All Things Pescatarian – Lets talk seafood!

Pescatarianism 101

Its Roots

Pescatarianism or Pesco-vegetarianism has been around since man figured out how to fish… Basically, a pescatarian is a vegetarian who also eats seafood. The prefix is derived from the Italian word “pesce” which means fish, and the suffix is “tarian”, which means a person who supports, upholds, or adheres to a set of principles that link with it’s prefix. Pescatarianism has been recognized since the mid 1800s, by the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom. The official name pescatarian was made official in 1993, and now has grown in popularity the world over.

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By: Daytona Strong

The Obvious Benefits

There are a long list of benefits within the pescatarian diet. But there is one overarching benefit that I believe most would agree on; namely variety… There’s a fish for every occasion and every taste. In fact, scientists believe that all of the species have not even been discovered yet! However, of those discovered, there are over 33,000 species. That means that you could eat a different type of fish every day of your life, if you were to live to centurion status!

The Not So Obvious Benefits

Seafood generally speaking, places less of a demand on the digestive system than other meats. It is a “no-carb” meat, low on the glycemic index, and keeps you satisfied longer so that you can regulate frequency of meals more efficiently..

Mercury

Methylmercury is a naturally occurring metal found in high concentrations in some fish. It is important to know which have the highest content, especially for the pregnant and/or nursing mothers. Swordfish and King Mackerel are among the highest mercury-containing fish and its a good idea to keep consumption to two times or less per week, say experts.

Omega 3s

There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids. ALA (Alpha-linolenic acid) is found in seeds, beef, and nuts. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are found in fish, and poultry, in differing amounts. These polyunsaturated fats are essential to overall health and wellness.

Cholesterol

Low density lipoprotein and high density lipoproteins make up the two types of cholesterol. LDL is the “bad” type and HDL is the “good” type. Even though fish also has cholesterols its consumption could actually help increase the good cholesterol levels.