Lacto Vegetarianism

A lactovegetarian diet is a vegetarian diet which includes dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, and kefir, but excludes eggs. The origin of "lacto" is the Latin word for milk [lac, lactis]. Cheeses which include animal rennet and yogurts which contain gelatin are also avoided. Lacto-vegetarianism as a concept and practice amongst a significant number of people comes from ancient India and was originally based on religious beliefs. Within Indian cultures this diet is often what is meant by the term "vegetarian".

The greatest proportion of vegetarians, such as those in India or those in the area of the classical Mediterranean such as the Pythagoreans, are or were lacto-vegetarian.

Lacto-vegetarians abstain from specifically eating eggs, fish, chickens, cows, sheep, pigs and sea animals. Eggs contain animal hormones including testosterone, which may or may not increase aggressiveness. Lacto vegetarianism may be adopted by vegetarians wishing to lower their dietary intake of cholesterol, since egg yolks, as well as dairy products, contain cholesterol. Unfertilized eggs contain a similar amount of cholesterol as fertilized eggs.

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