Easy Vegetarian And Vegan Guides To Special Diets

More and more people today are becoming health conscious. This is why a lot of diet or lifestyle trends have also recently become popular. Even animal and environmental activism have become an important cause in today’s world.

However, just jumping on the bandwagon won’t cut it. Before entering a certain diet or lifestyle, you must know everything that there is to it. This also means that your life principles and morals must be in line with the lifestyle you want to follow.

A lot of people choose to live a meatless life or follow a clean diet for health purposes. It cannot be denied that following a vegetarian diet or lifestyle has some benefits. On the other hand, there are also others who choose this lifestyle due to morality.

It is very common to see animal activists who are also vegan. In a research done by the World Atlas, Australia ranked 10th among the 10 countries with the highest rates of vegetarianism. India was ranked 1st in the list with 38% of its population vegetarian.

However, in a more recent study, there has also been a slow yet steady increase in Australia’s vegetarian population. From 2012 to 2016, the vegetarian population has increased to 11.2%. Are you curious why?

Today, we will be discussing everything you need to know about vegetarianism. We also included a vegetarian and vegan guide to special diets just for you! Stay tuned for more details.

While you might be curious about vegetarianism, it is also very natural to be confused. This is most especially true if you’re new to the concept. There are a lot of terms that you probably hear today regarding diets or lifestyles.

We have the pescatarians, vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and the like. However, between the two, it is important to note that the vegan diet is under vegetarianism as a whole. Vegetarianism has four different subtypes: the Lacto-Ovo, Lacto, Ovo and vegan vegetarians.

Among these four subtypes, it is the vegans who avoid all derived animal products. Be it clothing, cosmetics, meat, eggs or dairy products, they don’t consume it. Animal cruelty-free makeup, hygiene and skin care products are their best friends.

Clothing with fur, leather or any material at all that is animal derived is also a no-no. But most importantly, they also avoid animal-derived ingredients. Ingredients like honey, albumin and even some forms of vitamin D3 are avoided.

Lacto-Ovo vegetarians, on the other hand, avoid animal meat but still eat dairy products and eggs. The Lacto vegetarians avoid meat and eggs but still consume dairy products.
And finally, for vegetarians refrain from consuming all kinds of animal products except eggs.

If you still can’t find which type of vegetarian diet or lifestyle you want to try, we also have the flexitarians and pescatarians. Flexitarians are those who are only part-time vegetarians. While the pescatarians are those who avoid meat and poultry yet eat fish and seafood.

While it can’t be denied that being a vegetarian offers so much health benefits, there are still some debates about it. For instance, a common question people ask would be about protein and complete nutrition. Do vegetarians get enough of this and that?

Where do vegetarians get their protein? Is it hard to plan a day to day meals with limited ingredients? These are all very important questions, especially if you genuinely want to try the lifestyle. However, vegans and vegetarians, in general, do get enough nutrition.

There are lots of protein-rich vegetables and food plans that provide complete nutrition. There’s also an infinite list of ingredients and food that vegetarians can consume. In fact, a lot of common foods that we know today are already vegan.

Fruits and vegetables are a given and a staple. Tofu, lentils, guacamole, salsa, and hummus are among those foods as well. All kinds of nuts are also quite a staple of the vegan diet.

If you’re curious what’s it like to be a vegan for a day, here’s a sample of a vegan diet:

➔ Breakfast: Vegan smoothie bowl with fruits and nuts. (usually made with bananas, berries and mixed with some protein powder or peanut butter for protein source)

➔ Lunch: Veggie Burger with Gluten Free Fries (the veggie meat in the burger is made out of soy, wheat and vegetable/plant proteins)

➔ Dinner: Hummus Quesadilla with Roasted Tomato Salsa and Guacamole (some add chickpeas to the vegan quesadilla as source of protein)

This is just a sample of a simple vegan diet. However, do not be afraid to research more and get creative with your meals. This is most especially important when you want to stick to veganism as a form of lifestyle.

Also, don’t worry because all vegan recipes can also be for vegetarians as well. Whatever it is that vegans eat can also be eaten by vegetarians in general. However, beware because it does not work the other way around.

Remember, the rest of the vegetarian subtypes aren’t vegan. (the ovo, lacto and Lacto-ovo) So just be cautious with what you eat as well as the ingredients and you will get the hang of it.

Whether your reason is for health purposes or morality, trying out a new diet or lifestyle is always a good thing. Veganism and vegetarianism both have really good health benefits. They are very good cleansing diets.

Also, both also serve as good forms of animal rights advocacy and carbon footprint reduction. You’re helping your health but in turn, you’re helping animals and the environment as well! You hit three birds with one stone, as the saying goes.

We hope you find this article informative. We wish you luck should you plan to try veganism or vegetarianism.