The vegan diet and the Mediterranean diet have quite a few similarities. Both have potential benefits for health, as well as a lot of scientific research backing them up as nutritious options for most people. But there are also some key differences, and if you have certain health conditions or dietary requirements, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider before undertaking either of these diets.

The Mediterranean diet and the vegan diet are both based on primarily plant-based foods, and you can actually combine the two diets with a vegan mediterranean diet, which follows the core principles of both. The Mediterranean diet, however, does leave more room for the consumption of animal products, with an emphasis on oily fish, lean meats and eggs over red meat. The vegan diet is completely plant-based, with many vegans relying on supplements to get certain nutrients that they may miss out on due to not eating any animal products.

“Both diets are fairly different, and I wouldn’t say one is better than the other one,” says Roxana Ehsani, registered dietitian nutritionist and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “If followed correctly, both can be nutritious diets.”