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Do you have a dietary label?
I was a carnivore over 30 years ago and I thought I had no dietary label. Actually, I was a carnivore. Then one day in 1985 I bought a skinny little book called “Dr Christophers’s Mucousless Diet” as a desperate attempt to relieve myself of what seemed like a never ending head cold. Little did I know then, but this was actually a plant based diet. Coming from my full on carnivore diet I was at a lost as to what to eat. I cut out dairy and red meat and since I was never much of a bread eater the elimination of bread was not much of a deprivation. I mentioned to my twins that we had not eaten red meat for three weeks. How did they feel about it if we didn’t eat it anymore. They were quite happy with the idea so we became ‘vegetarians’.
Vegetarians and Vegans
Well, not exactly, but in the ‘80’s if you didn’t eat meat, but still ate fish an chicken, eggs and dairy, you carried the dietary label of vegetarian. Well now, what exactly does that mean? Lacto vegetarian, Ovo-lacto, London vegetarian. Well we didn’t eat meat, fish, chicken or eggs so we fell into the Lacto-vegetarian category. It was some many years that I continued to consume dairy products. Frankly speaking, I had known for many years that there were health issues attached to consuming dairy; I did not know of the inhumane manner that dairy cows were treated.
One day in 2012 I decided that I had been evading the dairy issue for long enough and decided to give up all dairy products. So, was I then vegan or plant based? The answer is a tough one because vegan is not just about diet, it is a complete lifestyle. Vegans do not eat honey, and I was occasionally having honey. I would term myself as being veganish 🙂
Plant based diets
Numerous out-there doctors such as Michael Gregor, Joel Furhman, Caldwell Esselstyn, Neal Barnard, Michael Klaper and so many more use the term plant-based. Just as in the 80’s, I was referred to being a vegetarian if I did not eat red meat, now if you don’t do any animal products you must be a vegan. Its too complicated to enter into a whole education program and so those that are not 100% vegan still refer to themselves as being vegan. This is for the purpose of understanding, particularly in restaurants where the staff are only now trying to figure out the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian.
Religious Diets
Then there are the religious diets which are fully carnivore but are, among other rules, concerned with the manner in which the animal was killed, the dietary label for these being Halaal and Kosher. Finally when you thought you had it all figured out, we have specific plant based foods that are avoided. The Taoist diet seems to vary from person to person, but generally, they avoid eating garlic, onions, chives, leek, and spring onions. Some are plant based and others eat some fish and dairy.
Health motivated diets
Then for health reasons we get back to plant based, we can go one step further. This is to say that you are on a wholefood plant based diet. Another health related diet is the gluten-free diet that avoids all foods that contain gluten. You could be a carnivore or any level of vegetarian and still be gluten free.
Weight loss diets
Weigh loss diets usually involve a short-term change of eating habits. Usually for the purpose of losing weight rather than the adoption of a new lifestyle. These diets have mostly been around in some form or another over many decades. They are periodically altered slightly and they appear with a new name be the latest snake-oil. Do you have the dietary label of Banting and Paleo. While Banting was such the rage that restaurants were offering Banting options and supermarkets offered products to cater for this dietary choice. I have noticed that restaurants and supermarkets have not catered for the Paleo diet in the same manner as the Banting diet. The Banting rage seems to have subsidided.
What do the various dietary labels mean
Ovo- lacto vegetarian Avoids meat, fish, chicken but consumes dairy products and eggs
Lacto- vegetarian Avoids meat, fish, chicken and eggs but consumes dairy
Plant based. Avoids all animal related products
Wholefood plant based. Avoid all animal related products with the focus on high nutrient, non processed foods
This is a test
Vegan Rather considered a lifestyle that avoids the mistreatment and abuse of animals in every sense of the word plus the impact of animal agriculture on the environment. Here is not the place to deal with the vegan philosophy. For more info Veganism
Kosher and Halaal Kill animals in accordance with to a specific procedures. Avoidance of the eating of pigs, shellfish. Again, there are many more intricacies relating to the Kosher and Halaal diet. For more information consult Kosher or Halaal
Taoist. This diet varies from area to area with some being strictly vegetarian and others not as strict. The avoidance of alliums is common.
Banting and Paleo. These diets are similar with slightly different percentages of carbs and fat. The Paleo diet is about 20% carbs, 40% fats, and 40% animal protein. whereas Banting recommend 5% carbs, 70% fats and 25% protein. Both the Paleo and Banting diets avoid sugars, grains & legumes, and dairy is a no no for the Paleo diet. The Banting diet limits dairy.
@ CAROLYN – IMAGES PLEASE : SYMBOLS FOR: GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, PLANT BASES, KOSHER, HALAAL AND ANY OTHER IMAGES YOU THINK ARE APPROPRIATE. I HAVE DONE THE YOAST SEO AND READABILITY – THE ONLY THINK THAT IS NOT SHOWING UP CORRECTLY IS THE SUBHEADINGS – THE WAY I HAVE LAID IT OUT IS NOT SHOWING AS SUBHEADINGS – PLEASE CORRECT. I ALSO NEED TO CREATE SOME INTERNAL LINKS STILL.