Table 1.

Characteristics of a vegetarian diet (modified according to Mensink et al. [26] and Kersting [16])

Type of diet	Excluded food groups	Reduced nutrient intake
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian	Meat, fish products	Meat: vitamin B12, animal protein, iron, zinc (high bioavailability) Fish: iodine, omega-3 fatty acid, e.g. DHA
Lacto-vegetarian	Meat, fish products, eggs	Same as above Eggs: animal protein, vitamin D and A
Ovo-vegetarian	Meat, fish products, milk and milk products	Same as above Milk: animal protein, calcium, iodine, vitamin B12, B2, D, A
Pesco-vegetarian	Meat products	Same as above but with fish
Flexitarian (generally vegetarian)	Meat and fish products, occasional consumption of small portions	Same as above Only slight reduction in nutrients
Vegan	All animal-based products (meat, fish, milk, eggs, honey)	Same as above In addition, primarily vitamin B12
Raw vegans	All animal-based products, certain plants, cooked foods	Same as above In addition, calories and fat

DHA docosahexaenoic acid