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What do Vegetarians eat?
An Addendum to A Vegetarian's
Culinary Alphabet |
| The PASSIONATE VEGETARIAN approach
avoids labeling people, suggesting that ways of eating, and other people, be
considered more fluidly. Besides, labeling so often leads to filing away,
writing off, and just generally diminishing others). |
| BUT, particularly when individuals are starting to nose around ways of
eating which may be new to them, they often want definitions and a way to
think in categories. This is concomitant with the "What do vegetarians eat?"
question. |
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So, here are the commonly defined "types" of vegetarians:
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Vegans |
Vegans eat only foods of plant origin, no foods of animal
origin; that means, no eggs, dairy products, or honey. Soyfoods, legumes,
nuts and seitan form the protein building blocks, and are rounded out by
grains, fruits, and vegetables. |
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Lacto-Vegetarians
Ovo-Vegetarians
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians |
Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat as above with the addition of
dairy products (lacto) and/or eggs (ovo). This,
in common parlance, is the style of eating most often meant in America when
people refer to "vegetarian." Lacto-ovo food choices, in
other words, do contain some foods of animal origin, but no foods composed
of the animal's actual flesh, or products thereof (for instance, if rice was
cooked in chicken stock, it would not be acceptable to your typical lacto-ovo
vegetarian). |
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Pesce-Vegetarians
(sometimes called Pescetarians)
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In addition to the foods above, pesce-vegetarians eat fish.
(Most vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians do not, by the way, consider those
who eat fish "real" vegetarians --- you see why definitions can create
divisions between people?) |
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"Vegetarian
Sympathizers" |
Folks who do eat meat, fish, and chicken --- but perhaps
much less than they once did, and perhaps more carefully (they may choose
organically raised meats). They lean somewhat towards a low- or no-meat way
in their thinking. Frequently Sympathizers and Pesces are on the continuum
towards a lacto-ovo or vegan way of eating. |
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Passionate
Vegetarian |
As given on this site and in the book
PASSIONATE VEGETARIAN,
PV recipes are lacto-ovo, with plenty of vegan options,
but always, always sensually pleasing regardless of how you define your way
of eating. The recipes are frequently seasonal, not afraid of big flavors,
and borrow notes from regional cuisines from all over the world. But
PV
attitude is just as important. It is inclusive, welcoming,
non-proselytizing, and absolutely respectful of anyone's food choices. PV's
know that just as you don't have to "be" Italian to love Italian food, you
don't have to "be" a vegetarian to love vegetarian food. PV's set a
generous, delicious table --- and everyone is welcome. |
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