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Seaganism: Flash in the Pan or the Next Big Diet Trend?
January 13, 2020
It wouldn’t be January without learning about a new kind of diet, right? And just when you think you’ve heard of them all, a new one comes along. We like to stay ahead of trends here at ASC, and we also love seafood (believe it or not), so when we heard of a new diet trend called Seaganism we had to find out more.
Before you roll your eyes, Seaganism is more than clever wordplay. While the term first appeared in 2007, it has recently started to attract media attention with some predicting it could be the next big diet trend, and has been the focus of an awareness campaign from UK-based Seafish, including useful recipe ideas and meal plans.
As you may have figured out from the name, Seaganism combines a plant-based vegan diet with seafood. Think Pescatarian, but without the animal products like dairy and eggs.
What are the reasons for people adopting this kind of diet? Well, we all have different priorities, lifestyles and needs when it comes to food and as with all dietary choices, the reasons will vary from person to person. But two of the main reasons often given are health and the environment. The diet combines the health benefits of many plant-based foods with the additional vital oils and nutrients that seafood is so effective at providing. Meanwhile, the carbon footprint of seafood production is far lower than that for other meat, making it a more environmentally friendly option – but only if it has been responsibly produced, of course.
Of course, strict diets aren’t for everyone, and not everyone wants to pigeon-hole their eating habits into a specific word or rule – while it is helpful for some, others prefer to make decisions on what they eat on a slightly more flexible basis – perhaps you’re Pescatarian most of the time but enjoy the odd bit of cheese, mostly vegetarian except on holiday, or you’ll eat just about anything as long as it’s been produced responsibly. There’s no one way to eat right, but if you’re approaching the issue from a standpoint of wanting to limit the environmental and social impacts of your food, then you’re probably on the right trwack (and if you’re on the ASC website you’re also in the right place).
If you have decided to give Seaganism a go, or if this article has inspired you – even if it’s just to eat a bit more seafood – we can help. There are plenty of meals on our recipes page that fit the bill (and many more besides, so there’s something for everyone!) If you’re looking for a bit more advice, Seafish have a number of materials on their website to help you out, including FAQs and menu plans.
At ASC we have staff members enjoying all different kinds of diets, but with one thing in common – we all care deeply about where our seafood comes from, and about rewarding those producers who are minimising their social and environmental impacts. Whatever your own diet plans are for the year ahead, we hope this has inspired you to also think about where your seafood is coming from. If you want to join us in rewarding responsible producers, it couldn’t be easier – just look for the ASC logo. This means a producer has been independently audited against the highly stringent ASC requirements. Happy New Year and happy eating!