Embracing Vegetarianism: A Spectrum of Choices
Embracing Vegetarianism: A Spectrum of Choices
When someone says, "I'm vegetarian," what does that mean?
This is one of the first questions I ask when I'm talking with someone about their eating pattern.
Because “vegetarian” doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.
Some people don't eat meat, poultry, or seafood, but eat eggs and dairy. Someone else may avoid meat and poultry but eat fish. Someone else may eat mostly plant foods but occasionally include meat.
FAQ: Vegetarianism and Plant-Based Eating
What is a vegetarian diet?
A diet that excludes meat, poultry, and seafood, with variations that may include eggs and dairy.
What are the different types of vegetarian diets?
Lacto-ovo, lacto, ovo, and vegan are common variations.
What's the difference between vegetarian and plant-based?
Vegetarian describes what someone avoids. Plant-based has no single definition and can include varying amounts of animal foods.
Can vegetarians get enough protein?
Yes. Beans, lentils, soy foods, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, and whole grains all contribute protein.
Is a vegetarian diet healthy?
It can be. What matters is the overall eating pattern, not simply whether it contains meat.
Can you eat eggs and dairy as a vegetarian?
Yes. Lacto-ovo vegetarians include both.
Is a pescatarian diet vegetarian?
No. Pescatarians eat fish and seafood, so they aren't technically vegetarian.
What is a flexitarian diet?
An eating pattern that is mostly plant-based but includes some animal foods.
Do vegetarians need vitamin B12?
Yes. The need for reliable B12 sources is especially important for people who avoid all animal foods.
And then there's veganism, which excludes all foods of animal origin.
There isn't one single way to eat more plant foods, and there doesn't need to be.
Vegetarian Isn't One-Size-Fits-All
Traditionally, a vegetarian diet excludes meat, poultry, and seafood.
Within that broad definition, approaches vary.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy products and eggs.
Lacto-vegetarians include dairy but not eggs.
Ovo-vegetarians include eggs but not dairy.
Vegans exclude all animal-derived foods.
Other eating patterns are often discussed alongside vegetarianism, even though they aren't technically vegetarian.
Pescatarians include fish and seafood but generally don't eat meat or poultry.
And flexitarian is commonly used to describe someone who eats mostly plant foods but occasionally includes meat, poultry, fish, or other animal foods.
Flexitarianism is, as the name suggests, flexible. And this is a nice one because it recognizes something about vegetarianism that a lot of people may not know:
Choosing vegetarianism does not mean you don't have to make an all-or-nothing decision.
You can eat vegetarian meals without deciding that you are “officially” a vegetarian.
You can have a meatless dinner because you like the meal.
You can eat vegetarian three days a week.
You can have oatmeal for breakfast, a bean and vegetable bowl for lunch, and chicken for dinner.
It's still an eating pattern that primarily focuses on plant foods.
Vegetarian vs. Plant-Based
And then there's the term “plant-based.”
This is one of those terms where I always want to know what the person means.
This term doesn't have a universally accepted definition. For some people, it means vegan. For others, it means mostly plants with some dairy, eggs, fish, or meat. For someone else, it may simply mean intentionally eating more plant foods.
That's why I don't get too hung up on the label.
If someone tells me they're vegetarian, I want to know what that means to them.
If someone says they're plant-based, I want to know what that means to them, too.
The label is useful if it helps you communicate how you eat.
And when I say “I want to know…,” I mean that as a dietitian, or as someone who may be eating with them, I want to know what I may need to prepare for them or choose to go out to eat.
But in the big picture, the more important question is whether the eating pattern works for you and provides the nutrition you need.
Can a vegetarian diet be healthy?
Yes.
Well-planned vegetarian and vegan eating patterns can provide adequate nutrition and offer health benefits. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' current position on vegetarian dietary patterns notes potential benefits related to several cardiometabolic health outcomes. You can see that position paper at Eat Right Pro.
Research also suggests associations between vegetarian dietary patterns and lower cardiovascular disease risk, although the quality and type of evidence vary by outcome.
But here's the part that many people don’t realize and I think is very important:
Vegetarian does not automatically mean nutritious.
You can eat a vegetarian diet consisting largely of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and other minimally processed foods.
You can also eat a vegetarian diet consisting largely of refined grains, chips, cookies, candy, fried foods, and highly processed meat substitutes.
Both can be vegetarian.
They're not nutritionally equivalent. Not even close.
The same is true of vegan eating.
Removing animal foods doesn't automatically make an eating pattern healthier.
What you eat instead is more important.
What about protein?
