However, San Diego also has some Asian restaurants with a full selection of vegetarian dishes. Semi-vegetarians avoid red meat but not chicken or fish, usually for health reasons. Semi-vegetarians have no difficulties in Asian restaurants because these items are always available. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat no meat and gain their protein from dairy products as well as vegetable sources.
Vegans eat no animal products, obtaining their protein purely from vegetable sources.
Asian food rarely contains milk products so vegans have almost as many choices as lacto-ovo vegetarians, except for eggs. Regardless of the reason, confirmed vegetarians must avoid meat, animal-based soup stocks and lard because these will be indigestible. Current nutritional thinking holds that protein is necessary in one's diet but not in the high quantities suggested by the United States Recommended Daily Allowance. A 170-pound man performing light work requires around 25 to 30 grams of protein each day, which may appear to be small. What is important is that the combined protein sources in one's diet contain all of the amino acids needed by the body.