A vegetarian who eats fish and seafood is known as a pescatarian.
There are a variety of reasons why individuals opt to eat fish instead of beef or fowl.
Some vegetarians prefer to include fish in their diet so that they can reap the benefits of both a plant-based diet and heart-healthy fish. According to research, eating a more fish-based diet has health, mental, and even longevity benefits.
What Does a Pescatarian Diet Entail?
The Pescatarian Diet is simply a vegetarian diet with some changes, especially switching to a vegetarian diet that includes fish and seafood. It is plant-based, with a focus on healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, with fish and seafood serving as the primary source of protein.
It is only relatively recently that the pescatarian diet has gained its reputation as a trendy diet, but it has actually been around for centuries. In many ways, it resembles traditional Mediterranean, Japanese, and Nordic diets.
There’s a strong emphasis on fresh foods and fish in all these diets. Despite the fact that they include some meat, modern Western diets contain more pork, chicken, and red meat than any other group of food.
The track record of those groups that enjoy pescatarian diets is also exceptional. Pescatarian diets account for high life expectancies in two of the world’s most populous places. The high life expectancy of its inhabitants makes Okinawa a famous Japanese town.
There are five times more Okinawans over 100 years old than people in any other region of Japan, and Japan has the longest lifespan in the world. Those who live in Okinawa have diets that are largely composed of vegetables, fish, grains, and seaweed.
There are tons of health reasons why you should consider becoming a pescatarian.
Pescatarian Diets Are Good for Your Health
One of the most compelling reasons that people trade in their juicy steaks for salmon and flounder is the health benefits associated with the pescatarian diet.
Pescatarian diets are thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes, and depression. Several studies have demonstrated that eating a pescatarian diet reduces your risk of developing illnesses from head to toe, including erectile dysfunction, in men.
To increase omega-3 fatty acid intake, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice a week.
Inflammation throughout the body is believed to be reduced by omega-3 fatty acids.
Even though we strive to reduce inflammation throughout the body for body composition purposes, inflammation throughout the body can damage blood vessels, causing heart disease and strokes, among other health conditions.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known to prevent heart disease, but their role in brain physiology and mental health has only been studied recently. Based on what we know so far, the research seems to be promising.
Fish is the first thing that comes to mind when people think of pescatarian diets. The nutritional value of shellfish should not be overlooked, however. Shellfish can be divided into two categories:
Mollusks:
- Scallops
- Oysters
- Clams
- Mussels
Crustaceans:
- Shrimp
- Crab
- Lobster
The Omega-3 fatty acids in shellfish are comparable to those found in many types of fish. Their low-fat content (especially saturated fat), high protein content, and high amounts of minerals like zinc and copper make them excellent to eat.
Foods to Eat and Avoid While on a Pescatarian Diet
Pescatarians typically consume the following foods:
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Fruits and vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Grains
- Legumes
- Eggs (optional)
- Yogurt (optional)
- Milk (optional)
What to Avoid if you’re following a pescatarian diet
All kinds of dark and red meat like:
- Poultry
- Beef
- Lamb
- Pork
The Main Health Benefits of a Pescatarian Diet
- Reduced risk of obesity
- Help protect against colorectal cancer, which affects the colon and rectum
- Minimize your chances of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
A vegetarian diet that includes fish offers many health benefits.
Animal products and animal flesh are so often avoided by most people that they are concerned that leaving them out of their diet will reduce their intake of certain essential nutrients.
In particular, vegetarians can have difficulty getting vitamin B12, zinc, calcium, and protein.
A vegetarian diet can benefit from the nutrients and variety provided by seafood, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.
Omega-3 fatty acids are best obtained from fish.
The omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in nuts and seeds, including walnuts and flaxseeds. In the body, however, this form of ALA cannot be converted to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The benefits of DHA and EPA extend not just to the heart, but also to brain function and mood.
EPA and DHA are found in oily fish, such as salmon and sardines.