This is probably one of the most common questions I hear.
"How do vegetarians get enough protein?"
The answer? Usually by eating food.
Beans, lentils, peas, soy foods, nuts, seeds, whole grains, dairy products, eggs, and other foods can all contribute protein to a vegetarian eating pattern. They also contribute protein in an omnivore eating pattern.
This is a point that many people I encounter don’t get: you don't have to get all of your protein from one food.
Protein adds up throughout the day.
If you're eating eggs at breakfast, Greek yogurt for a snack, lentils at lunch, and beans or tofu at dinner, you're getting protein from several different sources.
And yes, I'm going to say it:
Carbohydrates are “allowed.”
But aren't vegetarian diets high in carbohydrates?
They can be.
That's because plant foods contain carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates, in fact, come from plants
Fruit contains carbohydrates.
Beans contain carbohydrates.
Whole grains contain carbohydrates.
Potatoes contain carbohydrates.
Vegetables contain carbohydrates.
How is that a problem?
A vegetarian eating pattern includes plenty of carbohydrates while still providing protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
So instead of asking, "Is this diet high in carbohydrates?"
It's, "What kinds of carbohydrate-containing foods are making up the diet?"
Lentils, oats, potatoes, fruit, and whole-grain bread differ nutritionally from a diet built primarily around refined snack foods. And sometimes people don’t realize those are all carbohydrate-containing foods
Reminder: carbohydrates are a nutrient, not a food group.
Carbohydrates don't need to be the villain in building a nutritious eating pattern.
What about nutrients other nutrients that could be missed?
A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet nutritional needs, but some nutrients need more attention depending on exactly how someone eats.
For people who eat eggs and dairy, those foods can contribute protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and other nutrients.
People following a vegan diet need reliable sources of vitamin B12 because naturally occurring B12 is found primarily in animal-derived foods.
Iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, and protein may also need more focus, depending on the individual's eating pattern and nutritional needs.
This doesn't mean a vegetarian or vegan diet is inherently deficient.
It means planning is an important factor.
And that's no different from any other eating pattern.
What about the environment?
Environmental impact is another reason people choose to eat more plant foods.
Overall, research suggests that dietary patterns higher in plant foods and lower in animal-source foods can have lower greenhouse gas emissions and land-use impacts, although the environmental impact varies depending on exactly what foods are included and how they're produced.
Again, that's an important qualification to consider.
"Plant-based" isn't automatically synonymous with "environmentally friendly."
Food production is complicated.
Where food is produced, how it is produced, how far it travels, how much processing is involved, food waste, packaging, water use, land use, and many other factors can affect the environment.
So, you don't have to stop eating every animal food to make a difference.
Eating more beans and vegetables and less meat sometimes is still a change. And helpful to the environment.
Replacing even one meat-centered meal each week with a plant-based meal is still a change.
And if eating vegetarian all the time doesn't work for you, that doesn't mean you failed.
You don't have to go all in
This may be my favorite part when discussing a vegetarian approach.
You don't have to decide that you're "a vegetarian" before you start eating more vegetarian meals.
Try something.
Make chili with beans instead of meat.
Have a lentil soup for lunch.
Add chickpeas to a salad.
Try a vegetable and bean taco.
Make pasta with vegetables and white beans.
Have eggs and toast for dinner.
Try tofu if you like it. Or don't. There are plenty of other options.
You can start with one meal.
Or one day.
Or simply make plants a larger part of the meals you're already eating.
And you don't have to give up foods you enjoy just because you're trying to eat more plant foods.
Find the version that works for you
There is no prize for choosing the most restrictive version of vegetarianism.
If vegetarian eating works for you, great.
If vegan eating works for you, great.
If you're a pescatarian, that's an option.
If you're a flexitarian who eats mostly plants but occasionally has a burger, that's an option, too.
And if you simply want to eat more vegetables, beans, fruit, whole grains, nuts, and seeds without adopting a label at all?
That's an option.
The goal isn't to find the most impressive dietary label. Because we all know that people following a vegetarian approach announce themselves all the time. And, really, unless people are making your food, they really don’t need to know this.
Always remember that the goal is to find an eating pattern that provides the nutrition you need, fits your life, works with your preferences and budget, and is something you can actually maintain.
Vegetarianism can be one way to do that.
But it isn't the only way.
And you don't have to decide what to call your eating pattern before you can start making changes that work for you.
Real World Nutrition Refreshed. As nutrition science and perspectives evolve, older blog posts are occasionally updated and republished. This post was originally written in October 2023 and has been refreshed and expanded here.
