Types of vegetarian diets

Although ‘vegetarian’ usually means ‘plant-based’ there are a few different types of vegetarian diets. What version of vegetarian diet a person follows depends on many things including health, environmental, ethical, religious or economic reasons.

Vegetarian diets come in lots of shapes and sizes, and you should choose the version that works best for you.

• Semi-vegetarian or flexitarian includes eggs, dairy foods, and occasionally meat, poultry, fish, and seafood.
• Pescatarian includes eggs, dairy foods, fish, and seafood, but no meat or poultry.
• Vegetarian (sometimes referred to as lacto-ovo vegetarian) includes eggs and dairy foods, but no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
• Vegan includes no animal foods.