What is it called when you're a vegetarian but you eat chicken?

December 29, 2025 •

2 min read

About 5-8% of the U.S. population identifies as vegetarian, yet some still eat chicken. The correct term is pollotarian for those who avoid red meat but eat chicken. This is a form of semi-vegetarianism, often chosen for health or ethical reasons.

Quick Summary

A pollotarian, or pollo-vegetarian, is a semi-vegetarian who eats poultry but not red meat or pork. The diet focuses on plant-based foods while allowing chicken, turkey, and duck.

Key Points

Pollotarianism is the correct term: Someone on a vegetarian diet who eats chicken is a pollotarian, not a vegetarian.
Semi-vegetarian diet: Pollotarianism is a type of semi-vegetarian diet that excludes red meat but permits poultry.
Health benefits: Following a pollotarian diet can reduce the risk of certain health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes by cutting out red meat.
Flexibility: The diet emphasizes plant-based foods and allows for poultry, providing a flexible option for those reducing meat intake.
Distinction from vegetarianism: True vegetarianism excludes all animal flesh, including chicken, so the terms should not be used interchangeably.
Environmental impact: Eating poultry instead of red meat can be a more sustainable dietary choice, as raising poultry is less resource-intensive.
Nutritional considerations: Pollotarians should be mindful of potential deficiencies, such as omega-3s and vitamin B12, depending on their other food choices.

Understanding the Pollotarian Diet

Many individuals reducing red meat or transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle may find their eating habits unclear. Although they might say, "I'm a vegetarian, but I eat chicken," eating any meat, including poultry, means they aren't vegetarian. The term for this diet is pollotarianism. The word comes from "pollo," the Spanish and Italian word for chicken, though pollotarians typically eat all poultry. This diet is semi-vegetarian or flexitarian, focusing on plant-based foods with poultry.

Why People Choose a Pollotarian Lifestyle

Reasons for choosing a pollotarian diet include potential health benefits like a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes by replacing red meat with poultry. It can also aid the move to a more plant-focused diet. Environmental and ethical factors also play a role.

Pollotarianism vs. Other Diets

Understanding how the pollotarian diet fits within the spectrum of eating habits clarifies its characteristics. Here's a comparison with other popular diets:


Diet Type	Red Meat	Poultry	Fish/Seafood	Dairy	Eggs	Primary Focus
Pollotarian	No	Yes	Sometimes	Sometimes	Sometimes	Plant-based with poultry
Vegetarian (Lacto-Ovo)	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Plant-based, dairy, and eggs
Pescetarian	No	No	Yes	Sometimes	Sometimes	Plant-based with fish
Vegan	No	No	No	No	No	Exclusively plant-based
Omnivore	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	All food groups

Foods Pollotarians Eat

A pollotarian diet is based on plant-based foods with poultry. This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and poultry like chicken, turkey, and duck. Dairy and eggs are optional, while beef, pork, lamb, and other mammalian meats are avoided.

The Pros and Cons of a Pollotarian Diet

Pollotarianism has benefits and potential drawbacks. It's important to consider these before deciding.

Benefits

Easier Transition: Offers a less restrictive way to reduce meat intake compared to strict vegetarianism.
Health Gains: Can improve heart health, aid weight management, and lower the risk of certain diseases.
Nutrient Variety: Provides a good source of protein, B12, iron, and zinc through poultry.

Drawbacks

Not Truly Vegetarian: It's important to differentiate this diet from true vegetarianism, which excludes all meat.
Potential for Nutritional Gaps: Care may be needed to ensure adequate intake of nutrients like omega-3s.
Varying Ethics: Ethical concerns about consuming animals may still be present, although limited to poultry.

Conclusion

Someone who follows a vegetarian-style diet but includes chicken is a pollotarian, a form of semi-vegetarianism. This diet is a practical option for many seeking health and environmental benefits without fully committing to a meat-free lifestyle. It features poultry and plant-based foods, and differs from true vegetarianism, which excludes all meat. Whether motivated by health, environmental concerns, or personal preference, adopting a pollotarian diet can be a step toward conscious eating. For additional information on different dietary patterns and their health implications, resources like {Link: Healthline https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pollotarian} can provide further insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not correct to call yourself a vegetarian if you eat chicken. True vegetarianism excludes all types of meat, including poultry. The correct term for this diet is pollotarianism.

A pollotarian consistently avoids red meat but includes poultry, while a flexitarian follows a mostly plant-based diet but occasionally eats meat, poultry, or fish without a fixed rule.

Potential health benefits of a pollotarian diet include a lower risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes, primarily due to the reduction of red meat and increased intake of plant-based foods.

It depends on the individual. Some pollotarians may also choose to eat fish and seafood, in which case they would technically be considered pesce-pollotarians.

A pollotarian diet is generally considered to be more environmentally friendly than a standard diet that includes red meat, as poultry production typically requires fewer resources and produces less greenhouse gas emissions than raising cattle.

While poultry is a good source of protein and B12, pollotarians may still need to be aware of their intake of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, calcium (if dairy is excluded), iron, and zinc, especially if intake of animal products is limited.

People are motivated by various factors, including improving their health, reducing their environmental footprint, finding a flexible path toward eating less meat, or for ethical reasons regarding mammalian animal welfare.