Today, in our food world, there are all kinds of “-Arians”. Of course, there are vegetarians, but there are also people who eat mostly fruit and who believe that they only need air or sunlight to make a living, please don’t try that at home!
Of course, this method of dieting is controversial, but the Pescetarian diet is a sensible, scientifically proven approach because the Pescetarian diet can help you achieve many health goals.
Next, we’ll dive in and learn about the definition of pescetarianism along with what pescatarians can and cannot eat, and the benefits and limitations of this Pescatarian diet.
In essence, it’s just a vegetarian diet that incorporates fish or seafood. The diet usually includes foods of animal origin like milk and eggs but excludes meat (think chicken, pork, or beef). The term itself is a combination of the word vegetarian and “peace”, which in Italian means fish.
How to lose weight with 4 types of vegetarians:
How to lose weight with vegetarians: excluding meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, but including dairy.
How to lose weight with vegetarian: excludes meat, fish, poultry, and dairy, but includes eggs.
How to lose weight with lacto-Ovo vegetarian: This does not include meat, fish, and poultry, but includes milk and eggs.
How to lose weight with a pescetarian: Excludes meat and chicken but allows fish. It may or may not allow milk or eggs.
One obstacle to following a strict vegetarian diet can be getting enough protein. However, this is usually not a problem for pescetarians, as it includes fish as an important source of protein. While it’s often thought of as a close relative of the Mediterranean diet, it can easily follow suit with all sorts of cuisines, including Asian, Indian, or Mexican.
What foods can be eaten?
You will be surprised because of the variety of foods that you can eat on this diet. Overall, this is an extremely versatile way of eating that includes a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods.
How to lose weight with fruits and vegetables:
All fruits and vegetables are allowed. That’s right, all of them.
When you’re on a plant-based diet, your consumption of fruits and vegetables will increase (as these staples, should fill up at least half of your plate with meals).
The protein
Lose weight with a pescetarian diet, one of its main sources of protein would be fish. Other permitted protein foods are beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, peas, soy products, and sometimes eggs and dairy products.
Here I give you the protein content of some popular sources:
85 grams of salmon: 17 grams
85 grams panga: 21 grams
1 cup cooked lentils: 18 grams
1 cup chickpeas: 14 grams
85 grams of cashews: 15 grams
1/4 cup sunflower seeds: 7.5 grams
1 large egg: 6 grams
230 grams of milk: 8 grams
1/2 cup cottage cheese: 12 grams
Do Pescatarians Eat Fish Every Day?
Although fish and shellfish are allowed, experts recommend that adults following a 2,000-calorie diet consume two servings per week. With that in mind, Pescatarians should try to supplement with other plant-based sources of protein throughout the week.
Grain:
Grains are plants, so they should be an important part of your diet. Whole grains provide you with important nutrients like B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein.
Your bean options are numerous and limited by your imagination and perhaps your culinary skills. Whole grains can be called the “complete package”. Its health benefits include helping control blood sugar, lowering cholesterol levels, and preventing cancer.
Some popular and healthy whole grains include:
Oatmeal Porridge
Quinoa
Brown rice and wild rice
Cornmeal
Cockroach tree
teff
Farro
Whole grain bread and pasta
Popcorn
Drinks and Snacks:
The “gray areas” of nutrition are foods that are outside the normal way of eating. This is where healthy nutrition can appear in the background. Most beverages are allowed on a plant-based diet, including the Pescetarian diet. But to maintain a healthy intake, limit or avoid sugary drinks like soft drinks and juices, and choose naturally low-calorie beverages like water, coffee, and tea.
As for snacks, they should be within the allowable food categories. Fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, popcorn, cheese, hummus, and nuts are all good choices when you’re planning a snack.
What can pescetarians not eat?
If you still hold strong beliefs about eating this way, then you should not eat meat. This means no beef, lamb, poultry, pork, or any other animal meat. This also means that you should not eat junk food made from meat, such as dried meat
Stay away from sweets and foods high in sugar. While technically suitable for pescetarians, you should always consider the path to health. Also, consider limiting plant-based “meats” mainly because they are highly processed and can contain large amounts of sodium.
What benefits does it bring?
Vegetarians enjoy many of the same health benefits as vegetarians, as well as several other benefits.
A plant-based diet is packed with antioxidants, and these have a big impact on your health. According to a May 2017 review, published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, vegetarians have an overall increased risk of heart disease and cancer.
Harvard Medical School points to a range of health benefits for those following a healthy vegetarian diet, including:
Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Reduce the risk of cancer.
Reduces the risk of heart disease.
Low blood pressure
Low cholesterol levels
Lower Body Mass Index
Adding fish to your diet will naturally increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, such as salmon.
How to lose weight with this diet?
If you follow it healthily, yes, you can lose weight. According to a September 2019 review published in the Journal of Translational Psychiatry, people following a plant-based diet typically lose more weight than those following an omnivorous diet.
There are caveats to this, as always, when you’re following a certain diet for weight loss. Keep these basic principles in mind if your goal is to lose weight:
Pay attention to portion sizes.
Get enough protein every day.
Consider your consumption of processed foods and added sugars.
Are there limitations?
When switching to these types of diets, you may experience some disappointment.
Meal planning
One of the biggest changes to a plant-based diet is the need to prepare and cook meals. Although there are shortcuts in the supermarket (pre-cut vegetables, canned beans, pre-cooked cereals), you must have a daily meal plan. Otherwise, you could be stuck in a junk food machine considering all the unhealthy options.
Mercury in fish
Another concern when adding large amounts of shellfish to your diet is the risk of consuming too much mercury. For this reason, experts point out that people who should monitor their seafood intake include young children and pregnant and lactating women. However, up to 340 grams of low-mercury fish per week is not a concern for most people.
High-mercury fish such as sharks, swordfish, horse mackerel, and tilefish should be limited or avoided.
Conclusion: Is the pescetarian diet healthy?
If you’re looking to switch to a healthier diet and you don’t know where to start, this diet might be for you. Following a plant-based diet is a healthy and sustainable eating pattern that has been shown to provide health benefits and reduce the risk of many common chronic diseases.