Ashley’s answer: Well, while on my travels to Scandinavia, I remarked that many people ate fish not just every day, but several times a day. They’re among the healthiest population on the planet. So as long as you consume quality fish (I rely on the seafoodwatch.org guide and app to help me identify the latest do’s and don’ts) and keep your portions in control, you can consume fish pretty regularly during the week. Keep in mind that if you are of child-bearing age or have health issues that cause you to question high levels of heavy metals like mercury, I recommend speaking with your doctor to test these levels so you can personalize these recommendations. That said, many of my patients rely heavily on fish when they remove other animal meats out of their diet and haven’t yet developed a level of comfort with vegetable sources of protein. Foods like quinoa and other whole grains, hemp and other seeds, soybeans and other legumes, and nuts provide amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. Incorporating these into your diet will help reduce your reliance on fish so that you can choose to have fish when you want, but not feel forced to consume it to meet your nutritional needs. Pescetarians should not be at risk for nutrient deficiencies as compared to other dietary lifestyles. I still recommend that everyone, including pescetarians, take a quality multivitamin/mineral to ensure adequate intake of key nutrients. Chewing over a food quandary? Send it to AskAshley@Prevention.com Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian, Qualitarian, nutrition expert, and
