If you eat fish, you’re not a vegetarian – you’re a pescatarian (or “pesco‑vegetarian” in some research). You’ll hear plenty of “I’m vegetarian but I eat fish” in real life, but that’s more social shorthand than accurate use of the word.
Let’s unpack what the labels actually mean, why the distinction exists, and how to describe your diet without starting a comment‑section war.
What “Vegetarian” Really Means
In nutrition research and most major definitions, vegetarian means you avoid all meat from animals, including fish.
Typical breakdown:
- Lacto‑ovo vegetarian:
- Eats: plant foods, dairy, eggs.
- Avoids: all meat, poultry, fish, shellfish.
- Lacto‑vegetarian:
- Eats: plants + dairy.
- Avoids: eggs + all meat/fish.
- Ovo‑vegetarian:
- Eats: plants + eggs.
- Avoids: dairy + all meat/fish.
- Vegan:
- Eats: only plant foods.
- Avoids: all animal flesh and all animal‑derived foods (dairy, eggs, sometimes honey).
Let’s summarises it bluntly: “Vegetarian diets typically eliminate all meat, fish, and poultry.” Medical and dietetic sources follow the same line: if it had a face and muscles, vegetarians don’t eat it.
So by standard definitions:
If you regularly eat fish or seafood, you don’t fit under “vegetarian” – even if the rest of your diet is plant‑heavy.
That’s where pescatarian comes in.
The Pescatarian Definition Explained
The word pescatarian blends the Italian pesce (fish) with vegetarian. It showed up in English in the early 1990s and is now widely used in nutrition and medical literature.
Most mainstream definitions agree:
- “A pescatarian is someone who doesn’t eat red meat or poultry, but does eat fish and other seafood.”
- “One whose diet includes fish but no other meat.”
- “Pescatarians eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, eggs and dairy, and stay away from meat and poultry… but they eat fish and other seafood.”
- In scientific papers, it’s often called “pesco‑vegetarian.
What pescatarians do eat
Typical pescatarian diet:
- Vegetables and fruits
- Whole grains and grain products
- Legumes and soy foods (beans, lentils, tofu, hummus)
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) – optional
- Eggs – optional
- Fish and shellfish – main animal protein
What pescatarians don’t eat
Most definitions agree pescatarians avoid:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Chicken, turkey, other poultry
- Game meats
So in short:
Vegetarian: no meat, no fish.
Pescatarian: no meat, yes fish and seafood.
You’ll sometimes see “pescatarian vegetarian” or “pesco‑vegetarian” because researchers group it under the vegetarian spectrum, but they’re still clear that it includes fish.
Why the Distinction Matters (Beyond Semantics)
You might think this is just language policing, but the difference has real implications for ethics, environment, and health.
1. Ethical and identity clarity
For many vegetarians, the label is tied to strong ethical commitments about animals. From their perspective:
- Fish and shellfish are animals with central nervous systems.
- Eating them while calling yourself vegetarian blurs ethical lines and confuses people trying to understand the lifestyle.
That’s why you’ll see some vegetarians get prickly about “I’m vegetarian, but I eat salmon” – it feels like their identity is being diluted.
Using pescatarian:
- Shows respect for people who avoid all animal flesh.
- Signals more clearly where you draw the line (no land meat, but fish is in).
2. Nutrition research and medical advice
In big diet studies, “vegetarian,” “pescatarian,” and “vegan” groups have different health patterns. If you call yourself vegetarian but eat fish, you’re technically closer to the pescatarian group in these papers.
For example:
- Large cohort studies find that vegetarians and pescatarians both have lower risks of colorectal and prostate cancer compared with meat‑eaters, but their exact risk reductions aren’t identical.
- Pescatarians tend to have higher intakes of omega‑3 fats, vitamin B12, iodine, and vitamin D because of seafood.
Health sources consistently note:
- “Pescatarians may find it easier to get high‑quality omega‑3 fats, vitamin B12, and protein than when eating a vegetarian diet.
- “Pescatarian diets include seafood, while vegetarian diets typically eliminate all meat, fish, and poultry.
If your doctor or dietitian hears “vegetarian,” they may assume you’re not getting fish‑based nutrients and advise you accordingly. Saying “I’m pescatarian” gives them much better information to work with.
3. Environmental footprint
Both vegetarians and pescatarians tend to have smaller environmental footprints than heavy meat‑eaters, but they’re not identical.
- Pescatarian diets:
- Skip red meat and poultry, reducing greenhouse gases and land use.
- Do rely on fish, which raises questions about overfishing, bycatch, and aquaculture impacts.