Boost Your Protein Intake
The average human only needs about 0.8 grams of protein per 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of body weight per day to remain healthy. For someone weighing 150 pounds (68 kg), that’s 54 grams.
However, many people prefer to eat much more protein than that. If you don’t want to eat extra carbohydrates or fat with your protein, it can be difficult to reach a high-protein diet with just plant proteins.
Among the many lean protein sources available are fish and seafood.
Seafood Is Nutrient-Dense
Seafood is also rich in several other nutrients besides omega-3s and protein. Oysters, for example, contain a lot of vitamin B12, zinc, and selenium. An oyster provides 133% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin B12, 55% for zinc, and 10% for selenium.
As a bonus, they also provide a lot of B vitamins, selenium, and manganese. Cod and flounder varieties are a good source of lean protein, but they don’t have much omega-3 fat.
The protein content of cod is 19 grams per 3 ounces and the fat content is less than one gram. Besides being rich in selenium and phosphorus, cod also has good amounts of niacin, Vitamin B6 and B12.
HelloFresh offers delicious and easy-to-make meals that go with your pescatarian diet plan. HelloFresh delivers everything you need to make delicious pescatarian meal plans, including fresh recipes, right to your door!
Just download the HelloFresh app and you can easily start to schedule regular healthy meal delivery. It’s a great solution for new parents to eat healthily with simple-to-cook fresh meals.
Peanut-based vegetarian recipes to boost nutritional intake
Peanuts are a high-protein plant-based food that is also high in nutrients, minerals, and plant components.
Including dishes with peanuts into a pescatarian diet boosts nutrient intake as well as provides a unique texture and flavor to pescatarian dishes. They can also help you to lose some weight and reduce your risk of heart disease and even gallstones.
Here are some healthy and delicious peanut-based recipes that you should try if you are on a pescatarian diet:
Peanut Chaat Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Chaat masala
- Turmeric
- onion
- Tomato
- Corn
- Pomegranate
DIRECTIONS
Add one teaspoon of salt and turmeric to 1 cup of peanut. Add 2 cups of water and boil the mixture.
After boiling, drain the leftover water and add one-fourth cup of chili powder, a pinch of salt, and a half cup of chaat masala to it.
You can also add chopped onion and tomato to the mixture to make it healthier. Add pomegranate and some corn to make it more delicious. This can be quickly made and can be eaten as a salad along with your meals.
Peanut Sweet Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Peanuts
- Ghee
- Jaggery
- sesame seeds
- desiccated coconut powder
- cardamom powder
DIRECTIONS
Roast and blend 2 cups of Peanuts.
Keep a pan on low flame and add 1 teaspoon ghee and 1 cup of jaggery and keep stirring the mixture for 5 minutes.
Add blended peanut powder to this mixture after it starts to boil. Then add 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds, dry coconut, and cardamom powder to it and keep stirring this mixture on a low flame.
As soon as you notice that the mixture is no longer sticking to the pan, transfer it to another bowl. After the mixture is cooled, form ladoos that are sphere-shaped using your hands.
Then serve and enjoy.
Is A Pescatarian Diet Right For You?
A diet consisting primarily of plant-based foods, fish, and seafood may be good for one’s health.
It’s for individuals who care about the environment while also prioritizing their health; for those who want to be slim and look beautiful while also living a long enough life to appreciate it.
You’re not alone if you feel intimidated by the idea of becoming meat-free.
Pescatarians are not becoming pescatarians purely for the sake of becoming pescatarians. They are becoming meat-free for 3 main reasons: it’s good for your health, and your body composition and it helps the planet.
The consumption of fish and seafood, along with plant-based foods can be beneficial for your health. Protein is one of the benefits of eating fish. In contrast to red meat, white meat contains less saturated fat and should contain more omega-3 fats.
A pescatarian diet is also more sustainable.
Research shows that reducing or eliminating red meat intake lowers the risk of heart attacks and hypertension.
In addition, fish may benefit your heart, if you eat at least two servings a week.