April 18, 2025 | by Lila Grayson
Choosing the right diet isn’t just about weight loss anymore—it’s about how we feel, how we treat animals, and how we care for the environment. With plant-based eating on the rise, you’ve probably heard the terms vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian tossed around like salad leaves. What do these terms truly signify, and how do they differ?
Let’s break it down. A vegetarian doesn’t eat meat, poultry, or fish but might include dairy and eggs in their meals. A vegan, on the other hand, takes it a step further—cutting out all animal products, including honey, dairy, and even gelatin. And a pescetarian? They skip meat and poultry but still include fish and seafood, often along with dairy and eggs.
Understanding these differences matters. Whether you’re looking to improve your health, reduce your carbon footprint, or make more ethical food choices, knowing what each lifestyle offers helps you pick a path that fits you best. This article dives deep into each diet, covering what they include, the pros and cons, and how they compare across nutrition, ethics, and the environment. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of which one aligns with your goals.
A vegetarian diet is more flexible than veganism, making it a common choice for those transitioning away from meat. But there’s not just one kind of vegetarian. Here’s a quick breakdown:
This allows people to tailor their plant-based lifestyle to their personal, ethical, or health beliefs while still getting animal-derived nutrients from eggs or dairy.
Included in the vegetarian diet are a rich variety of:
What’s off the table? All forms of meat, including beef, chicken, pork, and fish. For some, this even extends to meat-based broths and gelatin.
Vegetarians often enjoy a reduced risk of chronic conditions. Studies have found that a well-balanced vegetarian diet may lead to:
Thanks to the high fiber intake and reduced saturated fat, vegetarians tend to maintain healthier weights and enjoy better digestive health.
Opting for vegetarianism is frequently driven by a commitment to minimizing animal harm. While it doesn’t eliminate all animal products, it avoids the direct killing of animals for food. Many vegetarians oppose industrial animal farming and find this diet to be a compromise between ethical concerns and nutritional needs.
From a sustainability standpoint, vegetarian diets perform significantly better than meat-heavy ones. Raising animals—especially cattle—requires massive land, water, and energy resources. Skipping meat lowers greenhouse gas emissions. However, the environmental benefit depends on food choices; for example, cheese production has a higher environmental cost than many plant foods.
One of the most common mix-ups? Assuming vegetarians are the same as vegans. While both avoid meat, vegetarians may still consume animal products like dairy and eggs. Others wrongly believe vegetarians can’t get enough protein or nutrients—yet with a little planning, they can thrive nutritionally.
Veganism is the strictest form of plant-based living. Vegans avoid all animal-derived products—not just meat and fish, but also dairy, eggs, honey, and even ingredients like whey, gelatin, and casein. It’s not just a diet; it’s a lifestyle. Many vegans avoid using leather, wool, silk, and animal-tested cosmetics.
The key difference from vegetarianism is simple: if it comes from an animal, vegans won’t eat or use it.
The vegan pantry includes:
What’s excluded? All animal-based ingredients:
Done right, veganism can be incredibly healthy. Vegans often see:
A fiber-rich, antioxidant-heavy plant-based diet can be a real game-changer for long-term health.
For many, veganism is about ethics first. It’s a stance against all animal exploitation—whether in food, fashion, or entertainment. Vegans aim to live cruelty-free, refusing to support industries that rely on animal suffering.
Vegan diets have the lowest environmental footprint. Without the resource-heavy demands of meat and dairy farming, veganism dramatically reduces water usage, land degradation, and carbon emissions—especially when built around whole, unprocessed foods.
Veganism goes beyond what’s on your plate. Many vegans scrutinize clothing labels, avoid animal-tested beauty products, and support cruelty-free brands. It can take more planning and awareness but is often seen as the most consistent ethical and eco-conscious choice.
Pescetarianism is a middle ground between vegetarianism and omnivorous eating. It excludes red meat and poultry but includes fish and seafood. Many pescetarians also consume dairy and eggs, making their diet very similar to lacto-ovo vegetarians—just with the added seafood.
This diet features:
Excludes:
Thanks to fish, pescetarians get:
This diet is often associated with:
It combines the benefits of plant-based eating with the unique nutrients found in seafood.
Some pescetarians argue that fish may suffer less than land animals or that fishing has a smaller environmental impact. Others are uncomfortable with factory farming but feel okay eating wild-caught or sustainably farmed fish. However, concerns about overfishing and bycatch (unintended marine deaths) persist.
Compared to red meat diets, pescetarianism has a lighter environmental toll. Fish require fewer resources than livestock. Still, the impact depends heavily on sourcing. Wild-caught, low-trophic fish like sardines have less impact than farmed salmon or shrimp, which can be environmentally damaging.
Pescetarianism appeals to those who want:
When it comes to nutritional needs, all three diets—vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian—can provide the body with what it needs to thrive. However, each comes with its own nutritional strengths and challenges.
Protein is one of the most talked-about nutrients, and for good reason. It’s essential for muscle repair, hormone production, and immune function.
This one’s a biggie. B12 is critical for brain health and red blood cell production.
Iron helps transport oxygen in the blood, and deficiency can lead to fatigue and weakness.
Calcium is crucial for bones and teeth, and it also plays a role in muscle function and heart health.
Omega-3s support heart, brain, and eye health.
Each diet can lead to better health, but the outcomes vary slightly depending on the specific foods consumed.
This is where personal values really come into play.
That said, all three diets reduce overall animal suffering compared to omnivorous diets.
Environmental sustainability is a huge reason why many people shift to plant-based eating.
Let’s be real—food is social. What we eat can affect our relationships, travel experiences, and ease in dining out.
Let’s break it down one last time:
So, which one should you choose?
It depends. If your main concern is animal welfare, veganism might be your path. If you want to reduce meat consumption but keep some animal protein, pescetarianism offers flexibility with health perks. If you’re after something more moderate and easy to adopt, vegetarianism is a solid middle ground.
Every body is different. What matters is how you feel and what aligns with your values. Regardless of which you pick, planning is essential. Fill your plate with variety, stay mindful of nutrients like B12 and omega-3s, and most importantly—make choices you can stick with and feel good about.
It can be, depending on your health goals. The inclusion of fish adds omega-3s and high-quality protein, but if overdone, mercury levels or unsustainable sourcing can be an issue.
Absolutely. With the right mix of legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and soy products, vegans can meet and even exceed their protein needs.
Pescetarianism and vegetarianism are typically more socially convenient, especially when dining out or attending events. Veganism requires more label-checking and meal prep.
No. That’s a common misconception. Vegetarians don’t eat meat or fish. People who eat fish but not meat are called pescetarians.
Veganism generally has the smallest environmental footprint—especially when centered on whole, unprocessed plant foods.
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March 6, 2025 | by Lila Grayson
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