The Pescatarian Diet: Best of Both Worlds?

The Pescatarian Diet: Best of Both Worlds?Debate and bickering between meat-eaters and vegetarians doesn’t seem like it’ll be going away any time soon. Both sides like to claim that their way is the most “natural.” Meat-eaters often point out that vegetarians aren’t getting vitamin B12 or adequate protein. Vegetarians and vegans, on the other hand, argue that meat is acidifying and potentially carcinogenic. But the truth is, both sides have valid points. Fortunately, there’s also a comfortable middle ground between the two: the pescatarian diet.

What is the Pescatarian Diet?

Defining the pescatarian diet is pretty straightforward: it’s a diet that does not include any meat products like chicken, pork or beef. On the other hand, it allows for the consumption of eggs, seafood and dairy.

For a number of health reasons, cutting out dairy from the pescatarian diet would be ideal for optimum health benefits. Also, the mere absence of meat doesn’t take into account other important eating choices, such as avoiding refined carbs and added table sugar. It’s always important to remember that there are many other aspects to a healthy lifestyle than whether you choose to eat meat, fish, or neither.

With all that said, the pescatarian diet can be an excellent middle ground between the standard omnivore and vegan diets. If you aren’t already eating pescatarian, then you’d be approaching the diet from one direction or the other.

First, we’re going to look at a couple of reasons why meat-eaters might want to consider the diet, and then we’ll look at how vegetarians could also benefit.

Note: If you are a strict vegan mainly for ethical reasons and would never eat another living animal, this article is not an attempt to get you to change your mind. You’re best off just sticking to what you’re already doing. This article will focus purely on nutrition and health, without getting into topics like animal rights or environmental concerns.

The Benefits of Going Pescatarian for Meat-Eaters

pescatarian benefits muscle
Since fish contain more protein than chicken, you’ll have no problem gaining muscle on a pescatarian diet

Why Seafood is Healthier Than Meat

Seafood is chock full of vital minerals and other important nutrients. Fish, especially the fatty kind, is high in omega-3. As we went over here, omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, help reduce the risk of heart disease and can help boost your mood. This is in contrast to the saturated fat found in meats, which can clog the arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.

Generally speaking, seafood is very rich in minerals and vitamins. Regular consumers of fish are getting plenty of important nutrients like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins A, D and B. Fish also contains iodine, which is good for the thyroid gland. (1)

If there’s one word we often associate with meat, it’s protein. This is of special concern for weight lifters or other athletes who think a lot about muscle growth when choosing what to eat. While we know that fish also contains protein, does meat really have that much more?

According to an article by G.I. Gen, beef has the most protein per 100 grams compared with fish and chicken. But fish still holds up pretty well. While beef contains around 36 grams of protein, fish (in general, of course) still has an impressive 26 grams. Chicken, on the other hand, has just 18g! Rest assured, you will certainly still be getting enough protein by switching from meat to fish. (2)

The Pescatarian Diet is Kinder to the Digestive System

One of the pitfalls of a diet heavy on meat is the amount of effort it takes for the body to digest it. The body spends a vast amount of effort and resources to break down meats like beef and pork, leaving many meat-eaters feeling sluggish and lethargic for much of the day.

Of course, many meat-eaters wouldn’t even notice this because it’s become their regular state. Yet former carnivores will almost invariably mention a big increase in energy after giving up meat. Much of this has to do with digestion.

Eggs and fish are digested much more easily than meat. According to this article, an egg takes between 30-45 minutes to digest, while seafood can take between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the animal. (3)

Meat, in contrast, is a whole different story. Chicken is the fastest digesting meat, at 90 minutes to two hours. And then there’s pork, which can take up to 5 hours for the body to digest!

Want to feel lighter and more energetic, while still consuming the same amount of protein and other vital nutrients as your old meat-based diet? Well, the pescatarian diet might be for you.

The Pescatarian Diet is Compatible With the Alkaline Diet

pescatarian meal plan
“Pescatarian-Alkaline” isn’t really a term yet, but it should be

 

If you’re brand new to the concepts of the alkaline diet, you can read this article for a brief introduction (or check out this book). Basically, the diet encourages people to eat at least around 80% alkaline foods. A food’s alkalinity is determined by the pH of the ash residue it leaves behind when consumed.

That means that surprisingly, acidic citrus fruits are actually very alkaline-forming. Things like vegetables and nuts are also among the most alkaline-forming foods.

Our bodies are constantly working hard to maintain the ideal blood pH level of around 7.35 – 7.45. But the more acid-forming foods we consume, the more resources and energy our body uses up to maintain this important homeostasis.

