A Nutritional Diet Guide: What Does a Pescatarian Eat?

October 7, 2025 •

3 min read

Research suggests that those who follow a pescatarian diet often have a lower risk of heart disease and better overall health markers compared to meat-eaters. Here's a comprehensive look at exactly what does a pescatarian eat, exploring the wide variety of foods that can be enjoyed on this nutritional diet, which excludes meat and poultry but includes fish and seafood.

Quick Summary

This article outlines the dietary components of a pescatarian lifestyle, which includes fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy, and various plant-based foods while excluding meat and poultry.

Key Points

Dietary Foundation: A pescatarian diet is centered on plant-based foods, with fish and seafood as the primary animal protein source.
Rich in Nutrients: Seafood provides high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, which can be harder to get from a strictly vegetarian diet.
Variety of Foods: The diet includes a wide array of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, in addition to seafood.
Healthier Fats: By replacing red and processed meats with fish, the diet often has a more favorable fat profile, benefiting heart health.
Mercury Management: It is important to choose lower-mercury fish and shellfish, especially for sensitive populations, and to eat a variety of seafood.
Flexibility: Eggs and dairy are typically included, but a pescatarian can choose to exclude them for a more vegan-like approach.

The Fundamentals of a Pescatarian Diet

A pescatarian diet is essentially a vegetarian diet that incorporates fish and seafood while excluding meat and poultry. It is primarily plant-based but allows for the inclusion of aquatic animal protein, which is appealing to many due to the health benefits of seafood, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

Seafood: The Key Component

Fish and shellfish are central to a pescatarian diet, offering high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. The range of options allows for diverse meals.

Examples of seafood commonly consumed by pescatarians include:

Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, known for omega-3s.
Lean fish such as cod and tilapia.
Convenient canned options like tuna and sardines.
Various shellfish including shrimp, scallops, and mussels.

Plant-Based Staples

Plant-based foods form the foundation of this diet, providing essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Common plant-based foods include:

Fruits and vegetables: Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables, and various fruits.
Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and soy products like tofu.
Whole Grains: Quinoa, brown rice, and oats.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds.

Other Included Foods (Dairy and Eggs)

Most individuals following this diet include dairy products and eggs, often referred to as lacto-ovo-pescetarianism. These sources provide additional protein and nutrients like vitamin B12. Some may choose to omit them.

Nutritional Benefits and Considerations

A well-planned pescatarian diet is nutrient-dense and offers notable health advantages, particularly for heart and brain health due to omega-3s from fish. It typically has lower saturated fat and higher fiber compared to diets with red and processed meats.

A key consideration is the potential for mercury in fish. To minimize risk, choose fish low in mercury like salmon and sardines and limit high-mercury species such as swordfish. Resources like the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch can aid in making sustainable seafood choices.

Comparison: Pescatarian vs. Other Diets

Here's a comparison outlining the distinctions between pescatarian, vegetarian, and omnivore diets:


Feature	Pescatarian	Vegetarian	Omnivore
Meat and Poultry	Excludes both	Excludes both	Includes both
Fish and Seafood	Includes	Excludes	Includes
Eggs and Dairy	Optional (usually included)	Optional (often included)	Includes
Primary Protein Sources	Seafood, legumes, tofu, eggs, dairy	Legumes, tofu, eggs, dairy	Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, plant-based
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	Excellent source from fish	Often requires supplementation or plant-based sources like seeds	Variable, depends on diet composition
Saturated Fat	Typically low	Typically low	Variable, can be high

Meal Planning and Recipe Ideas

Creating balanced pescatarian meals is straightforward. Combine a protein source (seafood or plant-based) with vegetables and a healthy carbohydrate. Meal examples include:

Breakfast: Smoked salmon and eggs with whole-grain toast.
Lunch: Quinoa salad with shrimp and avocado.
Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted vegetables and rice.
Snacks: Nuts, Greek yogurt, or hummus with vegetables.

This provides flexibility to create varied and nutritious meals, without requiring fish daily.

Conclusion

The pescatarian diet is a flexible and nutritious eating plan that combines a plant-based approach with the inclusion of fish and seafood. By omitting meat and poultry, individuals can reduce saturated fat intake while benefiting from omega-3s, protein, and micronutrients found in fish and shellfish. With careful planning and attention to sustainable sourcing, a pescatarian diet can be a healthy and satisfying long-term choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, most pescatarians include eggs and dairy in their diet. They follow a lacto-ovo-pescetarian pattern, combining a plant-based diet with fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy, while excluding meat and poultry.

Yes, a balanced pescatarian diet can support weight management. It combines low-calorie, high-fiber plant foods with lean protein from seafood, which can help increase satiety and manage cravings.

Pescatarians can get protein from various plant-based sources, including legumes like lentils and chickpeas, soy products such as tofu and tempeh, nuts, seeds, eggs, and dairy.

To minimize mercury intake, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children, it is recommended to limit or avoid fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

A pescatarian diet does not mean eating fish at every meal. It typically involves having fish a few times per week, with the rest of the meals being plant-based. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat at least eight ounces of seafood per week.

A pescatarian diet generally has a lower environmental impact than a meat-heavy diet. However, sustainability depends on how and what fish is caught. Choosing sustainably sourced seafood is recommended to support ocean health.

Pescatarians can get iron from sources like tuna fish, legumes, tofu, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and eggs.