Vegetarian Vs Pescatarian: What’s the Difference?

Two increasingly popular lifestyle diets are the vegetarian and pescatarian diets.   

These are generally diets followed due to the belief that there are countless health benefits that can be gained by removing many animal products from your diet.  People are also choosing these diets by choice, out of growing concerns for the environment and animal welfare.

Today we will be comparing these two diets and looking at the pros and cons of both.   We will also show you how meal kits can come in handy when trying to embrace a vegetarian or pescatarian lifestyle.

There are many different types and levels of vegetarianism, but the most commonly accepted form of a vegetarian diet is a diet that is plant-based and is free of any animal flesh.  

This includes meat, fish and poultry, and other fowl. A vegetarian diet usually includes dairy products and eggs as well. The vegetarian diet is relatively flexible and is really based on the premise of not eating any form of meat that has been sourced from animals.   The diet obviously should include ample fruit and vegetables along with nuts and legumes.

The pescatarian diet is basically a vegetarian diet that includes fish and seafood. The word pescatarian became popular in the 1990s and comes from the Italian word for fish, ‘pesce’ and the word ‘vegetarian’.  

Like the vegetarian diet, the pescatarian diet includes many fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes with the addition of fish and seafood.

Main pros of the vegetarian diet:

• Linked to the reduction in many diseases such as heart disease, auto-immune disease, and cancer.
• Generally, a vegetarian diet leads to a reduction in the consumption of processed foods.
• Can assist with weight management.
• Kinder to the planet.
• Better for the environment.

Main pros of the pescatarian diet:

• Linked to the reduction in many diseases such as heart disease, auto-immune disease, and cancer.
• A pescatarian diet is largely lower in saturated fat which has many health benefits.
• Lower risk of obesity and weight issues.
• Kinder to the planet and better for the environment.
• Can reduce the risk of diabetes.

Main cons of the vegetarian diet:

• The assumption of health benefits, which are only met with a well-balanced diet
• Can lead to a tendency to snack, and vegetarian snacks can be just as unhealthy as non-vegetarian snacks!
• If increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you also need to increase the volume of food you consume to avoid feeling deprived.
• Need to be more prepared when it comes to social situations
• Need to monitor vitamin B12 and other essential nutrients

Main cons of the pescatarian diet:

• Can lead to a risk of too much mercury in your diet.  Many types of fish can contain mercury, so it is important to monitor the type of fish you are consuming
• Fish and seafood can contain pollutants, so it is again important to monitor the type of fish and seafood you are consuming and ensure you are getting the nutrients you need
• Fish and seafood can be a pricier alternative to plant-based sources of protein
• Fish and seafood that is factory farmed can increase the risk of ingesting pollutants and chemicals, so it is important to check that your fish and seafood is responsibly sourced.