Nadine Lustre Adopts Pescatarian Diet, Inspired by Siargao Island Life

It has been a while since Nadine Lustre shared that she’s found a new home on the beautiful island of Siargao. And while she continues to help the island and its people recover from Typhoon Odette, living there has also made her reconsider her lifestyle choices. The singer-actress shared that she is now taking on a new journey to become a pescatarian. 

Nadine Lustre Focuses More on Health and Fitness

In a recent Youtube vlog from celebrity dermatologist Doctor Aivee Teo, Nadine Lustre revealed starting the diet a week ago. 

“Now I’m focusing on health and fitness. I’m eating more healthy food. Hopefully, I’m successful with becoming full-on pescatarian and vegetarian,” she said.

She also admitted that it was difficult for her to begin the diet, especially as a “foodie” who enjoys steak. But, so far, she hasn’t had a strong desire for meat. Additionally, she added that it is not a struggle to be a pescatarian or vegan in Siargao. This is because there are “so many good options” for food on the island.

“There’s just a lot of options like [vegetables], lutong bahay (home-cooked meals) and a friend who would always cook and she likes to make kangkong, itlog na pula with kamatis (salted egg with tomato) [and] sinigang na bangus,” she shared.

Furthermore, Nadine Lustre also shared Siargao’s wide selection of fresh seafood and other produce. Meanwhile, she agreed with Doctor Aivee that it is quite challenging to maintain the diet due to the variety of unhealthy “temptations” and other meat options available in Manila. 

“It’s also really what you would want to eat. Like [compared to when] you’re on an island. Of course, you want fish and fruits,” she told Teo.

Aside from her diet, Nadine Lustre’s social media habits appear to have shifted as a result of her time in Siargao. “I’m just enjoying the present. I’m not always on my phone checking and watching everyone’s [Instagram] Stories. Sometimes I do, [but] it’s really the place,” she said.

What is a Pescatarian Diet?

A pescatarian diet consists of eating fish and seafood in addition to vegetables and other plant-based food products. 

The word originates from the combination of the Italian word “pesce”, which means fish, and “vegetarian.”  In scientific journals, researchers frequently refer to this diet as “pesco-vegetarian,” and it is classified as part of the vegetarian diet spectrum.

People who follow through with this kind of diet make use of fish and other seafood as their protein source.

Health Benefits of Pescatarian Diet

Plant-based diets have numerous proven benefits, including lowered risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, among many others.

Eating Fish Helps Improve Heart Health

Eating fish, particularly fatty fish, increases long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake. This refers to an unsaturated fat that can be valuable to people as some omega-3s are essential for living a healthy lifestyle.

People who consume fish have lower blood pressure, are less likely to have abnormal heart rhythms, and have lesser fatal heart attacks.

Aside from fish, the pescatarian diet is primarily composed of plant foods. According to one study, people who eat plenty of vegetables and other plant products have a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Moreover, according to the authors, a plant-based diet entails lowering blood pressure and improving blood lipids.

Eating Vegetables Helps Lower Risk of Diabetes

A plant-based diet can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and obesity are all symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

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Flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic properties, are abundant in plant-based diets. These are naturally occurring compounds present in plants.

Moreover, researchers also discovered that people who followed a pescatarian diet had the highest flavonoid intake of all those who took part in the study of 77,000 people in the U.S. with different dietary patterns.

Food You Can Eat

Essentially, the idea of this diet is to remove meat from the equation. Any vegetables and other seafood could potentially be your go-to once you start on this diet. Some of which include:

• Fish and other shellfish
• Legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Dairy (eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese)
• Tofu 
• Whole grains and grain products
• Fruits
• Vegetables

Learn more about Special Diets here.