Can Pescatarians Eat Crab? A Guide to the Pescatarian Diet

Pescatarians follow a vegetarian diet that includes fish and other seafood. This eating pattern eliminates meat and poultry but allows shellfish like crab. But what exactly is a pescatarian, and what are the benefits and downsides of this diet? Keep reading to learn all about pescatarianism and find out whether pescatarians can eat crab.

What is a Pescatarian?

A pescatarian (or pescetarian) is someone who follows a vegetarian diet while also eating fish and shellfish. The pescatarian diet excludes beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and other meats However, it includes seafood like fish, shrimp, clams, oysters, scallops, lobster, and crab

Many pescatarians also eat eggs and dairy products. But vegan pescatarians avoid all animal products except for seafood.

The pescatarian diet has much in common with vegetarian and Mediterranean diets. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil. But it also incorporates lean protein from sustainable seafood.

Health Benefits of a Pescatarian Diet

Several studies suggest the pescatarian diet offers many benefits

• Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Reduced inflammation
• Healthy weight management
• Longer lifespan compared to meat eaters
• Lower environmental impact than diets with red meat

The seafood in the pescatarian diet provides lean protein, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and other important nutrients. And limiting red meat intake reduces exposure to saturated fat and other harmful substances that may raise disease risk.

Overall, the pescatarian diet provides similar advantages to the Mediterranean diet but with an even greater emphasis on plant foods.

Can Pescatarians Eat Crab?

Yes, crab is perfectly acceptable in the pescatarian diet. As a shellfish from the sea, it aligns with the diet’s principles. Other shellfish pescatarians can eat include:

• Shrimp
• Lobster
• Scallops
• Clams
• Mussels
• Oysters

In addition to crab and shellfish, fish options for pescatarians include:

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Cod
• Pollock
• Tilapia
• Anchovies
• Trout
• Mahi mahi

Pescatarians can prepare seafood in any form. Crab cakes, crab dip, and steamed crab legs all fit within a pescatarian meal plan.

Challenges of the Pescatarian Diet

The pescatarian diet has several potential downsides to consider:

Nutrient deficiencies: Removing most meats raises the risk of iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and other nutrient deficiencies. Supplements and fortified foods can prevent shortfalls.

Safety of seafood: Some types of fish contain high mercury. Pregnant women and young children should avoid high-mercury seafood.

Sustainability of seafood: Overfishing threatens many fish and shellfish stocks. Choosing sustainably sourced seafood is important.

Higher cost: Fresh seafood usually costs more than chicken or beef per serving. Canned fish like tuna helps lower the expense.

Social challenges: Dining out and at social gatherings gets trickier with dietary restrictions. Pescatarians need to ask more questions to find suitable menu options.

Emotional challenges: Former meat eaters sometimes struggle with cravings for the flavors and textures of meat during the transition to pescatarianism.

Is the Pescatarian Diet Healthy?

Overall, the pescatarian diet can be very healthy due to its focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean protein. Seafood provides many beneficial nutrients often low in vegetarian and vegan diets.

However, poor food choices can make any diet unhealthy. Pescatarians should emphasize whole, minimally processed foods for the best nutrition.

Like any restrictive diet, the pescatarian diet requires awareness to avoid potential nutrient shortfalls. Working with a dietitian can ensure nutritional needs are met.

For most people, the pescatarian diet offers an eating pattern that balances sustainability, ethical concerns about meat production, nutrition, and health. It allows for including nutrient-dense seafood within an overall plant-based diet.

Pescatarian Diet Guidelines

Here are some tips for following a healthy and well-balanced pescatarian diet:

• Choose wild-caught seafood when possible for sustainability.
• Vary your protein sources by eating different types of fish and shellfish.
• Eat seafood 1-2 times per week as a main protein source.
• Include plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, and tempeh regularly.
• Fill your diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats.
• Ask about ingredients at restaurants to avoid hidden meat-based products.
• Check nutrition labels for animal-derived ingredients if you follow a vegan pescatarian diet.
• Consider supplements for nutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3s.
• Work with a dietitian to create a personalized pescatarian meal plan that meets your needs.

The Bottom Line

Pescatarians follow a primarily plant-based vegetarian diet while also eating fish and shellfish as protein sources. Crab and other types of shellfish are perfectly acceptable for people following a pescatarian diet.

Potential concerns include sustainability of seafood, risk of mercury exposure, higher cost compared to chicken and beef, and potential nutrient deficiencies. But overall, the pescatarian diet offers health advantages over standard Western diets high in red meat and processed foods.