Fruitarian | Fruitarian Diet

It is a common belief that getting rid of the red meats and poultry from a person’s diet is enough to live a vegetarian lifestyle.  While this is a good start, a person must also know that there are also dangers to eating fish and other animals from the water.  Because the humans were not able to take care of the bodies of water, fish and other seafoods pose some health risks.

Eating fish has several health benefits

Fish and other seafoods have nutrients that are essential to a person’s health.  Omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins, which are present in fish, can aid in a person’s growth and development.  The small amount of saturated fat in fish makes it an ideal food for people with health problems.  Because of the many health benefits from fish, women and children can benefit from including fish in their diets.

Eating fish poses risks of mercury intake

Because of the current environmental conditions, it is possible that fish and shellfish contain mercury.  While some people might consider that a small amount of mercury is not a big problem, there are fishes that contain amounts of mercury that are beyond the tolerable levels.  The presence of mercury in the diet can harm a child in the mother’s womb and newborn babies.  Because of this risk, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released advisories to pregnant women and nursing mothers against eating certain types of seafood.  Women and young children should limit themselves to eating fish and shellfish that have low mercury content.

Eating is supposed to nourish us with nutrients that are vital to our existence.  However, it is difficult to continue fish consumption without worrying about the risks that it poses to mothers and young children.  If a vegetarian has already started eliminating red meat from his or her diet, he or she should also consider taking out fish and seafood from the diet to limit the exposure to mercury in the diet.

Photo Credit : Lucas Jans