Have you heard about how a pescatarian diet reduces cancer risk? It is even being investigated for reducing risk of cancer recurrence! Today I am going to share with you some of the latest cancer diet research and help define the pescatarian diet.
What Is the Pescatarian Diet?
A pescatrian diet is a modified vegetarian diet that also includes fish, eggs, and sometimes dairy. It’s great for increasing plant based foods and can be easier to do than a vegan diet.
Foods Eaten While on a Pescatarian Diet
- Seafood
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Whole Grains
- Nuts
- Beans
- Eggs
- Dairy (optional, and I typically recommend avoiding)
Foods Avoided on a Pescatarian Diet
- Red Meat
- Poultry
- Pork
Research Studies About How a Pescatarian Diet Reduces Cancer
This data is super exciting, especially if you are a cancer nerd like I am! Right now there are studies linking a pescatarian diet to less colon cancer risk and breast cancer risk.
One recently published study showed that a pescatarian diet reduced colon cancer risk by 43%![1] We will have more revealed as this large study continues to have new published data.
Too much of a good thing?
Make sure you are checking your fish sources against databases that rank mercury levels and sustainable harvesting. My favorite resource is Seafood Watch by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
[1] JAMA Intern Med. 2015 May;175(5):767-76.
