Have you ever heard the word pescatarian from someone or around the internet? Are you searching for the ideal plant-based diet routine to shift to a healthier alternative but don’t understand the basics? Here’s the essential guide to a pescatarian diet to help you get a know-how of the basics.
What is a Pescatarian Diet?
Pescatarian diet is a plant-based diet with plant-based products and fish and seafood as the main components. The idea behind a pescatarian diet is to shift towards plant-based food alongside integrating seafood. The trend of pescatarian diet originated in the 1990s. The word is derived from the Italian language with ‘Pesce’, meaning fish. The seafood in the pescatarian diet acts as the primary source of protein in this plant-based diet.
Benefits of a Pescatarian Diet
1. Rich in Omega-3
Fish is one of the best sources of getting Omega-3 in your body. Plant-based food does have small amounts of Omega-3, fish and seafood are filled with this nutrient. Moreover, the Omega-3 you get from plant-based foods is harder to digest into eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. These acids help in overall health, including heart and brain functionality. On the other hand, fishes contain a high amount of EPA and DHA in them already that directly gets transferred to your blood. All in all, your body doesn’t have to exert more energy with digestion, and you’ll be getting the right amount of Omega-3.
2. Increase Protein Intake
Meat and seafood are two main items that are known as the essential protein sources. Since the pescatarian diet tends to avoid meat, seafood is your best friend in this case. Seafood is one of the best options to increase your daily protein intake. Moreover, this is especially beneficial since plant-based products aren’t too high in proteins. In this way, you’ll be making sure you get your proteins daily and enjoy the food you eat alongside.
3. Getting Extra Nutrients
Omega-3 and protein aren’t the only things you get from going for a pescatarian diet and increasing your seafood intake. Seafood is jam-packed with other nutrients that enhance your life’s longevity, improve physical health, and decrease the risk of diseases. Vitamins and minerals are some of the crucial nutrients you’ll be attaining from adding seafood to your meals. You wouldn’t want to miss out on all the goodness these seafood options have to provide for better health.
4. Variety of Options
Without sugar coating, the truth is that living a vegetarian life can truly be tough sometimes. The sight of meat may tempt you. You won’t have too many options when you’re at a restaurant. You’ll be stuck with the same old options that don’t satisfy your tastebuds if it’s only ‘the vegetable life’. But if you’re looking for a plant-based diet while enjoying some protein source, a pescatarian diet is your escape. You can have your seafood fried, baked, even grilled to have a variety of options for your meals.
What Can You Eat On Pescatarian Diet?
Many assume that a plant-based diet only consists of vegetables on a daily. We’re here to tell you you’re falling for the wrong misconceptions! A Pescatarian diet is a much friendlier, less limiting plant-based diet to shift to. You’re not stuck with only vegetables on the go, and the seafood addition provides tons of ingredients you can experiment with. Here’s what you can and cannot eat on a basic pescatarian diet:
The Do Eat Items:
- Whole grains and grain products such as bread, pasta, etc.
- Legumes and legume products such as beans, lentils, hummus, etc.
- Nuts and nut butter
- Seeds such as chia, flaxseeds, sesame, etc.
- Fruits such as apples, bananas, pears, oranges, berries, guavas, etc.
- Vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, etc.
- Fish and seafood
- Dairy such as yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.
- Eggs
Do keep in mind that dairy and eggs are poultry-products and hence optional depending on your preference. Many choose to accommodate them within their diets, while others don’t. It all depends on how strictly plant-based you want to go for.
The Don’t Eat Items:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Pork
- Lamb
- Turkey
- Wild game
Conclusively, all meat-items, including red meat and poultry, should not be consumed on a pescatarian diet.
Adding Seafood- Other Than Fish
It’s a general perspective that a pescatarian diet is linked to fish only. However, it’s fish and seafood. You can add a variety of seafood, including shellfish, to your meals as well. They are loaded with nutrients, but they can also add a range of taste to your meals. Shellfish are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, copper, protein, Vitamin B-12, and zinc. For this reason, you should never overlook the significance of shellfish in a pescatarian diet. Here are a few you can add to your daily meals when enhancing your pescatarian diet:
- Scallops
- Oysters
- Clams
- Mussels
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Lobster
Tips and Tricks to Start a Pescatarian Diet
Opt for Healthy Alternatives to Cooking Methods
Of course, when planning and cooking your meals, you can choose to go for any method. However, the main idea of a pescatarian diet is to make healthy choices. By going for deep-frying and processed food items, your body won’t be attaining the benefits of a plant-based diet. In some circumstances, excessively choosing unhealthy options can even result in more harm than good for your body. Opt for lower-fat cooking techniques that don’t involve too much oil, such as sautee, bake, and grill your seafood.
Get Go-To Canned Seafood
Proteins such as fresh seafood aren’t exactly the best for keeping too long. Often, you might face trouble freezing and cooking your seafood since it can’t be stored for months. This’ll have you running to buy more only to come back and go through the process of freezing it again. For this reason, it’s always helpful to stack up on canned seafood as well. While it may not taste as amazing as fresh seafood, it’s easy to store and prepare. Hence, an ideal option when you’re running late or don’t want to go through the process of cooking fresh protein.
Get Cooking Help If You’re New
As easy as seafood is to make, some might get intimidated if it’s a new experience. Therefore, if you’re new to the culinary art of seafood, you can always get some help. You can search for online recipes, cooking books, or even cooking classes to help you out. These will help you create easy and delicious meals that’ll fill your belly and keep you on the pescatarian diet track.
Precautions
One of the main concerns involving a pescatarian diet is the increase in the intake of seafood. While seafood is rich with nutrients, it also contains mercury and other toxins in it. Increased consumption of seafood can lead to mercury poisoning within the body, which can cause severe symptoms. For this reason, it is suggested that children and pregnant women should avoid seafood that is prone to higher amounts of mercury. Seafood such as tilefish, swordfish, shark, and king mackerel are included in this category. Moreover, other seafood such as tuna and albacore should also be limited to a safe amount to avoid the risk. The best advice is to balance your seafood intake and limit it to twice a week. This way, you’ll get the essential nutrients every week and avoid excessive mercury intake.
Conclusion
If you’re someone who loves seafood and wants to move towards a healthier lifestyle, a pescatarian is your go-to. You wouldn’t be limiting yourself too much, and you’ll be getting all the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Stop waiting, get yourself running, and start preparing your pescatarian diet plans!
Not sure what diet is right for you? Check out our plant-based diet guide here —>>>
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