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While many believe vegetarians avoid meat entirely, this isn't always accurate. Some vegetarians do include meat in their diets, and even the most dedicated might occasionally indulge when under the influence.
However, this is just one of many intriguing facts about vegetarians. For instance, many revert to eating meat sooner than anticipated, some harbor unique preferences, and there's growing tension within the community.
10. It Was Once Known as ‘Pythagorean’
The term 'Vegetarian' is relatively modern, coined in the 19th century. Prior to that, a meat-free diet was referred to as 'Pythagorean,' named after Pythagoras, the renowned Greek mathematician and astronomer famous for the Pythagorean theorem.
Pythagoras abstained from meat not for health or ethical reasons but due to his belief in reincarnation. He thought humans were reborn as animals, and consuming them was akin to harming a person. He even speculated that the animal might be a deceased relative.
Pythagoras's reincarnation beliefs seem unusual given his practical nature. He was the one who discovered the Moon reflects sunlight and that the Earth is round. Yet, he was so convinced of his theory that he once stopped beating a dog, believing its cries resembled those of a friend.
Pythagoras maintained a diet of bread, honey, and vegetables. Many of his followers adopted this lifestyle, though he struggled to popularize it among the Greeks. Meat was deeply rooted in their culture, and those who followed his diet often hid it to avoid criticism.
9. 84 Percent of Vegetarians Resume Eating Meat Within a Year
Research conducted by the US Humane Research Council found that 84 percent of contemporary vegetarians abandon their diet within a year of starting. The study involved 11,000 participants, including vegetarians, former vegetarians, and nonvegetarians across the United States.
The study highlighted that 88 percent of Americans aged 17 and older have never adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, 10 percent were once vegetarians, and only 2 percent currently identify as vegetarians. Among those who try vegetarianism, just one in five maintains the diet, while the majority revert to consuming meat. A third of these individuals quit within three months, and the rest abandon it within a year.
A third of former vegetarians attributed their return to meat to relationships with meat-eating partners. Others cited health, financial, or social pressures as reasons. Despite this, former vegetarians generally consume less meat than they did before adopting the diet.
8. Vegetarians Come in Various Forms, and Some Do Consume Meat
The term 'Vegetarian' broadly encompasses individuals who follow a plant-based diet free from animal flesh. However, not all vegetarians completely avoid meat, even though their diets are primarily plant-focused.
Vegans are often the first group that comes to mind when discussing vegetarianism, despite being a minority. They adhere to the strictest form of vegetarianism, avoiding all animal flesh, including meat and fish, as well as animal by-products like honey, milk, and eggs. Additionally, they steer clear of animal-derived materials such as silk, leather, and wool.
Lacto-vegetarians closely resemble vegans but include dairy products like cheese and milk in their diets. Ovo-vegetarians, on the other hand, consume eggs and egg-based products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians combine both, eating dairy and eggs, and represent the majority of vegetarians. Unlike vegans, they may still use animal-derived products.
Other variations include pollotarians, who consume only poultry, pescatarians (or pescetarians), who eat fish and seafood, and flexitarians, who occasionally include meat in their diets. Flexitarians are sometimes excluded from mainstream vegetarianism since the core principle is abstaining from meat.
7. A Unique Group of Vegetarians Consumes Only Kangaroo Meat
In Australia, a new vegetarian subgroup called kangatarians has emerged. These individuals eat only kangaroo meat, often motivated by ethical concerns about the treatment and slaughter of farmed animals.
However, Australia is home to a vast population of wild kangaroos, which are not farmed. This makes them acceptable to kangatarians, who see no ethical issue in consuming their meat. They also argue that kangaroos are more environmentally friendly, as they produce significantly less methane, a gas harmful to the ozone layer, compared to farmed cattle and sheep.
6. Individuals Typically Adopt Vegetarianism for One of Two Primary Reasons
People usually turn to vegetarianism for ethical or health-related motives. While there’s no universal definition of ethical vegetarianism, it generally revolves around the belief that animals shouldn’t be exploited for food. Ethical vegetarians prioritize animal welfare over personal benefits, asserting that animals exist independently of human needs.
As previously noted, veganism represents the most stringent form of vegetarianism. Ethical vegetarians often transition to veganism, rejecting not only animal-based foods but also non-food products derived from animals. They view animals as equals to humans and consider their exploitation for food or materials a form of discrimination.
Health vegetarians adopt the diet primarily for physical well-being. Their focus is often on weight loss or cholesterol reduction, which is why they may still consume certain animal products, including meat, and typically don’t object to using non-food items made from animals.
To better understand ethical and health vegetarianism, here’s a simplified definition: Health vegetarians gain personal benefits by avoiding meat, while ethical vegetarians focus on the welfare of animals, ensuring they benefit from the decision to stop consuming meat.
