Ever considered a pescatarian diet?

Deciding to make a big change to your diet can be daunting, especially if it means cutting out food groups like meat, but embracing a pescatarian diet doesn’t have to be a life-long commitment from day one, you can still get the benefits by making sure you have at least two portions of fish a week.

Let’s take things back to basics; what is a pescatarian diet? It’s simply being vegetarian but still including fish and seafood in your diet. Many people who switch to a pescatarian diet find that because they can enjoy fish, their desire for meat is eliminated – making it a great stepping stone for someone who is looking to go vegetarian.

But the benefits not only affect you, it can also have a good impact on our planet. According to Earth Talk “The Environmental Beef With Meat”, the amount of space needed to account for livestock is tremendous and leads to more land being destroyed in the rainforest.

But how will a pescatarian diet affect you? Here are just three health benefits of seafood:

• We ‘heart’ seafood

Seafood is low in saturated fat and high in Omega 3 and according to research from the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, this dreamy combination helps lower cholesterol levels and protect our hearts from disease – something we should all be conscious of. ‘How?’… you might ask. The omega-3s trickle into the cell membranes of your heart and help shield your precious ticker from blood clotting, irregular heartbeats and other dangerous disturbances that might be lurking.  The Journal of the American Medical Association even found that by adding just 3 to 6 ounces of fish to your diet each week reduces the risk of death from a heart attack by an amazing 36%! So go on, follow your head as well as your heart and order a fishy dish!

• Collagen boosting benefits

Want firm skin, a glowing complexion and shiny hair? Collagen is the answer to your prayers. Fish is protein-packed, which is an essential ingredient of collagen.  Made up of amino-acids, collagen helps give structure to our body’s connective tissue allowing us to bend a little easier, glow more radiantly and keep our gut health in tip-top condition. What’s not to love?! Also, those trusty omega-3s work their magic on skin conditions too, helping with eczema and psoriasis whilst protecting against those harmful UV rays.

• Greater sense of wellbeing

As darker nights set in, those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) might notice a dip in their moods. Along with other remedies, adding seafood to your shopping list might help brighten your spirits. Research has found a link between low levels of omega-3 with a higher risk of depression, so keep topped up your intake of these fatty-acids!

Get inspiration for dishes you can cook at home by booking onto our Seafood Supper Club Nights in our Skipton, Ilkley, Beverley and Wetherby Filmore and Union restaurants, 21^st – 23^rd September.