TUCSON, Ariz. - A vegan is just a vegetarian. A vegetarian is not necessarily a vegan. Some vegetarians only omit red meat and chicken from their diets and still consume fish. Confused yet?

According to dictionary.com, a vegan is a vegetarian who omits all animal products from his or her diet.

Similarly, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or, in some cases, any food derived from animals, as eggs or cheese, but subsists on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grain, etc.

Still confused?

According to Dr. Scottie Misner, a specialist in the University of Arizona Nutritional Sciences Department and a registered dietician, there are five different types of vegetarian diets. She wrote about this in her University of Arizona Cooperative Extension report on vegetarian diets.

Vegans or total vegetarians avoid all animal products and include only plant foods.

Lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products and plant foods and avoid all animal products, including eggs.

Ovo-vegetarian diets include eggs and plant foods.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat dairy products, eggs, and plant foods, but avoid fowl, fish and red meat.

Semi-vegetarians avoid red meat but may include fish or poultry, dairy, eggs, and plant foods.

Among the five types of diets, veganism is the most difficult when it comes to overall nutriion. Misner wrote in an e-mail: "Most people do not know enough about the vegan diet to get the full complement of protein, vitamins and minerals, especially B12 & iron. It's just much easier to include some animal, eggs or fish protein to meet minimum daily requirements."



Reagan Henry, a senior nutritional sciences major at the University of Arizona has spent a fair share of her time dabbling in these five types of diets. She was a vegetarian for several years in high school for health reasons. She went back to the diet last October because of her animal rights beliefs.

"I read some information from PETA and decided to rethink my diet," Henry said.

Henry said she does not go out of her way to drink milk or eat eggs but is not against eating them if she is in a restaurant setting. She does not consume any kind of meat.

Henry said she likes to buy vegan products when she shops because they align with her beliefs.

Fellow nutritional sciences senior Lilly Romero does her part to stay away from red meat. She is more of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

"It's so hard to go completely vegetarian for me, so I just decided to eliminate the most harmful things from my diet," Romero said.

Henry is more rigid about her dietary choices. Both say, however, that they feel healthier overall after their diet changes.

As with any diet, the key is to eat a variety of foods, according to Misner's report. There is even a Daily Food Guide for Vegetarians that can help keep vegetarian eaters on track nutritionally.

With the abundance of supermarkets and specialty stores carrying vegetarian products, it's easier than ever to stay the course of these types of diets.

"It's so vegetarian-friendly (in Tucson)," Henry said. "I love it."

According to Misner and her article, it's all about making wise choices.

So eat on, and be sure to categorize vegetarians properly.