Pescetarian
“Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.”
Benjamin Franklin
What’s So Fishy About Being A Pescetarian?
The word Pescetarian is derived from a combination of the Spanish word for fish – pesco (but it you are a pisces, you would already know that!)– and vegetarian.
A pescetarian’s diet is primarily vegetarian, with one obvious exception- fish and seafood. If this term is unfamiliar for you, the taboo dishes for a pescetarian include land animals and birds.
Pescetarians are often seen as the outcasts in the food groups. They aren’t exactly fully-fledged carnivores and are segretaged from the masses, yet they are often unaccepted and unallowed by many vegetarians to wear their V plates. Poor Pescetarians.
Many times, this diet is seen as a transitional state from meat-eaters to full fledged vegetarians. Some lean with way for health reasons and consequently end up falling all the way vegetarian style.
On the affirmative side for pescetarian, including fish and seafood in one’s diet has many health benefits of eating a cleaner, white meat. Salmon has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and muscle-building protein. It helps to reduce bad cholesterol in the system and prevents heart disease. Tuna has omega-3 fatty acids and protein as well as a host of healthy minerals such as iron, potassium, selenium and phosphorous. It also contains vitamins B12, B6 and niacin. Mackerel contains the essential omega-3 nutrients, as well as vitamins D, B12, B6 and niacin. Sardines are packed with omega-3, potassium, iron, sodium, selenium, protein and vitamin D. The list can go on.
[showmyads]The benefits of a pescetarian diet over a fully-fledged carnivore cannot be denied. In such a diet, fish provides the essential nutrients that can be lost if adherence to a healthy vegetarian lifestyle is lacking. As a result, the overall health of a person on this diet will greatly improve compared to how they were eating previously. The nutrients in the fish prevent heart disease, diabetes and several other diseases. It helps to strengthen bones and muscles as well. There will be a marked improvement in liver health and a reduced risk of developing some types of cancer. Further, fish boosts brain function. Studies have shown that expectant women who eat fish are likely to have more intelligent children than those who do not.
However, there are again obvious pitfalls to going on this diet. Fish is constantly exposed to contamination when in wild waters. When contaminated fish is consumed by humans, the contaminants can easily be transferred to the consumers. Certain types of fish have a high mercury content. These tend to be carnivorous fish like shark, mackerel, swordfish and tilefish. If ingested in large amounts, the poison can causesadverse effects in the body. In children, even in low doses, it can delay walking and talking, shorten attention span, and cause learning disabilities. In adults, it can cause memory loss, vision loss, tremors and numbness in toes and fingers.
According to Peta.org, the flesh of sea animals contains high amounts of fat and cholesterol. “Seafood” is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the U.S., and almost 7 million Americans are believed to be allergic to it. Fish flesh (including shellfish) can accumulate extremely high levels of carcinogenic chemical residues, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The flesh of farmed salmon has seven times more PCBs than the flesh of wild-caught salmon. But by far the biggest disadvantage is that you are eating something that once was able to breathe life. You only need to look at a fish to realise that they suffer greatly when caught, farmed and killed.
[showmyads] If you are a pescetarian, the simple remedy is to eat fish in moderation and from a variety of low-mecury sources. Two to three servings per week is enough to derive all the wonderful benefits from fish. Types of fish that are low in mercury content include shrimp, salmon, Pollock and catfish.
Also don’t dismiss other “seafood”’ like seaweed and kelp. One Japanese scientist confirmed that by giving people with essential hypertension a hot water drink with kelp extract, their blood pressure went down significantly with no side effects. Others have isolated hypotensive (blood-pressure-reducing) chemicals, including histamine, from this seaweed.
If you want to become a vegetarian, starting off pescetarian before making the leap if often a good suggestion. Going on a Pescetarian diet could be the second way for you to transition from being a meat-eater to a real vegetarian. The best way is to just do it:)
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