Why I Stopped and Restarted Eating a Pescatarian Diet
What is a Pescatarian Diet?
You hear Pescatarian and you think of fish, but it´s a heavily plant-based diet. The difference being, unlike a vegan or vegetarian diet, it incorporates fish and seafood as a primary protein source.
My Experience Eating a Pescatarian Diet
I had been eating this way for decades, then a little over a year ago I had a mercury test. There it was in my bloodstream. I stopped eating fish and began a daily detox shake. Now, I am about to start back on my Pescatarian ways, but I had my scare. Hence why I´m sharing the good with the bad, and the detox juice recipe that helped me through.
Health Benefits of being Pescatarian
The addition of seafood to a heavily plant-based diet means valuable nutrients such as vitamin B12, Omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and protein are in greater supply. According to the experts, health benefits can include lower blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure and a decreased risk of heart disease or diabetes.
Cons to a Pescatarian Diet
Eating high levels of seafood can expose yourself to higher levels of mercury, which can have alarming side effects and is something to take seriously. Like any diet, it is about balance. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) advise limiting consumption to two or three servings a week, and opting for fish with low mercury levels.
But how do you know?
High Mercury Fish
As a rule, larger fish are more likely to contain higher levels of mercury. The reason being, they absorb the mercury from the smaller fish they ingest throughout their lifetime. It´s helpful to know which fish are high in mercury, so you know what to avoid, and what to enjoy as you please.
Fish Low in Mercury – Eat at will
Anchovies, Scallops, Herring, Pollock, Sardines, Catfish, Shrimp, Oysters, Crayfish, and Squid.
Fish with Moderate Levels of Mercury – Enjoy sparingly
Carp, Cod, Lobster, Herring, Hake and Salmon.
Fish high in Mercury – Be weary
Swordfish, King Mackerel, Marlin, Bigeye Tuna and Northern Pike.
If you are concerned about high levels of mercury, a simple blood test will give you the answer. You know who to call…
Quality Matters
As with most things, quality matters. The amount of mercury in fish can be affected by pollution in its environment or over-farming, so ask the questions about where your fish came from. When shopping for wild-caught fish, FOS (Friend of the Sea) or MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) seals show the catch was responsibly sourced. If purchasing farmed fish, support sustainable operations where possible.
Daily Detox Juice Recipe
Should you get caught out, like I did, then a detox can help to flush your system. This Heavy Metal Detox Juice is designed to purge them from the body, and it´s a recipe I enjoy. I say recipe, but there is no cooking involved, promise.
Returning to a Pescatarian Diet
So, after a year of detox juices and clean eating, I´m reverting back to my Pescatarian diet; only this time a little wiser.
If you´re also considering the switch, here are some food bloggers for thought…
Pescatarian Friendly Recipes
For the keen cooks among you, of which I am not, these are worth a look. I´m all for the culinary creativity, and the eating; it´s the clean-up I can’t stand.
Chef Jacquelyn Jones
at SolFood Collective
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