- Vegetarian diets:
- Generally have lower greenhouse gas emissions and avoid unsustainable fishing altogether.
Some analyses suggest:
- Pescatarian diets may be “better” for individual health (easier to hit omega‑3, B12, D),
- While vegetarian diets may be “better” for the planet overall if they’re well‑planned.
Again, calling fish‑eating vegetarianism “vegetarian” hides these real trade‑offs.
Health Pros and Cons: Vegetarian vs Pescatarian
If you’re mainly asking, “Which is better for me?” here’s what the evidence‑based sources say.
Overlapping benefits
Both patterns, when done well:
- Cut out red and processed meat – linked to higher risk of colorectal cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
- Emphasise whole plant foods – more fibre, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
- Are associated with lower BMI and lower risk of several chronic diseases than standard Western diets.
One large study found vegetarians and pescatarians both had lower overall cancer risk than meat‑eaters, and specifically lower colorectal and prostate cancer risk.
Where pescatarian has an edge
According to multiple nutrition resources:
- Omega‑3 fats (EPA/DHA) – Fish is the easiest way to get these in meaningful amounts. They support heart, brain, and eye health.
- Vitamin B12 – Fish is rich in B12; vegetarians must rely on eggs/dairy or fortified foods/supplements.
- Vitamin D and iodine – Many fish, especially oily and marine varieties, contribute more of these than most plant foods.
- High‑quality protein – Fish provides complete protein with good digestibility.
In summary: “Adding seafood to a vegetarian diet gives you more options and is a good way to get protein, omega‑3s and other nutrients.” Some notethat pescatarians may have a slight health advantage because “eating fish makes it easier to get more protein, vitamins, and omega‑3s.
Where vegetarian may have an edge
- Environmental impact – On average, vegetarian diets have lower greenhouse gas emissions and avoid unsustainable fishing concerns.
- Ethical simplicity – No animals are killed directly for food (though eggs/dairy still raise welfare questions).
- Fibre and phytochemicals – Some vegetarians, relying more heavily on plant proteins, naturally eat more legumes and whole grains, pushing fibre intakes even higher.
Health.com notes that vegetarian diets “may work better for people who don’t like seafood or choose to eliminate it for environmental or ethical reasons,” while still delivering major health benefits.
Social Reality: Why So Many Fish‑Eaters Say “Vegetarian”
In the wild (aka real life):
- Many people say “vegetarian” as shorthand because it’s the term others recognise.
- In restaurants, “I’m pescatarian” sometimes gets blank stares; “I’m vegetarian but I eat fish” feels simpler.
- Some people transitioned away from meat gradually and still identify with “vegetarian” even if they haven’t fully dropped fish yet.
You’re not going to be arrested by the language police for calling yourself whatever you want in casual conversation. But if you:
- Care about accuracy (for ethics, research, or health communication),
- Want to respect communities with stricter definitions, or
- Are explaining your diet to a clinician,
then “pescatarian” is the clearest, most honest label if you eat fish.
How to Talk About Your Diet Without Drama
If you’re in that grey zone—mostly plants, some fish—here are ways to describe it:
- “I’m pescatarian – I eat fish but no other meat.”
- “I eat a mostly vegetarian diet plus fish.”
- “I’m plant‑forward and pescatarian.”
- “I don’t eat meat, just seafood.”
These phrases:
- Make it obvious fish is on the table.
- Avoid confusing strict vegetarians.
- Help doctors and dietitians instantly understand your nutrient landscape.
If you’re transitioning and still figuring it out, it’s totally fine to say, “I’m moving toward vegetarian, but I still eat fish sometimes.”
The Bottom Line: Can You Call Yourself Vegetarian If You Eat Fish?
By widely accepted definitions used in nutrition, medicine, and most vegetarian communities:
- No – eating fish means you’re not a vegetarian.
- You are a pescatarian (pesco‑vegetarian): someone who eats a largely plant‑based diet that deliberately includes fish and seafood but excludes other meats.
From a health perspective, both vegetarian and pescatarian patterns are strong upgrades from a standard Western diet. Pescatarian might make certain nutrients easier to hit; vegetarian might line up better with environmental or ethical priorities.
So the “right” label is the one that:
- Honestly reflects what you eat.
- Aligns with your reasons (health, ethics, environment).
- Helps the people you’re talking to understand you better.
If you love plants and fish, you don’t need to squeeze yourself into the vegetarian box. You’ve already got a perfectly good word for what you are—and nutritionally, you’re in a pretty solid place either way.
