What Do Strict Vegetarians Not Eat?

November 14, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research published in PLOS Climate, transitioning away from animal products could significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Strict vegetarians, also known as vegans, embody this commitment by eliminating not just meat, but all animal-derived foods and byproducts from their diet.

Quick Summary

This guide details the food and ingredients excluded from a strict vegetarian (vegan) diet, covering obvious items like meat and dairy, as well as less obvious ones like honey, gelatin, and certain additives. It differentiates veganism from other vegetarian types and provides tips for identifying hidden animal-based ingredients.

Key Points

No Meat, Poultry, or Fish: Strict vegetarians (vegans) abstain from all animal flesh, including beef, pork, chicken, and seafood.
No Dairy or Eggs: Unlike other vegetarians, strict adherents avoid all dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) and eggs.
Hidden Byproducts are Excluded: Careful label reading is required to avoid hidden animal-derived ingredients like gelatin, animal rennet, and cochineal.
Honey is Not Consumed: Honey, a bee product, is excluded from a strict vegetarian diet for ethical reasons related to animal exploitation.
Requires Diligent Label Checking: Navigating a strict vegetarian diet means consistently checking food labels for any ingredient derived from an animal.
Plant-Based Alternatives are Used: Plant-based milks, cheeses, and egg substitutes are common replacements for traditional animal products.
Differs from Other Vegetarian Diets: The key distinction is the total exclusion of all animal products, not just meat.

Understanding the Strict Vegetarian (Vegan) Diet

A common misconception is that all vegetarians have the same dietary rules. In reality, the term 'vegetarian' is a broad umbrella encompassing several types of plant-based diets. A 'strict vegetarian' is the most restrictive and is synonymous with the term 'vegan.' This diet goes beyond simply avoiding the flesh of animals to eliminating all products derived from them. This includes dairy, eggs, and often, less obvious items and additives that come from animals. This comprehensive approach to eating is driven by ethical, environmental, and health concerns.

Meats, Poultry, and Seafood: The Foundation of Exclusion

The most fundamental rule of a strict vegetarian diet is the complete avoidance of meat, poultry, and seafood. This prohibition covers all animal flesh, regardless of how it was sourced or produced. This means no beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, turkey, or any other land animal. Similarly, all types of fish and shellfish are excluded, including crustaceans like crab and prawns. The rejection of animal flesh is a core tenet that defines the diet at its most basic level.

Dairy Products: Beyond the Flesh

While lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, strict vegetarians do not. The dairy industry is a significant part of animal agriculture, and for those committed to avoiding animal exploitation, its products are not an option. This includes all forms of milk (cow, goat, sheep), cheese, butter, cream, and other dairy-based foods. As consumers become more aware, vegan alternatives for dairy, such as milks from soy, almond, and oat, as well as plant-based cheeses and butters, have become widely available and popular.

Eggs: No Scrambled, No Baked

Ovo-vegetarians consume eggs, but strict vegetarians avoid them completely. Eggs are an animal product derived from chickens and are therefore off-limits. This includes not only whole eggs but also any food products where eggs are used as an ingredient, such as many types of baked goods, mayonnaise, and pasta. Finding alternatives for baking is now easier than ever, with substitutions like applesauce, mashed banana, or commercial egg replacers doing the job effectively.

Animal Byproducts: The Hidden Ingredients

Some of the most surprising and difficult-to-avoid items for strict vegetarians are animal byproducts. These ingredients are often hidden in processed foods and can require careful label scrutiny.

Gelatin: A protein derived from boiling animal skin, bones, and connective tissues. It is found in many gummy candies, marshmallows, gelatin desserts, and even some medications and vitamins. Many vegetarian and vegan versions are now available, using plant-based gelling agents.
Animal Rennet: An enzyme from a calf's stomach used to coagulate milk in cheesemaking. Traditional cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano use animal rennet and are not vegetarian. The majority of cheese produced today, however, uses vegetarian-friendly microbial rennet. Checking labels for "microbial rennet" is crucial.
Isinglass: A gelatin-like substance from fish bladders used in the clarification process for some beers and wines. Many companies have moved to more modern, animal-free filtering methods.
Cochineal: A red dye derived from crushed cochineal beetles, used as a food coloring in some candies and yogurts.
Bone Char: Charred animal bones are sometimes used in the process of refining white sugar. Not all sugar is processed this way, but strict vegans will seek out organic or beet sugar, which does not use bone char.

