PESCETARIANO: THIS IS THE NAME OF THOSE WHO HAVE A FISH-BASED DIET - IN SHAPE

Pescetariano: this is the name of those who follow a fish-based diet

The pesceterian diet has been spreading more and more in Italy for some years now, in the wake of the famous people who follow it and praise its health benefits; Pescetarians eat mainly fish, with which they replace meat, and foods of vegetable origin rich in vitamins and fatty acids. One of the most consumed foods is avocado: if you don't know how to cut it, watch the video below!

What does it mean to be a pescetarian

Pescetarians are defined as those who follow a diet that does not eat any type of meat, neither white nor red, which is replaced with fish and seafood. The word pesceteriano comes from the "English" pescetarian "and has spread in Italy for about ten years, coinciding with the emergence of new food lifestyles such as vegetarianism and veganism. be defined as a semi vegetarian diet because it includes all freshwater, saltwater fish, seafood and shellfish, but does not plan to consume any type of meat.

Many pescetarians are former vegetarians who, for health reasons, have decided to include fish in their diet, especially blue fish such as mackerel and sardines. At the base of being pescetarian, in fact, there is the consumption of fish as local as possible and zero km, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, dried fruit rich in fatty acids and oil seeds, a real Omega 3 mine. In short, a healthy diet, even if explaining it to your grandmother during Christmas lunch may not be easy!

Why become a pescetarian

The reasons for adopting this eating style can be many, from those more strictly related to health (pescetarianism is a healthy diet rich in vitamins and Omega 3 but low in fat), to those based on ethics. Although pure vegetarians do not consider Being a pescetarian is a viable alternative for the protection of animals (as fish is the central element of the diet), there are many ex vegetarians and ex vegans who have converted to this somewhat freer and more permissive regime.

There are also those who, like pregnant women, choose to become a pescetarian only for a certain period of their life. In the case of pregnant women, in fact, adopting a pescetarian diet can make up for nutritional deficiencies; in particular, since fish are rich in fatty acids and Omega three, this can help you to naturally supplement these substances that are so essential for health.

Foods such as dairy products, eggs and all dairy products are included in the pescetarian diet, so the risk of experiencing food shortages is quite low. Doctor Valter Longo believes that being a pescetarian is even an elixir of life because with it you take many antioxidants and few proteins.

On the other hand, as recommended by the National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition (Inran), it is advisable to eat fish at least three times a week, preferably blue fish, to minimize the risk of ingesting massive doses of mercury; in doing so, the heart and arteries are protected from excess fat. Limiting animal proteins is considered one of the healthiest ways to stay healthy: in fact, it is not necessary to consume them every day.

The pros and cons of the pescetarian diet

Becoming a pescetarian is not meant to lose weight (although it could help), just as observing a strict vegetarian diet is not synonymous with thinness. It is a choice made for health or for ethical reasons that can be carried out without too much effort as, in addition to fish, there is a wide use of vegetables, fruit and whole grains. This semi-vegetarian diet has positive sides :

Fish, seafood and shellfish have excellent nutritional values: they are rich in protein but low in fat.
It is easier to follow than veganism or a pure vegetarian diet.
It can act as an intermediate step between an omnivorous diet and a single plant.
It helps protect the heart because fish is low in saturated fat.
It provides a lot of vitamin B12.

This eating style, however, has not only positive characteristics. Among the downsides we mention:

If you consume too many large fish such as tuna and swordfish you can run into an excessive amount of mercury. These animals contain a lot of mercury and, if consumed too frequently, can deposit it inside our organism. better to eat blue fish such as mackerel, sardines, anchovies, or seafood.
It can be expensive to follow. If you often buy fish that is not farmed but caught in the open sea, the cost of food rises considerably.

Examples of menus for a pescetarian diet

If the idea of having a pescetarian diet tickles you, here are specific menus. Following this eating style could also be useful for weight loss because it is based on healthy and very low-fat foods. This is an example of a typical week with a predominantly fish and shellfish diet that can be followed every day.

BREAKFAST:
You can consume cow's or vegetable milk with cereals; yogurt and dried fruit; wholemeal and rye bread with jam, rusks.

SNACK:
Fresh fruit; dried fruit; yogurt or smoothie prepared with vegetable milk.

LUNCH:
Here are some examples of lunches that can be eaten habitually.