Pescatarian Lifestyle – Does this diet sound fishy to you?
Do you know what pescatarian lifestyle is?
The word is relatively new to the English language with the first known references circa 1990. However, with the growth of healthy lifestyles such as vegetarian and vegan people seeking a bit more variety have added fish to their diet. Hence, the word derives from ‘pesca’, of Italian origin plus vegetarian, circa 1890 evolved into pescatarian. Across the planet only 3% of humans live a pescatarian lifestyle where the only “meat” consumed is that from fish. The Global Research firm, Ipsos Mori confirmed this estimation in 2018. Over time, it can be easier to see people follow the lifestyle more often.
What is a Pescatarian Diet or Lifestyle?
Most simply, a pescatarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat, but does eat fish. The term pescatarian was coined in the early 1990s and is a combination of the Italian word for fish, “pesce,” and the word “vegetarian.” Sometimes it’s spelled “pescetarian,” but this means the same thing. In scientific literature, this diet is often described as “pesco-vegetarian,” and is lumped into the spectrum of vegetarianism.
By that definition, a pescatarian is someone who chooses to eat a Vegetarian Diet, but who also eats fish and other seafood.
It’s a largely plant-based diet of whole grains, nuts, legumes, produce and healthy fats, with seafood playing a key role as a main protein source.
What Goes In The Pescatarian Lifestyle?
Just like vegetarians, pescatarians eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, eggs and dairy. The difference being they also partake in seafood. No “meat” other than fish. They exclude beef, pork, and poultry from their diet. Pescatarians achieve the benefits of a vegetarian diet plus they get the benefits of having extra protein and in your body.
While vegetarians and vegans do get a certain amount of omega 3’s from nuts and seeds, they don’t even come close to being as beneficial as seafood! For example, salmon has over 4,000 mg of Omega 3’s in each serving. Now if this sounds like a diet you can follow, then let’s explore more details regarding the pescatarian diet and lifestyle.
The fun thing about adopting the pescatarian diet is that there are so many variations on the theme such as Nordic, Mediterranean or Japanese-based.
And when it comes to choices of fish you have an ocean full at your service. Just remember that you should avoid farm raised fish as may have artificial coloring, may be subject to antibiotics and may often have lower levels of omega-3s. Additionally, the content of the fish’s diet is subject to question which may affect their nutritional makeup. Try to stick to wild fish and buy them from reliable markets.
All in all, a diet that includes fish provides you with a rich source of natural vitamins such as vitamin A, D and B-complex. This in combination with the vegetarian menu provides you with a well-rounded nutritional diet.
Conclusion:
As a pescatarian you get to choose between seafood, dairy, and grains. With this choice, the health benefits and accomplishment of this healthy lifestyle certainly puts this lifestyle one step ahead of meat eaters. So, what do you think about the pescatarian diet and lifestyle?
