Your New world As A Vegetarian

Different Types Of Vegetarian. Animal Products Found In Everyday Foods

Open up a Completely New World
Becoming a vegetarian can be a little daunting at first as its not just a case of not eating meat as it soon becomes apparent that you have to question everything you apparently intend to eat. You have to plan in advance of your groceries shopping. You will be looking at all the food labels, as you will definitely want to know what the products contain to ascertain whether they are suitable for you. Once you take a vested interest in food labels, you will likely see a completely new world opening up to eating healthily. You will notice all the additives, colors, flavour enhancers, confusing numbers and letters and eventually want to know their meaning. However, food additives are beyond the scope of this guide with the notable exception of individual items known to be animal by-products.

Different Types of Vegetarians
Generally Speaking, vegetarianism can be split into the two groups "Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians" and "Vegans".

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarianism
Means eating all fruit and vegetables plus egg and milk/dairy products including some cheeses and are probably the largest group of vegetarians in the Western world.

Vegan
The strictest or purest vegetarian group exclude all animal products, such as meat, meat soups and casseroles, cheese, all dairy products, eggs, gelatin, honey and some sugars. Some sugars contain animal bone char, which maybe used to whiten some sugars such as cane sugars.

Vegans go beyond not eating all animal products, they exclude anything derived from animals including food, clothing, cosmetics, literally anything you can think of that involves animal exploitation.

Should you adopt the vegan philosophy and lifestyle you will need plenty of guidance and support, and possibly a mentor to show you the way.

So-Called Vegetarians
Are people that eat fish along with a vegetarian diet or even consider themselves vegetarian if they include chicken. The blunt truth is that if someone eats animal flesh by choice, he or she cannot possibly be vegetarian.
Many vegetarians unwittingly consume animal derivatives because they do not realize or primarily understand the structure of their food; does this exclude them from being a vegetarian?

Two Styles of Vegetarian Cuisine
Setting aside the vegetarian differences of, for example, lacto-ovo vegetarianism versus veganism, vegetarian cuisine can almost divided into two categories; meat analogues cuisine and natural vegetarian cuisine that does not attempt to fake meat.

Why Eat Artificial Meat?
Meat analogues that seriously attempt to mimic the appropriate taste, texture, and appearance of meats used in traditional recipes containing meat, for instance cuts of beef and chicken are prime examples. Meat analogues differ in quality and likeness to meats, and are widely available commercially or made at home quite easily. Many vegetarians commence their vegetarianism by trying to replace their traditional meat meals with near substitutes. This gives a welcome easy start for the new vegetarian and grants them time to explore and better understand vegetarianism. It is true to say that established vegetarians, in many cases, find meat substitution distasteful and prefer to use their imagination and enviable skills to produce meals that in no way resemble meat in any form!

Alternatives To Milk / Dairy and Products and Eggs
Many vegans on the other hand also use analogues alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Eggs and dairy products are so basic and fundamental to western diets as basic ingredients. Without eggs and dairy alternatives, food could be extremely bland and such substitutes are not considered a cheat.
Meat analogues are a popular choice for health-conscious meat eating, non-vegetarians and some actually prefer their taste.

Beware - Animal of Products Hidden in Everyday Foods!
You maybe consuming animal products without realising it. For years food and drink producers have traditionally used the by-products of dead animals to alter the characteristics of their products and enhance eating qualities or as an easy solution to a preparation problem. Sure, the additives are natural products but can be a grim shock to a vegetarian when the truth is realised! Nowadays, chemical and other alternatives maybe used as a substitute for the animal products. The alternatives are more acceptable to vegetarians, but maybe synthetic and unnatural and still not a totally acceptable solution to those wanting to avoid food additives.

Cows Stomach in Cheese 
A true vegetarian would also take into account that many cheeses contain rennet, which comes from the inner lining of the fourth stomach of calves and other young ruminants killed for butchering! Rennet is used to curdle milk in making cheese, junket etc.

Fish Swim Bladders in Wine and Beer
If you happen to be a wine or beer drinker, you face yet another dilemma!
Wine and beer clarification use a substance called isinglass obtained from the swim bladders of fish, especially Beluga sturgeon.

Boiled Bone and Hoof In Desserts and Tablets
Another significant concern is gelatin, which is, boiled, ground bone, hoof, skins, ligaments, and tendons of dead animals. Its particular purpose is primarily as a thickener to gel consumer food products including desserts that would otherwise be runny. Gelatin may be present in tablets and confectionary to bind ingredients into a solid hard mass.

Animal Bone Whitens Sugar
Also, beware of animal bone char for whitening sugar – see under Vegan!
Some sugars contain animal bone char, which maybe used to whiten some sugars such as cane sugars.

Luckily, if you like to eat cheese, drink wine and beer and love thickset desserts and sugar, there are vegetarian alternatives available, if you do not mind a stimulating challenge!