| Plants | Dairy | Eggs | Seafood | Poultry | All other animals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetarianism | Lacto-ovo vegetarianism | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Lacto vegetarianism | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
| Ovo vegetarianism | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Veganism | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Non-vegetarianism | Flexitarianism | Yes | Yes | Yes | Sometimes | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Pollotarianism | Yes | Maybe | Maybe | Maybe | Yes | No | |
| Pescetarianism | Yes | Maybe | Maybe | Yes | No | No | |
Alacto-vegetarian (sometimes referred to as alactarian; from theLatin rootlact-, meaningmilk) diet abstains from the consumption ofeggs as well asmeat, while still consumingdairy products such asmilk,cheese (without animalrennet, i.e., from microbial sources),yogurt,butter,ghee,cream, andkefir,[1] as well ashoney.
The concept and practice of lacto-vegetarianism among a significant number of people comes fromancient India.[2]
An early western advocate of lacto-vegetarianism was the Scottish physicianGeorge Cheyne who promoted a milk and vegetable-based diet totreat obesity and other health problems in the early 18th century.[3][4]
During the 19th century, the diet became associated withnaturopathy. German naturopathsHeinrich Lahmann andTheodor Hahn promoted lacto-vegetarian diets of raw vegetables,whole wheat bread, and dairy products such as milk.[5][6][7]
In the 20th century, lacto-vegetarianism was promoted by the American biochemistElmer McCollum and the Danish physician and nutritionistMikkel Hindhede.[7][8] In 1918, McCollum commented that "lacto-vegetarianism should not be confused with strict vegetarianism. The former is, when the diet is properly planned, the most highly satisfactory plan which can be adopted in the nutrition of man."[9]
Hindhede became a food advisor to theDanish government duringWorld War I and was influential in introducing a lacto-vegetarian diet to the public.[7][8][10] The system of rationing restricted meat and alcohol so theDanish population were mostly living on a diet of milk and vegetables.[10] During the years of food restriction from 1917 to 1918, bothmortality andmorbidity decreased;[10] the mortality rate dropped by 34%, the lowest death rate ever reported for Denmark.[8] Hindhede's dieting ideas expressed in his scientific publications, along with those written by other Scandinavian scientists, were translated in German and well received amongst theright-wing political spectrum inpost-war Germany.[10] Subsequently, lacto-vegetarianism was strongly supported byGerman life reformers (Lebensreform) and became influential on some of the leading exponents of theNational Socialist movement.[10]
The uric-acid free diet ofAlexander Haig was lacto-vegetarian. On this diet only cheese, milk, nuts, certain vegetables, andwhite bread could be eaten.[11][12][13]
Mahatma Gandhi was a notable lacto-vegetarian, who drank milk daily.[14] In 1931, Gandhi commented that:
I know we must all err. I would give up milk if I could, but I cannot. I have made that experiment times without number. I could not, after a serious illness, regain my strength, unless I went back to milk. That has been the tragedy of my life.[14][15]
In 1936,Narasinh Narayan Godbole authoredMilk: The Most Perfect Food, a book defending lacto-vegetarianism andpromoting the consumption of dairy products in opposition to meat.[16][17]
Historically most commercial cheese was made with calfrennet, making this an issue for lacto-vegetarians. Fig and thistle rennet were used in ancient times but such plant-based rennets were not suitable for the manufacture of long-ripened cheese varieties so calf rennet became the standard until there was a shortage of supply.[18]
John Smith in his bookThe Principles and Practice of Vegetarian Cookery in 1860 wrote about a "vegetable rennet" made from the flowers ofGalium verum.[19] In 1898, W. A. Macdonald inThe Vegetarian magazine commented that fig and thistle rennet had been successful in experiment but only calf rennet had commercial significance.[20] In India in the late 19th-century, the berries fromWithania coagulans were used as a vegetarian rennet and sold in powdered capsules.[21][22][23]
Most commercial cheese in the United States is currently made usingchymosin. Some vegetarians consider this an acceptable alternative, whilst others do not as the gene used to make microbial chymosin originated from calves.[24]
Lacto-vegetarian diets are popular with certain followers of theDharmic religious traditions such asHinduism,Jainism,Buddhism, andSikhism. The core of their beliefs behind a lacto-vegetarian diet is the law ofahimsa, or non-violence.[citation needed]
According to theVedas (Hindu holy scriptures), all living beings are equally valued.[25][26] Hindus believe that vegetarianism is vital for spiritual progress.[27] It takes many more vegetables or plants to produce an equal amount of meat,[28] many more lives are destroyed, and in this way more suffering is caused when meat is consumed.[29] Although some suffering and pain is inevitably caused to other living beings to satisfy the human need for food, according to ahimsa, every effort should be made to minimize suffering.[29] This is to avoidkarmic consequences and show respect for living things, because all living beings are equally valued in these traditions,[26] a vegetarian diet rooted inahimsa is only one aspect of environmentally conscious living, relating to those beings affected by our need for food.[29] However, this does not apply to all Hindus; some do consume meat, though usually not any form of beef.
In India, lacto vegetarian is considered synonymous to vegetarian, while eggs are considered a meat product.[30] However, in other parts of the world, vegetarianism generally refers toovo lacto vegetarianism instead, allowing eggs into the diet.[31]
Many Hinduwrestlers are strict lacto-vegetarians and follow aSattvic diet. A large part of their diet is milk, ghee, almonds and chickpeas.[32]
In the case ofJainism, the vegetarian standard is strict. It allows the consumption of only fruit and leaves that can be taken from plants without causing their death. This further excludes from the dietroot vegetables likecarrots,potatoes,onions,garlic,radish,turnips,turmeric, etc since uprooting plants is considered as badkarma in Jainism.[33] Jains also do not consumehoney since it is considered as stealing food and also because honey collecting destroysbee hives and bee eggs and bee larvae inside it.[34]
TheNamdharis, a Sikh sect follow a strict lacto-vegetarian diet and have quoted verses from theGuru Granth Sahib endorsing vegetarianism, they also advocate for cow protection.[35][36][37] TheDamdami Taksal also cite the Guru Granth Sahib and advocate a strict lacto-vegetarian diet.[38][39] Eating meat is not allowed in any form including eggs,fish andgelatine.[39]
The primary difference between avegan and a lacto-vegetarian diet is the avoidance of dairy products. Vegans do not consume dairy products, believing that their production causes the animal suffering or a premature death,[40] or otherwise abridgesanimal rights.
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