Knowing the Pescatarian Diet and Its Benefits for He alth

2023 Author: Autumn Gilbert | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:39

Pescatarian is a diet without eating meat. However, people who follow this diet still eat fish and other types of seafood, such as shellfish and shrimp, as well as eggs and milk. The pescatarian diet is also believed to provide many he alth benefits

The term pescatarian comes from the word pesce which means fish in Italian, while the word dance is taken from vegetarian. Sometimes, this diet is also referred to as pesco-vegetarian or pescetarian.

Foods Consumed in a Pescatarian Diet

The pescatarian diet or diet is still classified as a type of vegetarian diet. People on a pescatarian diet avoid red meat and poultry, but can eat the following foods:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Grains
• Nuts and their processed products, such as tofu and tempeh
• Mushroom
• Fish, both s altwater and freshwater fish, including tilapia
• Seafood, including shrimp, squid, clams and octopus
• Egg
• Milk and its processed products, such as yogurt and cheese

However, there are also some people who are on a pescatarian diet choosing not to eat eggs along with milk and their processed products at all. This diet is called lacto-ovo-pescatarian.

Some of the Benefits of the Pescatarian Diet

One of the reasons why many people are starting to adopt a vegetarian and pescatarian diet is because of concern for the environment.

This reason arises from the assumption that consumption of animal meat from the animal and poultry farming industry can have a negative impact on the environment. This is because the industry can produce a lot of pollution and trigger global warming.

However, there are also those who choose to go on a pescatarian diet for he alth reasons. This is because the pescatarian diet is dominated by foods with high nutritional value, such as fish, seafood, vegetables, and fruits.

The following are some of the benefits of the pescatarian diet for body he alth:

1. Sufficient protein needs

Protein is a very important nutrient intake for the body. Protein is needed to produce new cells and body tissues, support the healing process of wounds or illness, and produce various hormones.

One of the risks of being a vegetarian or vegan is not getting enough protein intake. This is because both types of eating patterns require the culprit not to eat meat.

Therefore, now many people turn to the pescatarian diet because this diet still allows people who live it to eat fish and seafood as well as milk and eggs. These foods are good sources of protein for body he alth.

2. Getting intake of omega-3

Several types of fish, such as milkfish, salmon, tuna, and tuna, are rich in omega-3. These he althy fatty acids have many benefits, including maintaining a he althy heart, supporting brain function and he alth, maintaining eye he alth, and lowering and controlling blood pressure.

3. Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease

Pescatarian diet requires people who live it to consume more vegetables, fruit, nuts, and fish and seafood. By increasing the consumption of these he althy foods, the intake of important nutrients for the body such as protein, omega-3, as well as various vitamins and minerals, will be fulfilled.

Some research so far says that the pescatarian diet can lower bad LDL cholesterol levels and increase the amount of good cholesterol in the body. This is good for preventing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.

4. Controlling weight

People who are on a pescatarian diet are required to eat more nutritious foods, such as vegetables, fruit, eggs, and fish. Nutrient intake in the form of protein, he althy fats, complex carbohydrates, and fiber which is obtained from this diet will make weight control easier.

Therefore, you can try a pescatarian diet if you are losing weight or keeping it ideal. However, not only by following this he althy diet, you also need to exercise regularly and limit excess calorie intake.

Risks of Pescatarian Diet

Although it is claimed to be he althier, the pescatarian diet also has drawbacks, which can increase the risk of certain he alth problems. The following are some of the risks of the pescatarian diet that are important for you to know:

High cholesterol

Pescatarian diet will make people who live it consume more seafood, such as squid, crab, octopus, and lobster. These foods are known to contain a lot of cholesterol.

If consumed too much, it is feared that high-cholesterol foods can cause bad LDL cholesterol levels in the blood to increase so that it is at risk of piling up in the blood vessels.

To prevent this from happening, you are advised to exercise regularly and eat lots of fiber foods, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. To be he althier, it is better if you cook seafood or fish by grilling, steaming, or boiling it to limit the amount of oil in the food.

Excessive mercury exposure

In addition, another risk of a pescatarian diet is excessive exposure to mercury from seafood. Some types of seafood, such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish, are high in mercury.

To avoid this, you can choose other types of fish and seafood with lower mercury content, such as catfish, mackerel, goldfish, selar fish, grouper, or shrimp.

Following a pescatarian diet can indeed provide benefits for body he alth. So that the benefits obtained can be maximized, make sure your plate contains a balanced nutritious food menu.

Also pay attention to how to process the food you eat. Eating processed or fried foods is certainly not as he althy as eating boiled, steamed, or baked foods.

If you still have questions about the pescatarian diet or are interested in trying this diet, you should first consult a nutritionist, especially if you have certain medical conditions.