Consuming mostly alkaline-forming foods means that it’s easy for the body to maintain a proper pH level, freeing it up to fight off disease and eliminate toxins. On top of that, it just so happens that alkaline-forming foods are also among the most nutrient and antioxidant-dense.

Now, where does the pescatarian diet come in to play? According to many lists, meat is some of the most acid-forming food you could possibly consume. That means it’s incredibly tricky, if not impossible, to reap the benefits of the alkaline diet as a meat consumer.

Seafood, on the other hand, can range from either slightly alkaline to only mildly acidic.

Unfortunately, one of the main annoyances of following the alkaline diet is the inconsistency of the acid-alkaline charts that are available online. A number of them list salmon as alkaline, but eggs as mildly acidic. On the other hand, some charts list eggs as being highly acidic!

Regardless, the diet still allows for 20% of your food to be acid-forming. If you’re eating mostly fruits, nuts and vegetables with the occasional egg or seafood dish, you’ll easily be able to reap the benefits of both the pescatarian and alkaline diets at the same time.

The Benefits of Going Pescatarian for Vegetarians or Vegans

can vegetarians eat fish
By including fish in your diet, you no longer have to worry about complete proteins, creatine or vitamin B12

The Pescatarian Diet is a Hassle-Free Way to Get Adequate Protein

The main questions most people have when giving up meat are related to protein. “How can you get enough protein without eating meat?” many wonder. In fact, I went over this question in-depth right here. As you can see, it’s certainly possible to get enough protein from purely vegan sources. But for most people, it’s not something that’s easy to keep up long-term.

Furthermore, for those into lifting weights or other strenuous sports, you’ll be wanting to intake more protein than the average person. Giving yourself the freedom to eat eggs and seafood makes this so much easier. As we went over above, fish contains more protein than chicken!

Rather than carefully counting your amino acids to make sure you’re getting all the essentials, you could save yourself a lot of time and hassle by simply eating fish or boiling an egg!

The Pescatarian Diet Contains Other Nutrients You Can’t Get from Plants

If you completely avoid animal products, you won’t be getting any vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency can result in anemia, dizziness and bleeding gums. This is an absolutely essential nutrient which our bodies need to properly function. Vegetarians have no choice but to supplement, but going on a pescatarian diet eliminates this concern. The vitamin is found naturally in eggs, fish and shellfish.

Furthermore, the molecule known as creatine can only be found in animal foods. These days, creatine is one of the most popular supplements out there for people trying to build muscle.

Creatine is not essential for life, and the liver produces it naturally in the body anyway. However, if you’re neither eating animal products nor taking creatine supplements, your levels are going to be on the very low end. (4) Salmon and tuna are excellent natural creatine sources, so the pescatarian diet ensures you’re getting enough of the molecule without needing to resort to expensive supplements.

Another reason to consider adding fish to your diet is that among the three omega-3 fatty acids, a purely plant-based diet only gives you ALA. While ALA certainly has its benefits, it’s outperformed in a number of areas by DHA, which come from fish. The body can naturally convert ALA to DHA, but the conversion process is not all that efficient. (4)

The Pescatarian Lifestyle is Much More Flexible

The practicality of a diet is something that’s often overlooked. While I am a big proponent of diets like the raw food diet, there’s no denying that it’s not easy to carry on long-term. And even as a strict vegetarian, you’ve likely come across many situations where a 100% animal product free meal was simply not an option.

Worrying about this can ultimately restrict where you travel or even who you spend time with.

One reason that the pescatarian diet is so easy to keep up long-term is the simple fact that when you’re out and about in the world, you’re much more likely to come across many more fish or egg-based options than you are purely vegetarian ones.

As the pescatarian diet is much less stress and hassle free than a purely vegetarian diet, it’s a lot easier to stick with in the end.

It should be noted, of course, that there are plenty of very dedicated vegetarians who have successfully managed to live normal lives and even travel the world without consuming a single animal product. And I respect and applaud these people. But from personal experience, the pescatarian diet is just so much easier, and, judging from the points above, probably healthier too.

Well, fish isn’t always necessarily healthy. It’s time now that we went over the important topic of seafood and its mercury content.

 

pescatarian benefits
You walk into this nice restaurant during your trip abroad. Which are they more likely to serve: seafood or raw vegan avocado toast?

What to Look Out For When Buying Fish

Mercury Content

Mercury is a real concern nowadays, and some of the seafood we find on store shelves can potentially contain high amounts of it. Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that ends up in bodies of water after being released into the atmosphere, oftentimes from activities like mining or coal burning.

