Do Vegetarians Eat Eggs, Bread and Dairy Products?

Only three percent of adults in the United States are vegetarian. Many people look into the vegetarian lifestyle but are unsure if they have what it takes to abstain from eating certain foods. It's important to know what a vegetarian's diet would include and exclude if you are considering this lifestyle.

Significance

• There are many reasons why people decide to become vegetarians including religious, moral and health. This reasoning may impact what type of vegetarian you become.

Types

• Vegetarian diets are plant-based and do not include animal meat. Additional dietary exclusions will determine the type of vegetarian diet you follow. An ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs, but excludes dairy products such as cheese and milk. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products but exclude eggs from their diet. A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet includes dairy products and eggs. A vegan is a type of vegetarian who eats no animal products or by-products at all.

Considerations

• Most sliced bread products you'll find in your local supermarket do not contain egg and would not be of concern to a lacto-vegetarian. Since a vegetarian diet lacks meat, a protein source, alternative must be found to provide this vital nutrient. Vegetarians have an abundance of protein sources at their disposal such as beans, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, milk, cheese and soy products.