Facts About Being a Vegetarian

There are three major types of lifestyles and eating habits that vegetarians may include in a diet.

The first type is a lacto-vegetarian. These devotes exclude all types of meat and eggs, but will include dairy products as part of their meals.

The second type of vegetarian is a vegan, or a strict vegetarian. This group does not eat any type of meat or dairy products, such as milk. There are also some vegans that will not eat honey.

The third type of vegetarian is known as a lacto-ovovegetarian. This is the major form of vegetarian lifestyle that many take part in. It includes excluding meats only, but including eggs as well as dairy products.

The type of vegetarian you decide to become will be determined by knowing what types of nutrients you need.

There are several reasons why one may decide to become a vegetarian. Vegetarians are known to have fewer health problems than others. They suffer from fewer heart disease and cancer problems, including lower instances of colorectal, ovarian and breast cancer. High blood pressure and diabetes are also lower amongst vegetarians.

A vegetarian diet includes most of the nutrients one needs for good health. Vegetarian diets exclude most types of fats that are not healthy for you. These diets also add fiber to the diet, which helps in circulation and functioning as well nutritional balance.

Despite this balance and these benefits, there are several extra nutrients that vegetarians have to make sure they get in of their diet. Vegetarians need to insure that they get enough protein. It's important to make sure that enough protein is eaten. Grains, beans, tofu, nuts, eggs or peas can contribute to adequate protein consumption. Without protein, you will not have enough energy for the day.

The second nutrient that is needed in a vegetarian diet is calcium. If you eat dairy, this will be easier to consume. However, if not, you can find calcium in darker greens. Vitamin D, Iron and Vitamin B-12 are the other three nutrients that may be lacking in this diet.

Being a vegetarian is an option for maintaining a different type of lifestyle and diet. As long as one recognizes the need for additional nutrients, it is a very healthy diet.