niemi@helix.dec.com (07/17/86)
Sue: Some quick answers to your questions: 1) Lacto-vegetarians use no flesh (meat, fish, or poultry) but will use milk products, cheese, and butter. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians will also add eggs but still eat no flesh. Vegans use NO animal products; i.e. eggs, milk cheese, honey, etc. Some will not even use leather shoes or any products derived (in any way) from living creatures. 2) The main concerns are adequate protein, which is no problem with proper meal planning and vitamin B-12. 3) While it may be very desireable to eliminate red meat from your diet, if you continue to eat chicken and fish, you are not a vegetarian but just a "non-red meat eater". This is a good way to gradually go on a vegetarian diet; give up red meat first, then perhaps fowl, and finally fish. 4) You may encounter hostility if you impress others as doing it for religious reasons or if you come across to them as having a superior or condescending attitute feeling you're more enlightened in regards to food and healthful living. Depending on why you are thinking of becoming a vegetarian, you could do it without offending anyone, by perhaps even occassionally eating a little meat (e.g. if you're invited to someone's for a meal and they serve meat, you could eat a little). Of course, if you've determined to never eat any animal products again, that's another story. 5) Many baked goods use animal fat; your standard "vegetable" soups, unless they specify vegetarian, use animal broths, and even MacDonald's french fries and fish sandwiches are cooked in a combination of beef fat and vegetable oil. 6) Century 21 Cookbook, Ten Talents Cookbook, Simple Food For The Good Life by Helen Nearing. Write to Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA and request info on vegetarian cooking. They can supply you with meal plans and recipes for vegetarian AND vegan diet plans that are nutritionally adequate. They will list the nutrients given per day. Best wishes, Paul.