Glossary
alternative – plant based food item that substitutes for animal flesh or animal products, e.g., plant-based milk or gelatin, flax egg
amino acids — varied compounds used to build proteins; most of the human body is composed of amino acids
animal products – products made from animals like eggs, cheese, other dairy, animal gelatin or animal broth; sometimes honey since bees are animals
animal rightist – person who believes animals are individuals with feelings; refrains from eating animal flesh or using animal products to decrease abuse of animals; may avoid wearing clothes made from animals
aquaponic – growing plants in water with animal waste
carnivore – person who eats meat, seafood, poultry
caterer — person that prepares food off premises for customer’s event
delivery — places outside of South Chicagoland which deliver to locations within South Chicagoland for customers/shareholders to pick up; during COVID, option for Chicagoland restaurants that stop indoor dining to take meals to their customers
digestive tract — the series of organs in our digestive system through which food passes, nutrients are absorbed, and waste is eliminated; the mouthesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, rectum, and anus
dysbiosis — an imbalance between good and bad microbes in our gut, leaving us sick; opposite of microbiome
downtown – Chicago Loop bordered by Lake Street on the north, Halsted Street on the west, Lake Michigan on the east, Congress Parkway/Eisenhower Expressway on the south; north Loop and parts of west Loop are not included
educational – resource that provides more than recipes for vegetarians
F – fancy restaurant – music, art, customer service, creatively designed tasty food
FH – food hall
farmers market – inside or outside place where vendors sell items they and others grow
flexitarian — vegetarian who eats nonvegetarian food at special social events or when traveling
food justice — easy access to healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food within a neighborhood; includes land ownership, resources for food production, environmental health
GF — gluten-free
gluten — a substance in cereal grains that makes dough elastic; a mixture of two proteins that makes people with celiac disease very sick
gut — the digestive(gastrointestinal) tract, especially the part between the stomach and the anus; the small and large intestines; also called the second brain
herbivore — vegetarian; person who eats only plants
hydroponic – produce grown in water without animal waste
lactovegetarian – vegetarian who drinks milk or eats milk products
meetup – online community of people united by a common interest of vegetarianism or animal rights, who gather together periodically in person or online
microbe — a tiny organism like a bacterium, fungus or virus; a bad one is called a germ
microbiome — the balance of good and bad microbes in our gut, leaving us well; opposite of disbiosis
northwest Indiana – Indiana towns from Chicago’s eastern border west to South Bend and south to Crown Point, IN
omnivore — person who eats plants and animals
organic – grown without the aid of chemical pesticides
ovolactovegetarian – vegetarian who eats eggs and dairy
ovovegetarian – vegetarian who eats eggs
part-time vegetarian – omnivore who is striving to become vegetarian but is not willing to give up animal flesh like poultry or fish
pescatarian – part-time vegetarian who eats seafood
prebiotics — foods with fiber (fruits, whole grains and vegetables) that feed the probiotics in the gut
probiotics — healthy yeasts like Saccharomyces boulardii bacteria and healthy bacteria like some Lactobacillus and some Bifidobacterium in the gut; supplements to increase the naturally occurring probiotics in the gut; bacteria and yeasts in fermented foods
protein — a molecular chain of amino acids used to build the human body; the most common is collagen
R – uncooked or dehydrated food prepared and served; at least half items sold are raw
raw foodist – person who eats uncooked plants or those heated between 115-118 degrees Fahrenheit; can be vegan or vegetarian
resource – person, thing or place that provides information
restaurant — place that sells and serves food that it has prepared on its premises
rural farm – agricultural area large enough to require mechanical equipment and chemical pesticides to produce food (animal or plant) for self and customers; usually deals with middle man to distribute harvest
South Chicagoland — The area including downtown Chicago, its South/Southwest sides, its South/Southwest suburbs and northwest Indiana as defined in this glossary
South/Southwest sides – Chicago south of Interstate 55/Stevenson Expressway, between Lake Michigan and the western city border; includes south Loop
South/Southwest suburbs – Chicago’s suburbs south of Interstate 55/Stevenson Expressway from the city’s western border to Joliet, IL, and from south of the city’s southern borders
sustainable — able to create something and reuse its waste products so that they do not increase environmental problems for future generations
synbiotic — containing both prebiotics and probiotics
transition food – vegetarian food that looks like nonvegetarian food, e.g. tofu hotdogs, nut cheese, veggie burgers, jackfruit seafood, mushroom loaf; it might not contain the nutrients of the food it mimics; it helps some omnivores switch from animal products to plant-based meals
urban farm – farm allowed in an urban area to restore nutrients lost from former industrial use; usually smaller than a rural farm, so less mechanical equipment is used; customers usually buy shares in advance; can be a community garden for self and neighbors
vegan – person who eats plants prepared without animal products; may or may not eat honey; might not wear animal products; might fight for animal rights; eats plant-based product, raw or cooked, with or without oil or gluten; does not include vegetarians who eat food made from animal products
vegetarian – person who eats plants, possibly prepared with animal products; avoids animal flesh
vegetarianism — the practice of not eating animal flesh; people who follow that practice are often called vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists or plant-based eaters
vegetarian-friendly – some items on the menu cater to vegetarians or vegans
VF – vegetarian-friendly
VG – vegan
VT – vegetarian