Fish is a great source of protein, essential fatty acids, and a ton of other good stuff for the body. Eating just fish for the rest of your life could get rather boring – or it could be the best decision you’ll ever make.
You can enjoy dozens of recipes for just one kind of fish.
For those worrying about getting tired of eating fish every day, do remember that there is a LOT of types of fish you can have in your diet. Your diet should consist of a few staples like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel, and a host of other kinds of fish you can find to add variety. These are all high-protein fish, and pack a lot of minerals. Just be careful with the tuna you buy – try to limit your intake to once or twice a week to address the risk of taking in heavy metals found in it. The others are quite safe, especially sardines since they are so small that heavy metals cannot accumulate too much in their bodies.
Fish oil is also an essential part of a good supplement regime. Eating a lot of fish adds to the benefits you get from just supplementing with it. Here is an article on the Top 10 Reasons Fish Oils are Essential.
Having just fish as your main protein source will save you the trouble of worrying about some things associated with red meats and chicken like saturated fat and cholesterol (which are not problems if you eat organic meat). Apart from this you’ll be eating a lot of fruits and vegetables as well so you’re sure to be getting all the nutrients you need even without eating red meat.
Fish contains a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EFA), which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and also helps reduce inflammation. It also contains iron, which is essential for your blood to carry oxygen effectively.
Wild salmon is one of the best whole foods any bodybuilder or athlete can get. It contains a lot of protein (about 20g per 100g) as well as selenium, which has been shown to positively impact free testosterone levels. For those following a carb-restricted diet, it also contains a good amount of fat which can contribute to your daily caloric intake in the form of unsaturated fats.
One of the most common staples of any bodybuilding diet is canned tuna. If you can get the chunk light variety, you’ll be getting lower levels of mercury and poly-carbonated biphenyls (PCBs). Tuna is also an excellent protein source, and contains much less fat than salmon. If you’re watching your calories closely especially for cutting or a clean bulk, tuna is the better fish.
Sardines are also a good choice if you want to limit your exposure to heavy metals and other pollutants larger fish might have taken in. It has a similar macronutrient profile to salmon, with a lot more calcium if you eat the bones as well. The only downside to sardines is that it is quite high in cholesterol compared to other fish, but still has much less compared to eggs or chicken.
You can decide if a pescetarian diet is for you based on your goals.
Photo credit: Apolonia, freedigitalphotos.net
