are many types of vegetarians. When one thinks of a vegetarian, you generally think of a person who doesn't eat meat. But, there are other types. A true and pure vegetarian does not eat meat at all, which means no poultry or fish either. A lacto-ovo vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, or poultry but eats dairy products and eggs. This means that a lacto vegetarian eats dairy but not eggs, and an ovo vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy products. A vegan is a person who excludes all forms of animal products from their diet. This includes meat, dairy, eggs, and things such as honey or gelatin. A semi-vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat meat, but eats small amounts of fish and poultry. A pesci-vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat meat or poultry, but does eats fish.



The reason for people to "go vegetarian" is mostly for the benefit of the environment. By not eating excessive amounts of meats, we are caring for the animals in the way that we let them live their lives because they deserve to. Animals weren't originally given to us for food or clothing or for manual labor. Being a vegetarian helps you to not consume too many fats because you don't eat the saturated fats that are in pig and cow meats. Being a vegetarian is difficult to achieve, but people try to because you decrease risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, decrease risk of some cancers and lower risk of obesity. With all those pros, comes cons such as you sometimes get a lack of nutrients because of the vegetarian diet.