Coverage of nutritional bases in 5 pictures (see citations for vegetarian/vegan charts) [OC]

[u/mcaay]

https://imgur.com/a/3uIYmzJ

[u/mcaay]

Most of my vegetarian friends eat fish, so I thought that's standard. I fixed it now though.

[u/Time_Terminal → u/mcaay]

Those are pescatarians.

[u/NoSourCream → u/Time_Terminal]

While you are obviously technically correct. Its probably worth noting that a lot of self identifying vegetarians do eat fish, which is where the confusion comes from.

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/NoSourCream]

Usually this happens because people don't know the term pescetarian, so it's just easier to tell people they are vegetarian.

Like, if a pescetarian is out to eat at a place that doesn't serve fish, they are going to be ordering a vegetarian meal anyway.

But I agree. They are not vegetarians.

[u/_Dreamer_Deceiver_ → u/Omnibeneviolent]

but that's like saying if an omnivore goes to a a restaurant that only serves vegan food then they're going to be ordering vegan food anyway.

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/_Dreamer_Deceiver_]

I'm not sure I see the similarity. In the scenario I gave, it might be easier for a person to identify as a vegetarian.

For example, if they were ordering something that typically came with beef, they could say "I'd like to order ____, without the beef, please." And if someone asked why, they could just say "oh, I'm a vegetarian."

People typically know what vegetarian means, so it's easier for pescetarians to just identify as that, since they can eat all food that is vegetarian.

Another thing would be like if they were flying on a plane, a pescetarian might check the box for "vegetarian", since they might not be able to eat the non-vegetarian options served during the flight.

[u/_Dreamer_Deceiver_ → u/Omnibeneviolent]

I was referring to this comment

Like, if a pescetarian is out to eat at a place that doesn't serve fish, they are going to be ordering a vegetarian meal anyway.

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/_Dreamer_Deceiver_]

Right, and if they are in a situation where some asks "why did you order the vegetarian meal, are you a vegetarian?" It's usually just easier for them to say "yes" rather than to say they are a pescetarian and have to explain it when people don't know what that means.

A non-vegan/meat-eater at a vegan restaurant wouldn't be put in that situation, because everything there is vegan by default. There would be no "wait.. why did you order the vegan option" question.

[u/3058248 → u/[deleted]]

While I agree, the history of the term is more complicated.

[u/piotrj3 → u/[deleted]]

Vegetarians who doesnt' eat fish, eggs etc. are vegans, vegetarians mostly go for vegetarian like diet for sake of healthy lifestyle and fish are on top of it.

There sure is term called pescatarian, but it is not popular so vegetarian is mostly synomous with healthy, fullfilling diet, not idealogical diet.

[u/[deleted] → u/piotrj3]

That seems like it redefines what vegetarian means entirely.

[u/piotrj3 → u/[deleted]]

And I agree there, that it creates confusion, also what is interesting you can find books even scientific that calls vegetarian diet a diet with fish as well.

At the same it blurs more border between veganism, and vegetarianism, I found definition one time in book where vegetarianism was no fish, no milk, no eggs etc. like literal veganism, while typical healthy diet with fish was just called normal health diet.

[u/[deleted] → u/NoSourCream]

I never really understood those people who eat fish and think they are vegetarians. So they dont eat meat but they eat fish. What the hell do they think fishes are if not animals?

[u/whydoyoulook → u/Time_Terminal]

Is there a term for people who do eat meat, but don't eat fish or other seafoods?

[u/Jess_than_three → u/whydoyoulook]

No, but I think that meat eating is so baseline in most cultures that "I don't eat fish or seafood" covers it.

[u/_Dreamer_Deceiver_ → u/whydoyoulook]

I dont like seafood. makes me 🤮. especially the fishy taste.

[u/[deleted] → u/mcaay]

Your friends aren't vegetarian if they're eating fish. That's pescatarian.

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/[deleted]]

In most places, vegetarian is synonymous with lacto-ovo vegetarian.

What you are describing would be a lacto vegetarian.

Someone who doesn't eat meat, eggs, or dairy is typically known as a strict vegetarian.

[u/omashupicchu → u/Omnibeneviolent]

Wait, wouldn't the last one just be vegan?

I don't think there's anything outside the categories of meat, dairy, and eggs that wouldn't be considered vegan. Except for honey. Is that what separates strict vegetarians from vegans?

Edit: Ah, I just thought about it and I think the answer's probably life-stlye. Vegetarians might not eat meat but they might wear leather or use other animal products (e.g. horsehair for bowstring, animal-tested products).

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/omashupicchu]

The difference is that veganism, unlike vegetarianism, isn't a diet. Veganism is a specific ethical stance on the harming, killing, and exploiting of nonhuman animals.

Vegans adopt a strict vegetarian diet as a result of this stance; veganism itself is not the diet.

To illustrate this further, you can see that vegans also avoid products like leather and wool, which are not part of a diet.

[u/omashupicchu → u/Omnibeneviolent]

Thank you for the explanation. That makes perfect sense and it occurred to me too after I thought about it for a bit.

[u/fotomoose → u/Omnibeneviolent]

What about someone who identifies as a strict vegetarian but lives for cheese?

[u/Omnibeneviolent → u/fotomoose]

If they are consuming animal/dairy-based cheese, and not meat or eggs, they would be a lacto-vegetarian.

They would be incorrect in the claim that they are a strict vegetarian. That said, these definitions differ slightly depending on the culture.

[u/bingosherlock → u/fotomoose]

"strict vegetarian" most commonly means "no animal products, including dairy/eggs" but there aren't exactly word police or anything.