Hey there, viewers! Vegetarian diets have become popular over the last few
years. There are various reasons for it. One is a huge shift towards including
more fruits and veggies in our diet. It has multiple positive effects on your health.
You get loads of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals from them. But are all vegetarian
diets the same? It turns out no! In today’s video, we’ll be discussing 6 types of vegetarian diets.
What is a lacto ovo vegetarian? Can flexitarians eat dairy products?
What do lacto vegetarians eat? We’ll be talking about all of these AND more...
1. Lacto-ovo vegetarian
The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is the more traditional veggie diet. It doesn’t include
any meat or fish. You will still be eating dairy products such as milk and eggs though.
As the prefix ‘lacto’ suggests, the diet includes products taken from cow’s milk. The
other prefix ‘ovo’ is in reference to eggs. This is derived from the Latin word ovum.
In this particular diet, you will be including foods such as eggs, milk, cheese, butter and
other dairy products. You won’t be eating any animal-based foods such as meat or fish.
There are many reasons for adopting the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. Some do it because of religious
or cultural reasons. For instance, people following Hinduism or Buddhism generally
practice this diet .Some choose to go with this diet for ethical reasons. Health is also a factor.
Research suggests a vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of contracting type-2 diabetes.
Considering the lacto-ovo diet helps you catch up on healthy fruits and vegetables,
it also helps regulate your blood sugar levels. Have you tried a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet?
Do you know someone who follows it? Share your experiences with the Bestie community
in the comments below. 2. Lacto-vegetarian
The lacto-vegetarian diet is very similar to lacto-ovo. The difference is that it doesn’t
include any eggs. You would still be eating a lot of dairy products and veggies. You also won’t be
able to eat any beef, pork, chicken or fish. Jainism is one of the religions,
along with Hinduism and Buddhism, that generally follows a lacto-vegetarian diet.
Research shows that a lacto-vegetarian diet can bring down your total cholesterol and
LDL levels. LDL cholesterol is the bad type that causes heart disease.
A study of over 156,000 people showed those who followed a lacto-vegetarian diet have a 33% less
likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes compared with those who followed a non-vegetarian diet.
Since you would eat fewer calories than those who eat meat, it will
also help with your weight loss. Research shows those who followed
a veggie diet for 18 weeks lost around 5 pounds more than those who ate meat.
A vegetarian diet is also likely to reduce your chances of developing cancer by about 10% to 12%.
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3. Ovo-vegetarian
If you choose to follow the ovo-vegetarian diet, you wouldn’t be eating any dairy products at all.
Along with plant-based foods, you can also eat eggs as well, as the prefix ovo suggests.
This means you won’t be eating any butter, yogurt, ice cream or even cow’s milk. Instead,
you can go for egg-based dishes such as omelets, scrambled eggs and egg noodles,
among others. You can also have egg-based baked goods such as muffins and cakes.
With an ovo-vegetarian diet, you can reduce the number of calories you consume due to the absence
of meat and fish. You will also bring down your levels of sugar and saturated fats. You’ll also
meet your body’s daily requirement of sodium. When you combine this diet with regular exercise,
you can bring down the cholesterol level in your body. The combination also helps reduce your blood
pressure as well. You can even reverse plaque that may have built up in your blood vessels.
Research shows you can reduce the chances of getting type-2 diabetes by as much as 25%
if you follow a vegetarian diet. If you already happen to have the condition, the diet can
help regulate your sensitivity to insulin. Before we move ahead, here’s another video
you might like. Watch and learn more about 10 body changes that need your immediate attention.
4. Flexitarian A flexitarian diet, as the name suggests,
is a more flexible diet compared to strict vegan or vegetarian varieties. You will still
be eating more plant-based products, but you’ll be able to eat meat and eggs every now and then.
You get most of the proteins your body needs through the plant-based food you eat. Because
you’re eating fewer animal products, you reduce the added sugar and processed foods you consume.
Technically, a flexitarian diet is not a vegetarian diet considering the fact that you’re
still eating meat on occasion. This is generally helpful for people who are used to eating meat,
and cannot give it up easily. Instead of going cold turkey,
you can have meat to tide over your cravings. Just don’t make a habit of it.
You get all the usual benefits of a vegetarian diet, such as reduced risk
of getting type-2 diabetes and cancer. Since you’re reducing the amount of
calories you consume compared to a regular meat-based diet, you’re going to lose weight.
5. Pescatarian A pescatarian diet is
a vegetarian diet that allows you to eat fish. This includes foods such as tuna,
sushi and salmon. You’re still going to be avoiding meats such as chicken, beef and pork.
Whether you want to include dairy products like eggs and milk is totally up to you.
The main benefit of this diet is that you get all the important omega-3 fatty acids from the seafood
that you eat. These omega-3 fatty acids are usually not present in a purely vegetarian diet.
Another benefit of a pescatarian diet is weight loss. A study showed that women who
were on a pescatarian diet lost almost 3 more pounds every year than those who ate meat.
It not only helps weight loss, but also prevents putting on extra pounds. If you
stick to a plant-based diet, you tend to gain a lot less weight than meat eaters.
Research also shows those who followed a pescatarian diet had a 22% lower risk
of getting fatal heart disease compared to those who ate meat regularly.
6. Vegan Prepare yourself, folks! A vegan diet
is the strictest of all the diets in the video. All animal-based products, including meat, fish,
eggs and dairy are out of the question. Some even remove honey from their diet,
as it’s made by bees. Talk about a commitment... Your diet would essentially consist of plant-based
foods such as legumes, peas, nuts, fruits and vegetables, among others.
It doesn’t mean you have to completely get rid of dairy products. The difference,
however, is you would be consuming plant-based alternatives. For instance,
instead of cow’s milk, you would be drinking soy milk, or other products taken from plants.
The same is the case with meat. Tofu is the most popular alternative. You could also have tempeh
and jackfruit to get all those nutrients you usually get from animal-based foods.
One of the main reasons people go for the vegan diet is ethics. People who don’t want to harm
animals tend to choose veganism. They even avoid consumer products such as cosmetics,
and clothing made from animal-based ingredients. When you decide to go vegan,
forget about anything that’s tested on animals. If you’re going for a vegan diet, just know that
it’s usually low on certain nutrients due to the absence of meat and dairy products. So you
should also be taking supplements to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs.
Whichever type of diet you follow, there’s no denying that your body must get all of the
essential nutrients it needs on a daily basis. Wondering more about the basic nutrients you need
to stay healthy, or how you get those nutrients? Well there are some nutrient-dense foods you can
opt for. Here are a couple more videos... Check out How The 6 Basic Nutrients Affect
Your Body. You can also try 9 Of The Most Nutrient Dense Foods On The Planet.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how you can become
a healthier person. Do you follow a vegetarian diet? Let us know in the comments below!