Because it is rich in fiber, grains, fruits and vegetables, vegetarian food offers advantages such as lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and helping control weight and intestinal transit, as well as protecting animal life.
However, just like every diet, when food is not well made or when it is too restricted in the food variety, the vegetarian lifestyle can bring disadvantages as increased risk of problems such as anemia, osteoporosis and constipation.
Here are the differences and advantages and disadvantages of each type of vegetarianism.
Ovolactovegetarians
In this type of diet, all kinds of meat, fish, shellfish and their derivatives, such as hamburger, ham, sausage and sausage, are excluded from feeding. However, eggs, milk and dairy products are allowed as animal foods, increasing the variety of food, but there are also vegetarians who prefer to consume only the milk or just the egg in the diet.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
Decreased cholesterol consumption; | Feed restriction; |
| Decrease in environmental impact and pollution; | Decreased consumption of high-quality iron; |
| Increased consumption of antioxidants. | --- |
This is the kind of vegetarianism that is easier to follow because it allows you to consume a greater variety of food preparations that use milk and eggs in the recipe. See menu example here.
Strict vegetarianism
In this type of food, no food of animal origin, such as honey, eggs, meat, fish, milk and its derivatives, is consumed.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
Elimination of dietary cholesterol consumption; | Loss of milk as a source of calcium in the diet; |
| Protection and fight against the exploitation of animals to produce food. | Loss of vitamin B complex sources; |
| --- | Loss of high quality protein sources in the diet. |
In this type of vegetarianism, cow's milk is replaced by vegetable milks, such as soybeans and almonds, and the egg is replaced by vegetable protein sources such as soybeans, lentils, and beans. Learn how to make vegan chocolate at home.
Veganism
In addition to not eating any food that is of animal origin, the adepts of this lifestyle also do not use anything that comes directly from animals, such as wool, leather and silk, as well as do not use cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
Elimination of dietary cholesterol consumption; | Loss of milk as a source of calcium in the diet; |
| Protection and fight against the exploitation of animals to produce food, materials and consumer products. | Loss of vitamin B complex sources; |
| --- | Loss of high quality protein sources in the diet. |
To fulfill the vegan lifestyle, one must be aware of the ingredients of all kinds of products, such as cosmetic creams, makeup, clothes, shoes and accessories.
To better understand, see an example vegetarian diet menu and know which vegetable foods are high in protein.
Crudivores
They only eat raw foods, only vegetables, fruits, nuts and raw sprouted grains are included in the diet.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
Elimination of consumption of processed foods; | Reduction of food variety; |
| Decreased consumption of food products and dyes; | Increased risk of constipation; |
| Increased fiber intake. | Decreased absorption of vitamins and minerals in the intestine. |
Its main disadvantage is the reduction in the amount of protein consumed, because legumes such as beans, soybeans, corn and peas are also excluded from the diet, the main sources of protein of plant origin. In addition, the food variety is very small, which is also due to the difficulty of finding fresh food. See more details and menu example of this diet here.
Fruitful
They feed exclusively on fruits, thus avoiding all animal foods, roots and shoots. Its main feature is that in addition to the refusal to contribute to the exploitation and animal death, also refuse to participate in the death of plants.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
Environmental, animal and plant protection; |
Maximum feed restriction, being difficult to meet; |
| Consumption of only natural foods, avoiding the processed ones; | Loss of consumption of quality vegetable protein; |
| Increased consumption of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. | Loss of vitamins and minerals present in vegetables; |
| --- | Decreased consumption of iron and calcium. |
Ideally, this type of vegetarian diet should be accompanied by a doctor and dietician, as there is usually a need to use iron, calcium and vitamin B12 food supplements. In addition, it is important to remember that vitamin B12 supplementation should be consumed by all types of vegetarians as this vitamin is not found in plant foods. Learn How to Avoid the Lack of Nutrients in the Vegetarian Diet.
Foods that the vegetarian should not eat
