There are many reasons why people explore a pescatarian diet – most commonly for health reasons, to better the environment, or to minimize animal consumption. If you are interested in pescetarianism, you will be glad to hear that it is safe to do and offers many health and environmental benefits. If you have any concerns, discuss them with a medical professional like a dietician before proceeding with drastic dietary changes. By switching to a pescetarian diet, you can enjoy these advantages.

Improved Heart Health

A pescetarian diet can offer nutritional advantages. Eating fatty fish, for example, provides an increased intake of omega-3 fats, which are unsaturated and beneficial for heart health. A pescetarian diet can be known to promote healthy functioning due to lower blood pressure levels and reducing the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Therefore, heart health will thrive on a pescetarian diet, accompanied by regular exercise and stress management.

Reduced Risk of Cancer

Meat eaters are at an increased risk of cancers that affect the colon and rectum, whereas a pescetarian diet can protect people from these cancers. This is because seafood is high in vitamin D and selenium, as well as omega-3 acids which are anti-carcinogenic. Eating fish nurtures, a healthy digestive system, by building robust gut microbes and lowering inflammation. 

However, to avoid fish that have absorbed prominent levels of harmful mercury, it is important to choose high-quality seafood from reputable london fishmongers and worldwide. 

Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of seafood, a pescatarian diet can lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Eating fish can help to combat insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and obesity. As well as preventing it, a pescatarian diet can be favorable for maintaining a healthy lifestyle with diabetes, offering nutrients like vitamin D which diabetics are frequently deficient in. However, medical professionals like dieticians are trained in the field and can offer tailored guidance with this.

Contributes to a Balanced Diet

For regular functioning, the human body requires many essential nutrients. Conveniently for pescatarians, seafood is rich in many of these; not just the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, but many more. The diet can provide an increased intake of a vitamins and minerals like:

  • Calcium – builds and maintains strong bones
  • Phosphorus – key in forming bones and teeth and making protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues
  • Iron – preserves many vital functions like energy and focus, digestive processes, the immune system, and the regulation of body temperature
  • Zinc – needed for the immune system, for processes like wound healing, blood clotting, and thyroid function
  • Iodine – helps to make thyroid hormones, needed for healthy cells and metabolism
  • Magnesium – involved in countless biochemical reactions in the body to boost performance
  • Potassium – necessary for the functioning of all cells; including the heart, muscles, and nerves

Better for Sustainability

Many people are becoming aware of the risks of factory farming practices for the environment and animal welfare. Thankfully, exploring pescetarianism is a step in the right direction for minimizing the consumption of unsustainable foods. The diet is more sustainable than the farming practices of mammals and birds, making fishing and fisheries a better option to support for food supply. Whilst pescatarianism is not without faults, it is arguably better for sustainability than an omnivorous diet.

A pescetarian diet is becoming increasingly popular and is a healthy choice for many. For some people, guidance from a medical professional like a dietician might be needed, but a seafood-centered lifestyle is mostly safe. People following a pescetarian diet can benefit from improved heart health, reduced risk of cancer, increased prevention of type 2 diabetes, a balanced diet and better sustainability. This is because seafood is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids and essential vitamins and minerals, as well as farming practices differing from mammals and birds. If high-quality seafood is prioritized, health and environmental risks should be minuscule. 

By Manali