Vegetarian diets are constantly evolving, and every so often, a new variant of these plant-based diets emerges. It is often thought that there are only two types: the vegan diet and the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, but nothing could be further from the truth.

In the following EOS Blog entry, we present all types of vegetarian diets (or plant-based food diets, to be more precise). We hope to clarify many doubts!

Vegetarian Diet and Its Modalities

The common characteristic of all types of vegetarianism is the exclusion of meat from the diet of those who follow them:

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian Diet

• In ovo-lacto vegetarianism, plant-based foods are predominant, but eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) are allowed. The ovo-lacto vegetarian diet is the most widespread.
• There are also small variations: ovo vegetarianism (egg consumption allowed) and lacto vegetarianism (only dairy consumption).

Api Vegetarian Diet

Api vegetarians strictly consume plant-based foods, except for honey. It is the only type of animal-derived food they can consume, always under the premise that it is of the highest possible quality and locally sourced.

Vegan Diet and Its Nuances

Veganism is not just a way of eating but a holistic way of living. Its philosophy is to avoid consuming any type of product derived from animals, not just food: cosmetics, clothing, and accessories (this also includes not buying products tested on animals).

Initially, vegans could only consume a limited amount of food products, but over time and with evolution, being vegan has become as easy and healthy as for any person who consumes meat and fish. We invite you to discover the essential vitamins in the vegan diet in this blog article.

Raw Vegans, Followers of the Raw Diet

Raw vegans are a variant of these vegetarian diets: they consume exactly the same as vegans but with the premise that everything is raw or cooked at a temperature lower than 42ºC. This movement emerged years ago in the United States with the rise of "raw" foods. This way, the properties of the food are better preserved (avoiding nutrient oxidation).

Fruitarian Diet

The fruitarian diet or frugivorism goes a step further, suggesting eating only fruits and fruit-based foods (80% of the daily diet based on fruits, with the remaining 20% from nuts, seeds, and vegetables).

Flexitarianism: Perfect for Beginners

Flexitarians are people who are beginning to adopt a plant-based diet and who want to transition from an omnivorous lifestyle to one of the vegetarian diets mentioned above. They consume meat or fish occasionally to gradually phase out those types of foods. Anyone who predominantly consumes plant-based foods over animal-based ones, even unconsciously, is also considered flexitarian.