Hopefully these definitions will clear up any fuzzy notions you may have concerning Dietary Terms. Find out the difference in raw food diets, vegan diet, vegetarian diet, lacto-vegetarian diet, and Mediterranean Diet. Learn to distinguish between the terms Semi-vegetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, strict vegetarian, Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and pure vegetarian or if they mean the same thing. See the difference in the Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid and the Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid. Answer these questions: What are Phytochemicals? What does Lacto mean? What is a raw foodist or raw fooder and do I want to be on a raw food diet eating Living foods (Raw Living foods)? Let Hope for Health help you decide the amount of saturated fats, monounsaturated fat, refined sugar, Living food, fermented foods, sprouted seeds, and active lifestyle you want in your life.
* It is the position of Hope for Health that when raw food diet, raw fooder, or related term is mentioned, that a vegan diet, free of animal based foods is assumed.
Antioxidants - protective plant substances for the body that neutralize free radicals which can damage cells and health.
Lacto - milk
Lacto-vegetarian - a person who consumes a vegetarian diet and excludes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs, but who does consume milk and dairy products. If considering a lacto-vegetarian diet, plan meals carefully and consider taking supplements. See Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian - a person who consumes a vegetarian diet and excludes meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, but who does consume milk, dairy products, and eggs. See Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid.
Life food - vegetarian food that can be found wild in nature. Asparagus grows wild in nature, but corn doesn’t. Most starchy vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, and beets are not found growing wild in nature.
Living food/live food - consists of raw, organic (when possible) fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season and ripe; sprouted seeds, nuts and legumes that are still growing, maximizing enzyme and nutrient content; and some fermented foods properly combined for easy digestion.
Mediterranean Diet - a general diet consumed by the majority of people who live in the Mediterranean region consisting of a diet low in saturated fats, salt, refined sugar, and trans-fatty foods and rich in monounsaturated fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and nutrients. People from this region have a lower incidence of chronic diseases and a high life expectancy. They have an active lifestyle and foods consumed include crusty breads, grains, potatoes, pastas, a variety of vegetables, legumes, feta and mozzarella cheeses, yogurt, fruit - especially grapes and figs, some fish, other seafood, poultry, a few eggs and very little meat. Olive oil is the main source of fat and wine is usually consumed with meals in moderation. (It is not recommended to start drinking alcohol if you don't already due to the dependency and abuse associated with alcohol consumption.) See Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid.
Ovo - egg
Phytochemicals or phytonutrients - colorful plant compounds found in fruits and vegetables thought to benefit health.
Raw Food Diet - consists of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods that have not been heated above 92ºF to 118ºF, depending on the food and form of the diet. Raw food diets include raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and honey. Some forms of the diet include raw unpasteurized dairy products such as raw milk, meat, and eggs. However, Hope for Health does not advocate the consumption of raw foods such as raw milk, raw meat, or raw eggs. Freezing food is considered acceptable by most raw fooders, who store nuts and seeds in the freezer to preserve freshness. It is the position at Hope for Health that freezing does damage most foods. However, as in nature, some seeds do survive freezing temperatures and will sprout. A raw food diet is nutrient dense and contains large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Because this diet stresses organic foods, it is almost completely free of pesticides, chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics. The diet consists of limited saturated fat and sodium, no processed sugars, and is abundant in fiber content. All these things are recommended to lower the incidence of heart disease, cancer, and other illness risks. If you don't want to deprive yourself, try to eat at least five servings of fruits or vegetables per day and then eat what you think you can’t live without. By then, you may not want the less healthy item. If considering a raw food diet, plan meals carefully and consider taking supplements.
Raw Fooder - A raw fooder or raw foodist is a person who eats mostly or entirely raw food. Raw foodists usually think the more raw food percentage in the diet, the greater the health benefits. They typically think raw food prevents and heals ailments and diseases.
Semi-vegetarian or partial vegetarian - a person who consumes some, but not all types of animal-derived foods; generally not eating red meat, but may at times eat poultry, fish, and seafood.
Vegan, pure vegetarian, strict vegetarian, or total vegetarian - a person who consumes a vegetarian diet and excludes all animal-derived foods, eating no meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy products, or eggs. If considering a vegan diet, plan meals carefully and consider taking supplements. See Vegan Food Guide Pyramid (A Total Plant Food Guide) and Vegetarian Diet Planning.
Vegetarian - a general term describing a person who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or animal-derived foods. However, if clarification is needed, the other vegetarian terms above should be used. If considering a vegetarian diet, plan meals carefully and consider taking supplements. See Vegetarian Food Guide Pyramid.