Honey: The Sweet Debate

For strict vegetarians, honey is another product to avoid. Produced by bees, it is considered an animal-derived product. The practice of commercial beekeeping is also viewed by many vegans as exploitative. Alternative sweeteners like maple syrup, agave nectar, and date syrup are commonly used instead.

Comparison of Vegetarian Diets


Feature	Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian	Lacto-Vegetarian	Ovo-Vegetarian	Strict Vegetarian (Vegan)
Meat, Poultry, Fish	Avoids all	Avoids all	Avoids all	Avoids all
Dairy (Milk, Cheese)	Consumes	Consumes	Avoids all	Avoids all
Eggs	Consumes	Avoids all	Consumes	Avoids all
Honey	Consumes	Consumes	Consumes	Avoids all
Gelatin	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids all
Animal Rennet	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids or Consumes	Avoids all
Focus	Plant-based with dairy and eggs	Plant-based with dairy	Plant-based with eggs	Exclusively plant-based

Label Reading and Verification

For individuals adhering to a strict vegetarian diet, reading ingredient labels is a necessity. Look for explicit labels that state "vegan" or feature a vegan-certified logo. Phrases like "suitable for vegetarians" are often a useful starting point but may not cover all vegan restrictions, especially regarding honey or certain additives. When in doubt about an ingredient, contacting the manufacturer is the most reliable method for confirmation. Online resources and apps are also available to help identify ingredients that may be animal-derived.

Conclusion: A Complete Elimination of Animal Products

To answer the question, what do strict vegetarians not eat?, the simple answer is any and all products that come from animals. This includes obvious items like meat, dairy, and eggs, but also requires vigilance against hidden ingredients such as gelatin, animal rennet, and cochineal. A strict vegetarian, or vegan, diet is a complete commitment to consuming only plant-based foods for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. While it requires careful planning and label reading, the growing market of plant-based products makes adhering to this diet more accessible than ever before.

For further reading on the motivations and specifics of a vegan diet, a great resource is Vegan.com, which offers detailed information on ethical considerations and product alternatives.

Note: Always consult a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making a significant dietary change to ensure nutritional needs are met.

Frequently Asked Questions

A strict vegetarian is typically synonymous with a vegan, meaning they consume no animal products whatsoever, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. Standard vegetarians may still consume some animal products, such as eggs (ovo-vegetarian) or dairy (lacto-vegetarian).

While some vegetarians consume honey, it is not considered vegan or part of a strict vegetarian diet. Because bees are animals and honey is a product they produce, strict vegetarians avoid it for ethical reasons.

No, strict vegetarians (vegans) do not eat cheese that contains dairy. However, they can eat cheese made from plant-based milks. Additionally, some traditional cheeses use animal rennet, which even some standard vegetarians might avoid.

Common hidden animal ingredients include gelatin (from bones/skin), animal rennet (in some cheeses), isinglass (in some alcohols), and cochineal (a red food dye from insects). Careful label reading is necessary to identify these.

A well-planned strict vegetarian diet can be nutritionally complete, but it is important to pay attention to nutrients like Vitamin B12, which is naturally found in animal products. Fortified foods or supplements are often recommended to prevent deficiency.

Excellent protein sources for strict vegetarians include legumes (beans, lentils), soy products (tofu, tempeh), nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Eating a variety of these foods throughout the day provides a complete range of amino acids.

Look for explicit 'vegan' or 'certified vegan' labels. For products without these, carefully read the ingredient list to check for any animal-derived components like dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, or animal-based emulsifiers.