Mercury poisoning from eating lots of seafood is not an immediate process, as it gradually accumulates in organs like the kidneys. Over time, symptoms of mercury poisoning can include memory issues, tremors, vision problems and even seizures.

In the ocean, mercury is first consumed by the smallest organisms before making its way up the food chain. Phytoplankton is eaten by small fish, who in turn are eaten by bigger fish, and so on. That means that the higher up the food chain a fish is, the likelihood that it’ll contain a high level of mercury increases. (5)

As we can’t always test the mercury content of the fish we’re about to eat, it’s helpful to know which varieties are likely to contain either more or less mercury when choosing from a menu.

Fish commonly found with the highest traces of mercury are mackerel, swordfish, seabass and various kinds of tuna.

Seafood that’s generally considered to be low in mercury include catfish, herring, oysters, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimp, squid and telapia.

Some important minerals that help the body detoxify mercury naturally are zinc and selenium. Oysters, crab (and pumpkin seeds) contain high amounts of zinc, while eggs, salmon, sardines (and spinach) are all good sources of selenium. That means that eating certain seafood products high in selenium can actually protect you from the mercury that they might contain! (6)

 

pescatarian diet mercuty
Catfish: A fish which tends to have among the lowest amounts of mercury

Farm-Fed vs. Wild-Caught Fish

The issue of farm-fed vs. wild-caught fish is another thing you should be aware of before making seafood a regular part of your diet. Farmed fish generally contains many more (possibly up to 10 times more!) pollutants than their wild-caught counterparts.

And what some farmed fish actually eat is not only disgusting, but also disqualifies them from being truly pescatarian. Farmed fish are often fed things like chicken excrement and pig waste! Yuck. (7)

And a major problem with meat nowadays is its high antibiotic content. Well, it turns out that farm-raised fish often have the same problem. And farm-fed fish lack many of seafood’s health benefits, such as high omega-3 content.

Clearly, wild-caught fish is the way to go – not only for nutritional reasons, but also due to ethical and environmental concerns as well. But how can we tell which is which?

Oftentimes, sellers of wild-caught fish will proudly display this on the label or packaging. If packaged shrimp, for example, doesn’t tell you where it comes from, you can bet that it’s farmed. With salmon, Pacific or Alaskan-sourced salmon tends to be wild-caught more often than Atlantic salmon. If in doubt, try asking a staff member at the grocery store or restaurant you’re about to eat at. (7)

The Pescatarian Diet is Not a Magic Reset Button

Remember, diets that are simply defined by the foods which they don’t include (pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan) are not immediate paths to perfect health on their own. I’ve met plenty of vegans and vegetarians, for example, who eat lots of processed foods and GMO soy and who rarely ever exercise. And there are plenty of meat-eaters who also eat lots of vegetables and avoid refined carbs and live very healthy lives.

If you really want to take control over your own health, it would be unwise to think “Hey, I’ve cut out meat now, I’m going to be super healthy.” Looking at our health and well-being holistically, there are so many other factors involved.

The pescatarian diet won’t solve all your health problems if…

  • You consume lots of added sugar
  • You regularly consume dairy
  • You eat food with added chemical flavorings, pesticides or preservatives
  • You eat refined carbohydrates like pasta and white bread
  • You often snack on processed foods
  • You regularly take prescription medications that come with many side effects
  • You rarely exercise
  • You rarely get enough sleep
  • You are constantly plagued by stress and anxiety

Conclusion

The pescatarian diet can be an excellent gateway to better health for you or people you know who’ve long subsisted on diets high in meat and processed foods. The increased energy and vitality you’re bound to experience after cutting out meat will likely encourage you to transition to an even more plant-based, alkaline version of the diet.

For those of you coming from strict vegan diets who are looking to broaden your horizons, the pescatarian diet offers a great middle ground. By adding fish and eggs into your diet, you’ll no longer have to keep track of your amino acids or regularly supplement with vitamin B12. You’ll also have a much easier time when traveling to places where completely vegan options are rare.

Have you tried the pescatarian diet before? Go ahead and tell us about your experience, whether good or bad, in the comment section below!

 

Sources

(1) https://healthiack.com/foods/fish-meat-is-super-food

(2) https://www.gi-gen.com/about-gi-gen/

(3) https://www.eatingdisorderpro.com/2012/05/30/digesting-animal-protein/

(4) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-nutrients-you-cant-get-from-plants

(5) https://www.livescience.com/53837-mercury-poisoning.html

(6) https://draxe.com/top-10-foods-high-selenium/

(7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7IuJk8HTTw

 

The Pescatarian Diet: Best of Both Worlds?
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