A vegetarian diet is often defined as avoiding animal flesh, including meat and muscle.

Therefore, many vegetarians eat eggs even if they exclude beef, poultry, and fish in their diets.

Still, some people don’t consider eggs a vegetarian-friendly food. If an egg was fertilized as a result of a hen and rooster mating, thus giving it a chance to become a chicken, vegetarians who are opposed to eating animals may avoid eggs.

Contrarily, if an egg was not fertilized and never going to become an animal, it would be considered vegetarian and thought of as an animal byproduct along with milk and butter.

Most commercially produced eggs at the grocery store are unfertilized.

Finally, some religions that encourage vegetarian eating, such as Hinduism and Jainism, may not view eggs as strictly vegetarian and therefore prohibit them.

Since they are not technically animal flesh, eggs are usually thought of as vegetarian. Eggs that have been fertilized and therefore have the potential to become an animal may not be considered vegetarian.

Many vegetarians eat eggs even if they exclude animal flesh and fish from their diet.

Those who eat eggs and dairy are known as lacto-ovo vegetarians, while those who eat eggs but no dairy are ovo-vegetarians.

However, depending on ethical, religious, or health reasons, some vegetarians may avoid eggs.