Nutrition Terms You Should Know

Up Your Nutrition Know-How

We hear these phrases like, “Is that low carb?”, "What is Vegetarian?" or “Oh, that dish is high in protein!” all the time. But what does it all really mean? Take a look at the below definitions and quick-help chart for some basic guidance on what common language around nutrition really means.

• Vegetarian (Lacto-ovo) diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
• Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, but allow fish, dairy and eggs.
• Flexitarian – as the name implies, this is a flexible diet in which an individual will reduce their overall consumption of meat and become ‘partially vegetarian’ by increasing their consumption of anything plant or plant-based: from legumes and grains to tofu and alternative proteins. This is very much open for interpretation and people who identify as such might have a broad spectrum for the definition, but the classic Flexitarian will be vegetarian most of the time and still enjoy an occasional burger or steak. This diet is an unrestrictive, friendly way to embrace a more healthy lifestyle without strict guidelines. 
• Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products. A vegan recipe should not include any ingredients that contain meat, poultry, fish and seafood, eggs and dairy products.  Vegans also chose to restrict these additional food items from their diets:
  • Honey
  • Gelatin
  • Meat & Poultry Stocks and Broths
  • Lard
  • Recipe Mixes that contain beef or chicken fat

The below nutrient criteria definitions are based on internal McCormick guidelines*:

Now that you've upped your nutritional know-how, head on to our recipes section for inspiration or check out these articles!

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