Pescaterian diet: why cut out the meat but still go for the fish? – GOOD SHAPE

The Pescaterian Diet can be a good option for those who want to reduce their meat consumption, but cannot do it all at once. If you’ve already embraced the movement #MeatlessMonday which is to bet on a vegetarian menu on one day a week, and increase it little by little, and you want to go further, this could be the alternative.

The pescaterian diet is a pesco-vegetarian diet, as it is known in the scientific literature. Grouped within the spectrum of vegetarianism, it is nothing more than “a vegetarian diet with the addition of fish and seafood”, explains the nutritionist Luciana Sarmento, from Stella Torreão Spacein Rio de Janeiro.

Who is the pescaterian diet for?

Pescaterianism can be an option for those looking for a healthy diet, since the benefits of reducing the amount of red meat on the plate are already proven. And they include a lower risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart problems It is diabetes.

However, this food choice is also great for those who think about environment. “Many diet advocates point out that raising and processing red meat not only takes up precious land, but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Humanitarian reasons such as the inhumane practice of killing animals, as well as the production of grains to feed them when there is so much hunger in the world, are speeches preached by those who adopt the diet”, says Luciana.

How it works

You plant-based foods provide numerous vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Seafood, on the other hand, provides unsaturated fats, fatty acids, omega-3, vitamins and proteins. To follow the diet, meals should include fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, healthy fats, fish and seafood. Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey and game should be excluded.

But why is it good for the body?

“Fish is an excellent source of protein, essential for building and repairing the body’s organs and tissues”, explains the nutritionist. She also claims that it helps in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, as it has a high proportion of unsaturated fats (the mono and polyunsaturated, called “good”).

In addition, some types of fish are sources of Omega 3 (such as tuna, salmon, guinea fowl, sardines, herring, anchovies, mullet, cod and trout).

Just be careful: not all seafood can be consumed in moderation. Those at the top of the food chain, for example (such as sharks, swordfish, mackerelstingray and needle), have high concentrations of heavy metals. “Methylmercury (an organic compound derived from mercury), if consumed in large quantities, can be extremely harmful to health, since it cannot be processed by the human body, and ends up accumulating until it reaches serious amounts”, says Luciana. Pollutants from the environment, such as plastic or chemical elements, can also get into the meat of these animals.

These fish should be avoided mainly by children, women of childbearing age, pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding. According to the expert, their consumption should be reduced to a small portion (the size of the palm of your hand) only once a week.