1. Pescetarians Enjoy Pesco
Pescetarians don't eat animal products except fish or seafood. The word pescetarian is derived from the Spanish word for fish, pesco. Pescetarians consume any type of seafood that they enjoy, including haddock, flounder, salmon, mussels, shrimp, tuna, clams or crabs.
2. Health Benefits of a Pescetarian Diet
Pescetarians easily consume enough Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy fats. If you have a desire to be vegetarian but are concerned about getting adequate amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, you might want to try flaxseed oil. It can be added to many recipes during food preparation, and it's virtually undetectable in smoothies. You can take a flaxseed oil supplement as well.
3. Health Concerns of a Pescetarian Diet
Depending on the quantity of fish you eat as a pescetarian, excess mercury consumption might be a concern. To minimize your exposure to mercury, limit your consumption of larger fish. This is particularly important if you're pregnant. If you're pregnant, ask your obstetrician what types of fish and how much fish you can safely consume. Reduce your exposure to mercury by buying wild fish rather than farm-raised whenever possible. The only downside is cost; wild fish is typically more expensive. Change the variety of fish you eat so you don't consume an abundance of any one particular fish.
4. There Are Other Fish in the Sea
Out of all the diet trends, the pescetarian diet is probably the easiest to follow in social situations. At many formal events, fish is usually offered as an alternative to beef, particularly since many Americans have tried to reduce their red meat consumption in response to increased awareness about the relationship between saturated fats and heart disease. Many individuals like eating healthy, but are uncomfortable when their diet choices create awkward social situations. Many health-conscious individuals consider eating pescetarian to be a happy medium.
5. Pescetarian to Vegetarian
Pescetarians are not true vegetarians. The term pescetarian evolved in response to the social trend of individuals who ate fish but still called themselves vegetarians. Although fish aren't land-dwelling mammals, they still have the capacity to experience pain and discomfort, so ethical vegetarians avoid eating them. Transitioning from a pescetarian diet to a vegetarian diet isn't that difficult since pescetarians already avoid red meat and poultry. Easy substitutions, such as using tempeh to make a mock tuna salad, still allow you the ease of making a quick sandwich while avoiding fish.
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