Vegetarianism/Veganism 101

[Chef #208121]

Definitions:

A vegetarian is someone living on a diet of grains, pulses [lentils/beans], nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with or without the use of dairy products and eggs (preferably free-range).

A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products such as gelatine or animal fats. Ie an animal should not die to produce the food product.

Types of Vegetarian:

* Lacto-ovo-vegetarian. Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.
* Lacto-vegetarian. Eats dairy products but not eggs.
* Ovo-vegetarian. Eats eggs but not dairy products.
* Vegan. Does not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product.
* Fruitarian. A type of vegan diet where very few processed or cooked foods are eaten. Consists mainly of raw fruit, grains and nuts. Fruitarians believe only plant foods that can be harvested without killing the plant should be eaten.
* Macrobiotic. A diet followed for spiritual and philosophical reasons. Aims to maintain a balance between foods seen as ying (positive) or yang (negative). The diet progresses through ten levels, becoming increasingly restrictive. Not all levels are vegetarian, though each level gradually eliminates animal products. The highest levels eliminate fruit and vegetables, eventually reaching the level of a brown rice diet.
*Raw food vegetarian. Attempts to avoid cooking vegetarian raw ingredients; usually aims for at least 75% of foods to be in raw form.

Other terms can be used in describing various vegetarian diets, though their exact meaning can differ. The term strict vegetarian may refer to a vegan diet, though in other cases it may simply mean a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. The terms common or broad vegetarian may be used to refer to lacto-ovo-vegetarians.

Demi-vegetarian or semi-vegetarian are terms sometimes used to describe persons who eat no or little meat but may eat fish. Persons consuming fish but no meat are sometimes called pescetarians. Both of these are technically not vegetarian.
From Missy Wombat's original 101 post by Missy Wombat.

Please note if you are posting public recipes that recipes containing fish/seafood are NOT included in Recipezaar's vegetarian category.

Vegetarian and Vegan links:

UK Vegetarian Society Where modern Western vegetarianism began... Has great info sheets.

Vegan.org [information, recipes, activism and how to including vegan dorm project]

Toronto Vegetarian Association

Faith and Food Great for working out food requirements for those of different religions. UK based.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Vegsource US site that covers everything!

VegWeb Recipe database and articles.

Answers on questions on Protein and Vegetarian Diets :
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4777
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.vnv.org.au/Nutrition/Protein.htm

For Vegetarian Teens

Frequently asked questions about Vegetarian and Vegan

Raw Food Forum They also have a raw recipe section.

Shopping guide for Vegetarian food

Accidental Vegan product lists
http://www.theevilpixel.com/?q=node/96
http://www.petakids.com/accvegan.html

Tempeh information and can order starter

Information for Mothers and baby

Veggie Health for Kids

Vegan Beers list USA

Vegan/Vegetarian Terms

Happy Cow This is a great resource for veg*n and veg*n friendly restaurants around the GLOBE.

Veg Kitchen This is a fun website by the author of one of my fav cookbooks.

Veggie Boards This is a forum for all things veg*n!

Useful threads on Recipezaar:

Ingredients/foods that you would think are vegetarian but aren't.

Raw veganism

Substituting eggs

Vegetarian cheeses

Getting enough...

Niacin

Protein

Calcium

Useful nutrition websites

Booze that is vegan or not vegan

All vegetarians are skinny, aren't they?

About childhood obesity

Healthy Eating Hints

Pregnant Vegetarian Thread

Cooking Threads:

Tofu 101

Seitan/Gluten/Wheat Meat 101

All content came from the original 101 thread by Missy Wombat, Sqrl and others and was transfered here for better organization. The original can be found here