The Different Types Of Vegetarian Diets & Tips To Have A Healthy Meal
When a vegetarian diet comes to mind, people typically think about a diet that doesn’t include meat, poultry or fish. Take a deeper dive and you’ll soon find that there are actually many types of vegetarian diets with varying practices about which foods they include and exclude. Perhaps you feel going vegetarian will be better for your health, or maybe you’re passionate about animal rights. Or you could be concerned about the environment and want to do your part. A vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women with a little planning. Vegetarian World Foods is a reliable vegetarian supplier in Singapore, and in this article we’ll be sharing 5 variations of the vegetarian diet, and tips on how to keep all your meals healthy.
Lacto-vegetarian
Many choose to follow the lacto-vegetarian diet for both its flexibility and health benefits. The lacto-vegetarian diet excludes meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs, but includes dairy products such milk, cheese, yogurt and butter. Dairy is a great source of calcium, protein and vitamin B12, but is also low in iron. As such, lacto-vegetarians should include plant-based iron rich sources in their diet and take measures to boost iron absorption, such as eating vitamin C-rich foods at the same time.
Vegan
A vegan diet excludes eggs, dairy, fish oils, and animal derived products such as honey, gelatin, and collagen. Most vegans also eliminate animal-based products in their daily life, like leather or fur goods. Look to trustworthy suppliers when shopping for vegetarian grocery in Singapore to get the freshest ingredients for your dietary needs.
Ovo-vegetarian
An Ovo-vegetarian’s diet includes eggs and egg products, without dairy or other animal proteins such as seafood, fish, poultry, and meat. The ovo-prefix comes from the Latin word for egg. Eggs are a source of high-quality protein, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12 for these individuals. However, calcium is vital for strong bones and teeth, and plays a crucial role in other systems of the body, such as the health and functioning of nerves and muscle tissue. As such, these individuals will need to be careful about replacing dairy foods with adequate amounts of other calcium-containing foods.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian
A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet says no to poultry, fish, red meat, seafood, and any by-products which require animal slaughter. While lacto-ovo-vegetarians do not condone the killing of animals for food, they consider it acceptable to eat animal by-products like dairy and eggs. Ultimately, a healthy lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet should also prioritise food with fibre such as mushroom, burdock, konjac which can all be found by a local vegetarian supplier.
Pescatarians
The pescatarian diet is one that consists of plant-based foods with fish and seafood as the main sources of protein. Like vegetarians, their diet is also plant-based, consisting of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats, and avoids meat and poultry. Benefits of a pescatarian diet include a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke among many others.
Essential nutrients are harder to obtain in a vegetarian diet if not carefully planned out. Some vegetarians may rely too heavily on processed foods, which can be high in calories, sugar, fat and sodium. If you’ve decided to try a vegetarian or vegan diet, be sure to plan your diet to make sure it includes all the essential nutrients. This is especially important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have young children following a vegetarian diet. Include wholegrains and plant-proteins often in your daily meals for more complete nutrition intake.
One way to transition to a vegetarian diet is to gradually reduce the intake of meat while increasing fruits and vegetables. Vegetarian World Foods is a vegetarian supplier that does online delivery in Singapore. Get in touch with us today to learn more!
