Why are people that consume eggs and dairy considered vegetarian?!

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There are different levels of vegetarianism, all are defined differently by different names, but they're too often lumped together under a general title, which is very confusing.

Vegan: no meat or animal by-products
Ova vegetarian: no meat or dairy, but consumes eggs
Lacto vegetarian: no meat or eggs, but consumes dairy
Lacto/ova vegetarian: no meat but consumes both eggs and dairy

By definition, a true vegetarian eats no meat, but can consume animal by-products, depending on the varying personal beliefs (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/v… A vegan (or pure vegetarian) has a different, and much more limiting definition (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/v… than a regular vegetarian. There is a way to define vegetarians who still consume animal products (by ova, lacto or ova/lacto) and those who consume no animal by-products at all (vegan). There is nothing wrong with either way, but people who are simply vegetarian and eat dairy, eggs or both shouldn't try to pass themselves off as vegans, because they're not (I agree with you there). I'm assuming your a fairly new vegan. I think you will find over time it's not a sustainable lifestyle, and your health will suffer. It may not be in a month, but give it a few years, and your body will start ro run down with no animal products at all (I've never known anyone who stayed totally vegan for more than 5 years, it's simply not healthy). I'm not telling you what to do with your body, but I will say, I source dairy and eggs from a local co op that is cruelty free. The animals live on large plots of land, have appropriate night housing, are fed natural diets, and are not used for meat or slaughtered after they can no longer produce. Personally, i'd rather consume the dairy and eggs from healthy, happy animals I interact with for the animal protiens I need, and never have to eat meat again, than to let my health suffer and be forced to go back. Humans do need animal specific protiens, it's a matter of how you get them.

Ova/lacto vegetarian for 12 years (and I'm sure I've saved far more animals from ever having been born by still eating eggs and dairy and maintaining a meat free lifestyle long term, than going vegan and going back to meat a few years later when my health suffers, as most vegans eventually do)

You can have your labels. If it makes you feel that special to consider yourself a "true" vegetarian, have at it.
I am perfectly ok not eating meat and not calling myself a vegetarian. Not that desperate for a label that I have to bicker about being "true" or "real" or who can use the label.
This forum is the only place I have ever identified myself as a vegetarian and even that is rarely.

not worried if others consider me a "true" vegetarian

Vegetarians don't eat meat, but they will consume animal by-products such as milk and eggs. The animals aren't harmed in this way so that's okay for vegetarians.

Vegans on the other hand don't eat meat or any by-products, including wearing leather etc. So in answer to your opinion, yes we do need the term vegan because vegans and vegetarians are completely different. If someone doesn't eat meat but does eat cheese, they're not a vegan. If someone doesn't eat meat or eggs, and won't wear leather shoes, they could be vegan. Vegans aren't "true vegetarians", they're just vegans.

omg.

a vegetarian does not EAT MEAT. They do not eat a dead animal.


A VEGAN does not eat ANY animal by-prooduct, as you say.

In India for example, the Hindus there are vegetarian.
In India, cows are considered totally 100% sacred.
They are bathed in oil,sung to, housed in huts with garliands hung around their necks.
They are loved by everyone. Even their dung is sacred and a source of monetary value.
These hindus milk their cows after the calves have eaten enough, and this milk/ghee is not in any way harming the cows.

So, it IS possible to be compassionately vegetarian.
There is no way that an Indian Hindu who is vegetarian will tolerate cruelty to cows, whom they worship and even make into living deities.

Your label "true" vegetarian, is just a person who doesn't eat meat.
That is what vegetarianism means.

The same Indians balk at eating eggs, but for dietary reasons and so on, also because they won't eat eggs as they consider them to be meat. The point is, they DO eat milk and butter from their own sacred cows, but since they revere these cows, you can be sure this is the one country that promises to treat its cows better than it treats the people.

SO where is your yardstick now?

Well vegetarians main goal is not to directly cause death by eating meat.

Vegans don't eat any animal byproducts.

I know you already obviously know that from your details.

So with all of that the reason why people call themselfs vegetarians is because they want others to not relate them to those zombies who stuff carcass down their throat.

vegans make more sense though if you are avoiding animal cruelty because dairy cows and egg laying hens both die way faster and then get turned to meat anyways (even if they are called free range and organic.

I hope you know there is no real regulation to cover "organic" One fda law once (maybe still is) A cow can be vegan if it gets less than 80 shots as compared to the 120. so yeah- bleh.

try reading the china studies by Dr cambell its super nice and lots of information in there.

vegan

Somewhere between 1848 and today, The Vegetarian Society decided that breakfast just isn't the same without eggs or milk. And they are already depriving themselves of a lot and can't imagine why they have to give up cake and ice cream too. So there, eggs and dairy are now considered "vegetarian".

Hello, to answer your question vegetarians that consume animal by-products, (more commonly known as ovo-lacto vegetarians) still don't eat meat, therefore are still vegitarians. Vegans are ovo-lacto vegitarians without consuming any animal by-prodcts.

Growing up vegitarian, ToXiCiTY Knows Best.

Eggs that we buy from supermarkets don't contain baby birds - it's the chicken's period.
Women don't produce a baby each time they get their period either.

Milk isn't cow blood - in fact, milking cows helps their comfort.

The "true vegetarians" you talk about are vegans. Vegetarians consume dairy and animal products, vegans do not. Those two terms are what differentiates, what else do you want?

Vegans don't eat any animal products and vegetarians don't eat only meat products

all eggs I eat are farm free range from a local farm.
Cheese is rennett free
all all other dairy is cruelty free natural products.

veggies do it for health benefits. i believe vegans care