5. Vegetarians Often Face Vitamin B12 Deficiency
While vegetarians can obtain most vitamins and minerals from plant-based diets, vitamin B12 is an exception, as it is primarily found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Although fortified cereals and supplements can provide some B12, they often fall short. A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to elevated homocysteine levels, causing depression, fatigue, weakness, nausea, constipation, anemia, heart disease, and stroke.
Vegans, who avoid all animal products, are at the highest risk of B12 deficiency. However, even lacto-ovo vegetarians and nonvegetarians are susceptible. Studies show that 92 percent of vegans and 67 percent of lacto-ovo vegetarians experience B12 deficiency.
4. A Third of Vegetarians Consume Meat When Intoxicated
Many vegetarians appear to abandon their dietary principles when drunk. Research indicates that a third of them consume meat while intoxicated, and this isn’t a rare occurrence—it happens repeatedly whenever they drink.
Their preferred choices often include kebabs and beef burgers, though some admit to eating chicken, pork sausages, and bacon. Interestingly, 69 percent keep this behavior a secret, never revealing it to others.
3. Vegans Harbor More Animosity Toward Vegetarians Than Nonvegetarians
While vegetarians and nonvegetarians often clash, vegetarians themselves aren’t always united. As previously mentioned, 'vegetarianism' is an umbrella term encompassing various people. Vegans, representing the strictest form, oppose consuming animals or using their by-products in any form.
However, other vegetarians don’t share this strict ideology. Some consume meat, and many have no issue with dairy, eggs, or clothing made from wool.
Vegans often criticize other vegetarians, believing they undermine the impact of anti-meat advocacy. Surprisingly, vegans tend to be more accepting of nonvegetarians than they are of fellow vegetarians.
2. The Root of Tension Between Vegetarians and Nonvegetarians
The conflict arises because nonvegetarians view vegetarians, particularly vegans, as moralistic. Vegans frequently criticize meat-eaters and even other vegetarians, evident in their assertive anti-meat campaigns. These campaigns often include provocative messages aimed at both nonvegetarians and vegetarians.
Unbeknownst to vegetarians, their aggressive tactics, intimidation, and moralistic attitudes can deter potential converts. For example, PETA once ran an ad claiming that “feeding children meat is child abuse.”
Vegans are also notorious for intimidating meat-eaters. They’ve splashed fake blood on butcher shop displays and even left disparaging remarks about a deceased chef who consumed meat.
Vegans often employ disturbing images of animal suffering to dissuade both nonvegetarians and fellow vegetarians from consuming meat. However, these visuals often backfire, particularly among those open to veganism. The graphic nature can be so overwhelming that individuals avoid such content—and the associated negative messaging—altogether.
1. Fruitarianism: An Extreme Branch of Vegetarianism
Fruitarianism represents a more extreme and potentially dangerous form of vegetarianism. Fruitarians consume only fruits, along with nuts and seeds, making up 50–75 percent of their diet, with the remainder being seeds and nuts.
Steve Jobs famously followed a fruitarian diet before his passing. In 2013, actor Ashton Kutcher adopted a similar diet to prepare for his portrayal of Jobs in the movie Jobs. Unfortunately, Kutcher experienced severe stomach pain, leading to hospitalization just two days before filming began. The pain was linked to his pancreas, the same organ affected by the pancreatic cancer that claimed Jobs’s life.
Fruitarianism is perilous because fruits lack the full spectrum of nutrients essential for survival. While other vegetarians, including vegans, have a broader range of dietary options (excluding sources of vitamin B12), fruitarians are restricted to a limited selection of fruits. This includes tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers—botanically classified as fruits but commonly regarded as vegetables.
The fruitarian diet is both unhealthy and nutritionally imbalanced. Fruits are deficient in calcium, protein, and iron, leading to weaker bones and a higher risk of fractures among followers.
Additionally, fruitarians often have compromised immune systems, making them more vulnerable to illnesses. Moreover, those who adopt this diet are more likely to gain weight once they stop, making it an ineffective long-term weight-loss solution.
+ Reducetarianism: A More Practical Alternative to Vegetarianism
Ultimately, reducetarianism emerges as a more sustainable alternative to vegetarianism. A reducetarian is someone who consciously reduces their meat consumption. This category includes all vegetarians, including vegans.
It’s important to distinguish reducetarians from flexitarians. While both consume meat, flexitarians are vegetarians who occasionally eat meat, whereas reducetarians are individuals—vegetarian or not—who have cut back on meat. Vegans, lacto-vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians, and lacto-ovo vegetarians all fall under reducetarianism, as they’ve reduced their meat intake to zero.
Reducetarianism is often seen as a more practical option since many individuals drawn to vegetarianism aren’t ready to eliminate meat entirely. Advocates of reducetarianism find greater success in encouraging people to cut back on meat rather than demanding they abandon it completely.
