The Differences Between Lacto And Ovo Vegetarianism

The differences between lacto and ovo vegetarianism

Many people understand the many benefits that a vegetarian diet can have tfor your health and the environment, but few realize exactly how many different subsets of vegetarianism there are. When it comes to vegetarianism, many people choose to be either a lacto-vegetarian or an ovo-vegetarian. In this article, we will attempt to explain some of the differences between these two diets so that it will be easier for you to figure out exactly which type of diet you should take on for yourself.

Lacto-vegetarians are people that believe that they should avoid eating eggs, but allow themselves to have dairy products. Lacto-vegetarians contend that they should be allowed to have dairy products since they do not lead to the death of cows, but avoid eating eggs because they are potentially destroying a life in eating them. Dairy products contain lactose as a principle ingredient, giving this type of vegetarian diet its name. If you have problems with your cholesterol levels, you may want to consider the lacto-vegetarian diet as it can help you to decrease your levels by removing meat and eggs from your diet.

Ovo-vegetarians comprise most of the other vegetarians in the world today, and they have a radically different belief structure from lacto-vegetarians. Ovo-vegetarians allow themselves to eat eggs, stating that the eggs that are made for human consumption are not fertilized and therefore do not cause any animal death. Ovo-vegetarians stress that they should avoid eating dairy products, unlike their lacto-vegetarian counterparts, because they feel that milk is produced only after a mother cow has given birth to a calf which will probably be used for its meat. To that end, ovo-vegetarians and lacto-vegetarians follow very different belief structures and they often argue about which course of action is the right one to take.

Vegans, by contrast, are vegetarians that feel that they should avoid any type of animal product, ensuring that all of the things that they eat only contain ingredients that come from fruits, grains, and vegetables. This is a hard lifestyle to maintain, but many people find comfort in this diet once they are able to adjust.

Finally, there is a separate group of vegetarians that refer to themselves as lacto-ovo vegetarians. These individuals allow themselves to eat all of the things that the ovo and lacto-vegetarians avoid, allowing for the consumption of both dairy products and eggs. This type of vegetarian is the most commonly found type within the United States, as individuals merely refrain from eating types of meat in order to keep their diet the way that they want to.

Whatever you decide, rest assured that you are making a good decision when it comes to cutting meat out of your diet. Regardless of your individual beliefs over issues of lacto-vegetarianism or ovo-vegetarianism, by cutting meat out of your diet you are helping to promote the proper treatment of animals and will likely find numerous benefits for your health in your new diet. Stay committed, and it will be well worth it!

News About Vegetarianism Do Animals Commit Suicide? A Scientific Debate (Time.com via Yahoo! News) 19 Mar 2010 at 5:40am A new study in the British journal Endeavor examines history's recorded accounts of animals killing themselves Legislators side with angry farmers (Detroit Free Press) 19 Mar 2010 at 12:20am A resolution asks Gov. Jennifer Granholm to rescind her no-meat proclamation. The right way to be a vegetarian (Orleans Star / Weekly Journal) 19 Mar 2010 at 6:41am There's more to being a vegetarian than just cutting meat out of one's diet and loading up on heart-healthy vegetables. In fact, doing just that can be a recipe for vitamin deficiencies and poor health, according to local registered nutritional consultant and author Kathy Smart... Candidates back Kansas agriculture (Salina Journal) 19 Mar 2010 at 3:24am ELLSWORTH -- "I think Rob's right," said one. "As Tracy said ..." added another. Taking a closer look at what we eat (The Rebel Yell) 19 Mar 2010 at 12:07am Local activist groups partner to rally for animal rights Kittens and chicks are equally cute, but why domesticate one and consume the other? This is the thought provoking message in a billboard promoted by the local association Vegas Veg in partnership with Mercy For Animals. Vegas Veg is a local organization consisting of individuals interested in promoting plant-based [...] Recent restaurant reviews (Contra Costa Times) 19 Mar 2010 at 12:09am The following are shortened versions of recent full-length restaurant reviews. The date the original review ran and its overall rating is in parentheses. Oswal takes delivery of first China-made ship (People's Daily) 18 Mar 2010 at 8:00pm Australia-based Indian industrialist Pankaj Oswal has announced that Maruti Shipping, a part of his Oswal Group Global, will spend $320 million by 2012 for nine ships built at Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyards in Jiangsu province. The first of the fleet of 57,000-ton dry bulk carriers built in Yangzhou will be delivered today and is already chartered by the Thoreson Group in Thailand. Other Maruti ships ... Votes for dogs appeals, but giving animals rights is moral chaos (Guardian Un... 18 Mar 2010 at 2:05pm Should animals get the vote? If they are said to have rights, surely they should have representation; and if representation, then the vote. In Switzerland, they have lawyers and fight cases. Their lobbyists cite chapter, verse and precedent for their moral status. Senate has beef with the meatout (Detroit Free Press) 18 Mar 2010 at 12:33am LANSING -- The meatout controversy reignited in the state Senate on Wednesday, where a resolution was passed asking Gov. Jennifer Granholm to rescind her proclamation urging Michiganders to give up meat on Saturday to recognize the benefits of vegetarian diets.

 

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