5 Things You Need to Know About Lacto-Vegetarianism

1. What is a Lacto-Vegetarian?

A lacto-vegetarian is a person that follows a vegetarian diet and abstains from eating meat, poultry and fish. They do not include eggs in their diet as they see eggs as unborn animals. However, their diets do include dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt and egg free ice cream. They do not eat any foods that contain eggs; including baked goods, pancakes and veggie burgers. They prepare these foods using a vegetarian egg substitute such as applesauce, pureed fruit or whipped tofu.

2. Benefits of a Lacto-Vegetarian Diet

When you eliminate meat products from your diet, you also significantly reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol into your system, resulting in weight loss and a healthier body. The many overall health benefits of eating a lacto-vegetarian diet include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, lowering high blood pressure, increasing fiber intake and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

3. Dangers of This Type of Diet

Although this way of eating is healthy, there is the possibility of nutritional deficiencies without understanding the needs of the body. It is essential for optimal health to include sufficient amounts of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and zinc. Eating foods that include dark green vegetables, enriched cereals and grains, nuts and seeds, soy products and foods high in vitamin C is the key to a healthy and nutritionally sound diet.

4. Importance of High Protein Foods

Protein is an important nutrient to our bodies. It helps maintain strong and healthy organs, muscles, bones and skin. A lacto-vegetarian must intake a sufficient amount of protein for their body's needs. A healthy diet includes high protein foods such as soy products, nuts and legumes that include beans, lentils and peas. Dairy products are also a good source of protein.

5. Eating Out on a Vegetarian Diet

Many restaurants today offer vegetarian choices on their menus, as more people become conscious of what they eat. There are delicious meal choices including angel hair pasta with mixed vegetables, cheese and refried bean casserole and spinach or mixed vegetable lasagna. Tofu dishes, salad bars featuring chickpeas and beans, vegetarian chili are becoming common restaurant offerings. Always check with your waiter when ordering soup to make sure the stock is vegetable based and not meat based. It is also a good idea to avoid restaurant foods such as cheese sauce and white cream sauce as they generally have a very high fat content.