You are what you eat, or so the saying goes. A pescetarian diet allows for all types of seafood as well as vegetables and fruit, grains, seeds and nuts, but no red meat, poultry or other land animals. You might have an interest in converting to a pescetarian diet if you have moral objections to commercial slaughter operations or you wish to ease into a vegetarian diet. While this type of eating plan has many advantages, it also has disadvantages.
Mercury Consumption
All seafood contains mercury, an organic pollutant that concentrates in the bodies of fish and other types of animals that live in the sea. While the level of mercury in most seafood is not enough to harm most people, it can damage the nervous system of a developing fetus. Avoid eating high-mercury fish such as shark, mackerel, swordfish or tilefish if you are pregnant , and limit consumption of low- and moderate-mercury seafood. You may safely eat up to 12 oz. of low-mercury seafood, including salmon, shrimp and pollock.
Virus and Bacteria Exposure
When you eat a pescetarian diet, you have the option of eating seafood raw or cooked. Uncooked fish and shellfish present a risk to your health due to bacteria and other organisms in raw seafood flesh. These potentially dangerous bacteria exist in small amounts in all seafood; however, fish and shellfish stored above the ideal temperature may present an ideal atmosphere to grow the bacteria to higher levels. Bacteria may also exist at higher levels in contaminated waters. In addition to bacteria, fish may also be exposed to viruses and parasites. All of these can cause sickness, including food poisoning, if you eat raw seafood, so be careful to only consume sushi and sashimi from high-quality sources. The same dangers exist in undercooked fish and shellfish.
Limited Protein Options
Eating a pescetarian diet cuts a variety of protein options, including beef, bison, chicken, venison, duck and pheasant, out of your diet. While dried beans, whole grains, nuts and seafood offer a range of tasty choices for protein, you may experience boredom eventually without land animals in your meal plan. To promote diversity and lower your risk of diet fatigue, alternate the allowable proteins and cook seafood and beans in creative ways.
Flavor and Allergies
Moving to a diet where your protein mainly comes from fish and shellfish can be a problem if you do not enjoy the taste of seafood. Strongly flavored seafood, such as salmon and mussels, may present a problem for some, although mild options are available. A pescetarian diet is not advised for those who experience allergic symptoms to shellfish. The American Dietetic Association reports that at least 7 million Americans may suffer from this type of allergy.
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