Pescatarian Diet: Benefits, Food List & Disadvantages

A regular diet of plant-based foods offers an array of health benefits. Similarly, fish and seafood are loaded with vital minerals, fatty acids and micronutrients essential for human health. A diet that includes both these food items is called the pescatarian diet.

This article entails the meaning of pescatarian, its health benefits, disadvantages, and what people can eat on this kind of diet.

The Pescatarian diet comprises vegetables, fish and seafood. The term originated from the Italian phrase ‘pesce’, meaning fish. People who follow this diet are often referred to as pescatarians or pesco-vegetarians.

Pescatarians also get their protein from dairy products, making it an improved alternative to a vegetarian diet. Moreover, a pescatarian diet includes nutrient-rich, high-fibre foods, bestowing optimal health benefits.

Pescatarians consume the following food items.

1. Vegetarian Options

• Legumes such as beans, tofu, lentils and their products
• Whole grain and related products
• Nuts and their butter
• Seeds such as chia, flaxseeds, hemp
• Dairy products like yoghurt, cheese, milk
• Vegetables
• Fruits and others

2. Fish and Seafood Options

• Tuna
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Swordfish
• Trout
• Mackerel
• Shrimps
• Catfish
• Shellfish
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Scallops
• Clams

Here are the benefits of a pescatarian diet:

Maintains Cardiac Health

One of the essential food items of the pescatarian diet is fish, especially fatty ones, which are a great source of increased long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, necessary for a healthy heart. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acid is an unsaturated fat beneficial for normal blood pressure.

Moreover, people who consume fish are less exposed to lower blood pressure, irregular heart rate and cardiac arrest than those who do not.

In addition, plant-based food items significantly improve blood lipids and combat low blood pressure to restore normal body functioning and keep coronary heart ailments at bay.

Lowers the Chances of Cancer

This form of diet eradicates the possibility of carcinogenic cell growth in the colon and rectum, called colorectal cancer.

Controls Diabetes and Inflammation

A plant-based diet substantially contributes to reducing the risks associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, including conditions like insulin resistance, obesity and high blood pressure. It is full of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents like flavonoids, a natural compound found in plants. Furthermore, the omega-3 acid in fatty fish serves as a healing agent against inflammation.

Additionally, the pescatarian diet aims to eradicate factory farming practices and animal killing for food. Pescatarians firmly stand against animal slaughtering, inhumane factory processes, poor labour conditions and other reasons. This way, the pescatarian diet substantially contributes to the well-being of nature as well.

Irrespective of various health and other benefits, the pescatarian diet has some limitations. For instance, fish typically consumed by pescatarians like tuna, swordfish, etc., contain medium to high mercury levels.

Mercury is a heavy metal and is fatal for human bodies, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding women, babies and children. Individuals adopting a pescatarian diet can include salmon, mackerel, sardines, lake trout in their plans as they have lower-mercury content.

In addition, the pescatarian diet does not include red meat. As red meat is a potential source of iron, excluding it from the diet can negatively affect human bodies, especially women (menstruating). However, individuals can substitute red meat with plant-based iron-rich foods such as dark leafy vegetables, lentils and tofu.

Nevertheless, it is essential to consult a professional before switching to a pescatarian diet to avoid health complications. Several food items, mainly processed ones, can be high in sugar and saturated fats. Therefore, pescatarians must practise caution while buying food items labelled as ‘meat-free’ or ‘vegetarian’ to avoid falling for a marketing gimmick.