The Basics of A Pescatarian Lifestyle
By Genevieve Smith
The pescatarian diet is essentially vegetarian, with the addition of fish and seafood. Being meat-and-poultry-free, this is a great way to reap the benefits of a vegetarian diet, but with the bonuses of extra proteins and omega fats. It’s a lifestyle compatible with a fast pace, easily allowing for modifications while dining out. If you’re considering making the switch — either because you’re finding yourself incompatible with the vegetarian diet or a carnivorous one is bringing you down — read on for further inspiration.
What Does a Pescetarian Lifestyle Look Like?
The fun of going pescetarian is the flexibility. It fits into the Mediterranean diet, but you can also choose something more Nordic or Japanese-based. The main point is to eat fruits and vegetables abundantly, pad it out with whole grains, legumes and nuts, and place fish centrally as the main source of protein. There is such a wide variety of seafood to choose from that people find satisfaction in the diversity available to them. Additionally, you can choose to be eco-conscious and look out for environmental health in moderately-sustainable ways within this diet. Choosing from sea life that are raised or fished sustainably and choosing to go organic and/or fair-trade with produce, dairy and grains and more, takes this healthy lifestyle one step further.
How the Nutrient Content Breaks Down
Seafood is dense in minerals, low in saturated fats, and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Shellfish are particularly high in zinc, iron and selenium. These minerals play essential roles in your health, from strengthening the immune system to keeping blood cells vital and preventing cell damage. As a lean protein, you will always be getting more protein from your calorie counts per serving than fats, in comparison with poultry and red meat. Omega-3’s are also an essential fatty acid available in the pescatarian diet, which is handy as they play a large role in brain function and anti-inflammation, and are not naturally manufactured by the body. Fish and seafood are, additionally, a steady source of Vitamin D and B12 vitamins, which partake in bone health and production of the body’s genetic material, respectively.
Refocusing your protein intake on aquatic-based proteins is a sure way to ensure you are eating a balanced array of vitamins, minerals and fats. The diet is fiber-rich, abundant in lean proteins, and low in saturated fat. Perhaps the most attractive part of this diet is its pure flexibility. It is easy to maintain a pescatarian lifestyle while eating out and traveling many parts of the continent. There are a variety of reasons to go pescatarian, from those which are environmentally-motivated to those which are more individualistic and health-focused. As a pescatarian myself, I know you will navigate through your pescetarianism differently based on what motivates you, but regardless of what inspires you to do it, the take-away is to refocus your diet away from meat and poultry and welcome in the sea. Consider turning to fish and seafood which has been responsibly caught or harvested for bonus points. Buen provecho.