From flexitarian to vegan

Every Type of Vegetarian Diet Explained (2026)

There is no single vegetarian diet -- there is a spectrum of positions with different rules, different motivations, and different nutritional considerations. Here is the complete guide.

The Plant-Based Spectrum

Flexitarian

Pescatarian

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian

Lacto Vegetarian

Ovo Vegetarian

Vegan

Most flexibleMost plant-based

Food Matrix: What Each Diet Allows

Food	Flex	Pesc	Lacto-Ovo	Lacto	Ovo	Vegan
Vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO
Eggs	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES	NO
Honey	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	NO
Fish and seafood	Occ.	YES	NO	NO	NO	NO
Poultry	Occ.	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Red meat	Rarely	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
Gelatin	YES	Occ.	Often NO	Often NO	Often NO	NO
Rennet (animal)	YES	YES	Often NO	Often NO	Often NO	NO
Leather, wool	YES	YES	Personal	Personal	Personal	NO

Flexitarian

Mostly plant-based, occasional meat

A flexitarian diet is primarily plant-based but allows occasional meat and fish. There is no strict definition of how often -- from 'once a week' to 'a few times a month'. The term prioritises flexibility over rigid rules.

Eats

All vegetables and fruit
All grains and legumes
Dairy products
Eggs
Occasional fish
Occasional poultry
Occasional red meat

Avoids

Nothing is strictly off-limits

Health note

Even reducing to 1-2 meat meals per week provides measurable health and environmental benefits versus daily consumption.

Who it suits

People who want to reduce meat for health or environment without a firm commitment. An excellent starting point.

Pescatarian

No meat or poultry, fish OK

Pescatarians eat fish and seafood but not meat or poultry. Most pescatarians also eat dairy and eggs. The name combines the Italian word for fish with 'vegetarian'.

Eats

All plant foods
Fish and shellfish
Dairy products (usually)
Eggs (usually)

Avoids

Beef, pork, lamb
Chicken, turkey, poultry

Health note

Pescatarians get omega-3 DHA/EPA directly from fish without supplementation, which is an advantage over vegans and many vegetarians.

Who it suits

People motivated by health (fish omega-3s) or ethics (accepting fish but not land animals). A common position for those who grew up eating seafood.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian

The standard vegetarian -- dairy and eggs OK

The most common form of vegetarianism. Lacto-ovo vegetarians do not eat meat, poultry, or fish, but they do eat dairy (lacto) and eggs (ovo). This is what most people mean when they simply say 'vegetarian'.

Eats

All plant foods
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter)
Eggs

Avoids

Meat (beef, pork, lamb)
Poultry (chicken, turkey)
Fish and seafood

Health note

Nutritionally complete without supplementation if dairy and eggs are consumed regularly. B12, calcium, protein, and omega-3 are all accessible.

Who it suits

Most vegetarians. Easy to maintain socially and nutritionally. A natural landing point for people reducing meat for health or ethical reasons.

Lacto Vegetarian

Dairy OK, eggs excluded

Lacto vegetarians eat plant foods and dairy but not eggs. This is a traditional dietary pattern in many parts of India, connected to ahimsa (non-harm) -- dairy is accepted because the cow is not harmed, while eggs represent potential life.

Eats

All plant foods
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, ghee)

Avoids

Meat, poultry, fish
Eggs

Health note

Requires attention to getting enough complete protein without eggs. Dairy fills many gaps. Iron needs monitoring as eggs are excluded.

Who it suits

People with Indian cultural or religious dietary traditions (Hindu, Jain). Also people who object to eggs on ethical grounds but accept dairy.

Ovo Vegetarian

Eggs OK, dairy excluded

Ovo vegetarians eat plant foods and eggs but not dairy. This position is less common and typically motivated by dairy intolerance, ethical objections to dairy industry practices, or personal preference.

Eats

All plant foods
Eggs (all types)

Avoids

Meat, poultry, fish
All dairy products

Health note

Requires fortified plant milks for calcium and B12. Eggs provide complete protein, iron, and vitamin D, which helps offset the lack of dairy.

Who it suits

People with lactose intolerance or dairy allergy who are not ready for full veganism. Also people who accept eggs on ethical grounds but not dairy farming.

Vegan

No animal products at all

Veganism avoids all animal products: no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, or other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also extend this to non-food areas: no leather, wool, silk, or products tested on animals.

Eats

All plant foods
Fortified plant milks
Tofu, tempeh, seitan

Avoids

All meat and fish
Dairy (milk, cheese, butter, yogurt)
Eggs
Honey, beeswax
Gelatin, rennet, carmine

Health note

Requires B12 supplementation. Should monitor iron, zinc, iodine, omega-3 DHA/EPA, and vitamin D. The most health-protective diet in studies when built on whole foods.

Who it suits

People motivated by ethics (animal rights), environment, or health. Requires more planning but becomes second nature with practice.

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Types Questions Answered

What are the different types of vegetarian?

There are six main types of vegetarian diet: (1) Flexitarian: mostly plant-based, occasional meat; (2) Pescatarian: no meat or poultry, fish and seafood OK; (3) Lacto-ovo vegetarian: no meat or fish, dairy and eggs OK -- the most common type; (4) Lacto vegetarian: no meat, fish, or eggs, dairy OK; (5) Ovo vegetarian: no meat, fish, or dairy, eggs OK; (6) Vegan: no animal products at all. Raw vegan and fruitarian are stricter subsets of veganism.

What is a pescatarian?

A pescatarian does not eat meat or poultry but does eat fish and seafood, as well as plant foods and typically dairy and eggs. The word comes from the Italian 'pesce' (fish) combined with 'vegetarian'. Pescatarians often follow this diet for health reasons (omega-3 fatty acids from fish), as a transition step toward full vegetarianism, or because they accept fish consumption but not land animal slaughter.

What is a flexitarian?

A flexitarian eats a primarily plant-based diet but occasionally eats meat or fish. There is no strict definition -- some flexitarians eat meat once a week, others once a month. The term was popularised by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner in her 2009 book. Studies show that even a reduction in meat consumption to 1-3 times per week provides meaningful health and environmental benefits compared to daily meat consumption.

What is a lacto-ovo vegetarian?

A lacto-ovo vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, or fish but does eat both dairy products (lacto, from Latin for milk) and eggs (ovo, from Latin for egg). This is the most common form of vegetarianism in Western countries. It is the easiest vegetarian diet to maintain nutritionally and socially, and it is what most people mean when they simply say 'vegetarian'.

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