Pescatarian Diet Benefits | Fish Fixe (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat fish every day as a pescatarian? ›

Unlike vegans, pescatarians also typically still eat dairy and eggs. Being a pescatarian doesn't mean you eat fish for every meal. It actually doesn't even mean you eat fish every day! Instead, following a pescatarian diet often means eating mostly plant-based, while also incorporating seafood a few days per week.

Omega-3s are fats that are essential to health and are involved in critical processes including regulating inflammation in the body. Research shows that regularly consuming fish may help reduce the risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and stroke.

Many studies have shown that higher consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. In addition, pescatarians tend to have lower blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and a decreased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome compared to non-vegetarians.

Some pescatarians do not consume eggs or dairy, which can mean they may be lacking in essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Drawbacks of a Pescatarian Diet

Fish and seafood are no exception. For instance, some types of fish, like tuna, swordfish, and tilefish, have moderate to high levels of mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal that can cause health problems, especially for babies and children.

A pescatarian diet can support weight loss. This type of diet is primarily a vegetarian diet that includes fish and sometimes eggs and dairy. Research suggests that, generally, plant-based plans are associated with healthier weight profiles.

If you are following a pescatarian diet, make sure you get enough iron, vitamin B12, calcium, and zinc through plant-based foods and fish selection. You should also be familiar with the mercury content of fish and choose those that contain lower amounts of mercury.

Going slowly and starting with small portions of meat will make the process easier. Because meat has a higher fat content than plants, it takes longer to digest. You might experience constipation and/or bloating. Sometimes, you might experience breakouts or heartburn when you start eating meat again.

There are many reasons people choose to forgo red meat and poultry, but still eat fish. Some people choose to add fish to a vegetarian diet so they can get the health benefits of a plant-based diet plus heart-healthy fish. Others might be trying to curb the environmental impact of their diet.

Is pescatarian diet good for mental health? ›

The Pescatarian Diet

Thus, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids essential for brain health and inflammation reduction. These fatty acids have been associated with a decrease in depression and anxiety.

Omnivores who eat less meat are often lumped into the same categories as Vegans. Some large scale studies show that, when it comes to mortality risk, Pescetarian diets are healthier than Vegan diets. Men seem to gain more benefit from giving up meat than women.

Pescetarians tend to have lower blood pressure and are at a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythms, as well as having a lower rate of fatal heart attacks.

Some vegetarians (technically known as pescatarians) will eat fish, but not other types of meat, and some (vegans) won't eat any animal products, including milk, eggs, and honey. Coming up with vegetarian options at a pizza party is pretty simple– cheese pizza or pizza topped with a variety of veggies should do.

What Experts Say. "Defined as a vegetarian diet with the addition of fish, the pescatarian diet can be a great choice for those searching for a nutritious meal plan. Plant-based foods provide numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and the seafood supplies omega-3 fatty acids and protein."

While it might be safe to eat fish every day, Rimm says it's still not clear if there is any added health benefits to that level of consumption. “Most of the science isn't looking at daily consumption,” he explains.

For the most part, feeding your fish once or twice a day is sufficient.

But, experts say, eating seafood more than twice a week, for most people, can be healthful. “For most individuals it's fine to eat fish every day,” said Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition and director of cardiovascular epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

That said, you should follow the Food and Drug Administration's advice by limiting your consumption to two to three four-ounce servings of low-mercury fish or seafood each week or one serving of a protein from the moderate category. (You can bookmark or print the FDA's chart here.)