A diet of meat and fish only may appear to be your simplest option if you are going on a trip to the wilderness and want to catch your own food, or if you want to lose weight without counting calories or making elaborate meal plans. However, this diet is not nutritionally adequate, and it can lead to health problems.
Diet Overview
A diet of meat and fish only includes beef, pork, lamb and game meats, and fish, such as trout, salmon, halibut and flounder. Your diet might include poultry, such as chicken and turkey, and shellfish, such as shrimp and oysters. The diet does not include other nutrient-dense foods, such as dairy products, including milk, cheese and yogurt, eggs, fruit, vegetables, oils, nuts, seeds, grains and beans. A benefit of the diet is that it excludes added sugars and refined grains.
Weight Control
In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, and a diet of only meat and fish may help you lose weight because your calorie intake is likely to be low. The diet excludes foods that contribute hundreds of calories to the average American daily diet. These foods include grain-based desserts, fast foods, breads, sugar-sweetened beverages, pasta and dairy products, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, you can gain weight from eating too much meat and fish.
Micronutrient Information
Some vitamins and minerals that are probably adequate in your diet of meat and fish are vitamin B-12, iron, zinc and niacin. You can get vitamin D from fatty fish and from exposure to the sun. You may not get sufficient vitamin A, which is in fortified milk, leafy green vegetables and orange fruits and vegetables, or vitamin C, such as from citrus fruits, berries, bell peppers and tomatoes. Without eating nuts, beans, healthy oils or whole grains, you may not get enough vitamin E and magnesium.
Macronutrient Concerns
A diet of meat and fish is adequate in high-quality protein, but without carbohydrates, you may develop ketosis, with symptoms of dehydration or nausea, according to the Mayo Clinic. Saturated fat and cholesterol are unhealthy for your heart because they raise levels of cholesterol in your blood, and fatty meat is high in both. Fatty fish provide heart-healthy omega-3 fats, but the diet is low in cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fat, such as from peanut oil and olives. The diet has no fiber, which is a healthy nutrient in plant-based foods.
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