Vegetarian diets continue to increase in popularity. Reasons for following a vegetarian diet are varied but include health benefits, such as reducing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

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When people think about a vegetarian diet, they typically think about a diet that doesn't include meat, poultry, or fish.

 

But vegetarian diets vary in what foods they include and exclude:

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• Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter, are included.

• Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products, but allow eggs.

• Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.

• Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allow fish.

• Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products — and foods that contain these products.

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