Vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian — they are often mixed up, but it's worth knowing that each is a way of eating in its own right. In this post, we look at the differences between these frequently confused diets.

Veganism

Looking first at what "vegan" means: we know the root of the word goes back to "vegetarian". The word vegan was formed from the first and last syllables of "vegetarian", giving us the term used today. The idea of veganism is understood to have first been put forward in 1944 by Donald Watson, one of the founders of The Vegan Society.

For the protein that cannot be obtained from meat, greens such as spinach, peas, kale, broccoli and black-eyed peas stand out, along with bean varieties, chickpeas, lentils, pistachios and mushrooms.

Vegans meet their chocolate cravings with dairy-free dark chocolate, and can use soy flour instead of eggs, coconut milk instead of animal milks, and olive oil instead of butter.

And it isn't only about food and drink: vegans also choose not to wear clothing made with animal products. Cosmetics brands that test their products on animals are likewise brands vegans avoid.

Vegetarianism

The Turkish Language Institution defines a vegetarian as someone who "does not eat meat". Accordingly, people who avoid meat and meat products are called vegetarians.

The most fundamental difference between vegetarianism and veganism is this: in vegetarianism, meat and meat products are off the table, but other animal foods such as honey, milk and cheese may be consumed. Vegans, without exception, consume no animal-derived food at all. Beyond that, clothing made with animal products and cosmetics brands that test on animals are strictly avoided by vegans.

Vegetarians are further divided into four groups:

  • Ovo-vegetarian: They eat eggs, but no dairy or animal products.
  • Lacto-vegetarian: They strictly avoid animal products and eggs, but consume dairy.
  • Pesco-vegetarian: They don't eat meat products, but do eat fish and seafood.
  • Lacto-ovo vegetarian: The most common vegetarian group. They consume dairy and eggs, but never the flesh of any animal.

Pescatarianism

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "pescatarian" dates back to 1993, and its definition reads: "one whose diet includes fish but no other meat."

In other words, pescatarians are people who, within the meat group, eat only seafood. Generally considered a variety of vegetarianism, pescatarianism completely rejects white and red meat — sucuk, salami, sausages, pastırma. Vegetable oils, breakfast foods, milk and dairy, grains and spices can all be consumed.

Flexitarianism

Finally, what is a flexitarian? The term was coined by combining "flexi" — as in flexible — with "vegetarian", which is why flexitarians are also called flexible vegetarians.

People who want to cut down on animal foods but struggle to give them up entirely adopt the flexitarian way of eating. Living mostly on vegetables, fruit and whole grains without completely abandoning foods like meat and meatballs, flexitarians have no hard rules in this regard.

The flexitarian approach focuses on more vegetables, fruit and legumes; prioritising plant protein over animal products; still allowing meat and animal products from time to time; cutting back on refined sugar and sweets; and eating foods in their most natural form. In the later stages of the diet, 3–4 days a week can be spent eating fully vegetarian.

To sum up: on a flexitarian diet, meat is never entirely shelved, but there are rules about how much can be eaten. One example: newcomers to the diet can stop eating meat two days a week. At the final level, five days of the week are spent meat-free.