People often choose to avoid meat and poultry while continuing to consume fish for a variety of reasons. Some individuals decide to include fish in their vegetarian diets so they can benefit from both the health benefits of a plant-based diet and the heart-healthy benefits of fish. The environmental impact of certain people's diets may be something else. Maybe it's just a matter of taste for certain people. Such people are known as Pescatarians, those who supplement their vegetarian diet with fish and other seafood. Here we discuss about the pescatarian diet, along with the specific foods that a pescatarian consumes and abstains from.
What is a pescatarian diet?
Simply put, a pescatarian is someone who prefers fish and other seafood over red meat and poultry. The word "vegetarian" and the Italian word for fish, "pesce," were combined to form the phrase "pescatarian" in the early 1990s. It can also be written as "pescetarian," but the meaning is the same. This diet is frequently referred to as "pesco-vegetarian" and included in the category of vegetarianism in scientific literature. According to that definition, a pescatarian is a person who opts to follow a vegetarian diet but also consumes fish and other seafood. Seafood plays a significant role as the primary protein source in this mostly plant-based diet, which also includes whole grains, nuts, legumes, veggies, and healthy fats. Dairy and eggs are very popular among pescatarians. Of course, pescatarian diets can vary greatly, just like vegetarian ones might. Instead of adopting a more healthful diet based on whole foods, it is feasible to have a meatless diet that is rich in processed grains, junk food, and fish sticks.
What to eat
Whole grains and grain products
Legumes and their products, including beans, lentils, tofu and hummus
Nuts and nut butters, peanuts and seeds
Seeds, including hemp, chia and flaxseeds
Dairy, including yogurt, milk and cheese
Fruits
Vegetables
Fish and shellfish
Eggs
What to avoid
Beef
Chicken
Pork
Lamb
Turkey
Wild game
Advantages
The addition of fish to a vegetarian diet has numerous health advantages. Many individuals worry that cutting out all animal products or eliminating animal flesh may result in inadequate consumption of several essential nutrients. It can be a little trickier to consume enough protein, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12 on a vegan diet. A vegetarian diet can benefit from the nutrition and variety that come from including seafood, such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.
Disadvantages
This diet has little negative effects on health. However, certain people can be more sensitive to excessive fish consumption. Fish, particularly larger species, can contain poisons like mercury. For this reason, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against consuming shark, king mackerel, tilefish, and swordfish by young children and women of childbearing age, especially those who are pregnant or nursing. Additionally, these groups should limit their weekly intake of albacore and yellowfin tuna to one palm-sized serving or less. It's okay to eat 1-2 servings of light tuna each week because it contains less mercury. This diet falls prey to some of the other problems that typically accompany vegetarian diets because it is primarily vegetarian. For instance, it's possible to consume too much carbohydrates, especially if you consume a lot of processed grains.