The ketogenic, or keto, diet has gained immense popularity as a weight loss strategy. It emphasizes replacing carbohydrates with fats to lose weight and gain energy. Weight loss is achieved by replacing carbs with fats in your meal plan, resulting in a state of ketosis in which the body burns the ketones produced by fat - instead of the glucose from carbs - for energy. As your body is deprived of carbohydrates, it looks for other fuel sources. As a result, fat isn’t stored but is, instead, burned, breaking it down into molecules called "ketone bodies" that it uses for energy (a process called ketosis).
For seafood lovers, the keto diet presents a delicious and nutritious opportunity. Seafood is naturally high in protein and low in carbs, making it ideal for a keto diet. It is also leaner than red meats, but it contains healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Why Choose Fish for Keto?
Incorporating fish into a ketogenic diet offers several advantages:
- High in Protein: Fish is a great way to get more protein into your diet.
- Low in Carbohydrates: Most fish varieties are naturally low in carbohydrates, aligning perfectly with the keto diet's macronutrient distribution.
- Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Many fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that may reduce inflammation, helping lower your risk of cancer, arthritis, and neurodegenerative diseases. They’re also noted for their cardiovascular benefits by lowering triglyceride levels and increasing HDL “good” cholesterol levels. In addition to fish and seafood, you can get your omega-3s from plant-based sources like walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, and Brussels sprouts.
- Versatile and Flavorful: From grilling and baking to pan-frying and steaming, fish can be prepared in countless ways, offering a diverse range of flavors and textures to keep your keto meals exciting.
Top Keto-Friendly Fish Choices
Here's a detailed look at some of the best fish and seafood options to include in your keto diet:
Salmon
Salmon not only has a rich flavor, but it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids (approx. 4,123 mg in half a fillet). It’s also packed with other valuable nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin D, and selenium. This hearty fish is ideal for grilling or broiling. All it needs is a light dusting of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Wild salmon is your dream protein when you’re looking for low carb, keto-friendly recipes.
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- Preparation Ideas: Baked salmon is super versatile and makes a great partner for salads and veggies. Crisp-skin fish with asparagus is perfect for a dinner party or keto-friendly midweek meal. A simple salmon dish, parcelled up to seal in the flavours with creamy mascarpone and fresh leeks, is easy and rich in omega-3.
Mackerel
Mackerel is salmon’s underrated cousin. It’s equally packed with omega-3s and other nutrients, but it has a milder flavor. It pairs well with citrus marinades and fresh herbs.
Herring
Herring is a medium-sized fish with a mild flavor that’s full of nutrients. It is popularly served cold-smoked, pickled, or precooked. You can find it both canned and fresh at fish markets. A medium-sized herring fillet is packed with 946 mg of omega-3s along with vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium.
Tuna
Tuna is a versatile fish with a rich flavor. It is packed with essential nutrients like selenium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, along with fatty acids. Tuna steaks taste lovely fresh off the grill, pan-fried or broiled. Think beyond the can and try wild fresh tuna in your favorite keto fish recipes.
Mahi-Mahi
Mahi-mahi is a delicious white fish with a mild, sweet flavor. It’s low in fat but high in protein with 24 grams per serving. It’s an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. This versatile fish can be used in many recipes that call for white fish. You can enjoy it grilled, baked or pan-fried.
Oysters
Oysters are unexpectedly nutritious. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, a serving of oysters will meet your body’s need for zinc and copper along with vitamin B12. These little delicacies can be enjoyed cooked or raw. This recipe for Mardi Gras Grilled Oysters is keto-friendly and mouthwateringly good.
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Mussels
Belgian-favorite mussels make the cut because their rich meat is a fantastic source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Goan mussels: You can add any other seafood to this quick aromatic green curry - prawns can go in with the coconut milk and clams with the mussels
Shrimp and Bay Scallops
Shrimp and bay scallops are small, tender shellfish. While both are low in fat, they are high in protein. They pair well with creamy, buttery sauces that a perfect for a keto meal.
Keto Fish Recipe Ideas
Here are some exciting keto-friendly seafood recipes to try:
Keto Fish Cakes: Swap out breadcrumbs for almond flour and what do you get? Keto Fish Cakes! This delicious Keto fish cake recipe uses fresh salmon fillets, eggs, and almond flour.
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Baked Cod: Keto fried fish is coated in almond flour and cooked in avocado oil until hot and crispy. It's only a compromise because it's more work than baking fish (like baked cod).
Pacific Halibut Skewers: Marinated in a Mediterranean-inspired keto marinade that adds moisture and flavor this mild fish. Keto-friendly veggies, like zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers, add color and nutrients to the meal.
Seared Pacific Cod with Zucchini Noodles: Dressed in a simple lemon-butter sauce, the zucchini noodles are a fresh backdrop for seared Pacific cod.
Wild Salmon Poached in Coconut Milk: For a full-on Alaska-meets-tropics meal, try this recipe for wild salmon poached in a bath of fish stock and coconut milk, infused with the heady aromatics of ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and lime zest.
Crispy-Seared Salmon with Creamy Cauliflower Mash: This keto salmon recipe is all about texture: crispy-seared salmon skin and a meaty fillet, served over a bowl of creamy cauliflower mash.
Cantonese-Style Steamed White Fish: Fresh, fragrant, and full of flavor, this Cantonese-style steamed white fish recipe only needs a few ingredients: scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and plenty of sizzling hot oil to pour over the fish right before serving.
Lemon-Herb Compound Butter: To add an effortless flourish to any keto seafood recipe, make a batch of this lemon-herb compound butter to stash in your freezer.
Wild Salmon Cakes with Peanut Sauce: This recipe for wild salmon cakes can easily be adapted as a keto seafood meal. Just skip the sweet chili sauce and opt for a homemade peanut sauce.
Cashew, chilli & lime-crusted fish: Serve with sautéed greens for a keto-friendly dinner.
Soy & butter salmon parcels: Make these tasty soy, honey and butter salmon parcels on a barbecue for the taste of summer. Serve with a refreshing cucumber and sesame salad on the side.
One-pot coconut fish curry: Serve with cauliflower rice for a keto-friendly dinner.
Ginger & soy salmon en papillote: Steaming the salmon in a parcel, in its own marinade, with the spiralized veg, ensures the fish is juicy and full of flavour.
Tips for Preparing Keto Fish
Simple Keto Fish: For the most basic of basic keto fish recipes, all you need to do is add butter.
Embrace Almond Flour: Keto fried fish is coated in almond flour and cooked in avocado oil until hot and crispy.
Use a Nonstick Skillet: It's best to use a nonstick skillet.
Don't Dredge, Sprinkle: It's better to sprinkle the fish pieces with almond flour than to dredge them. When dredging, the almond flour that remains in the bowl becomes soggy, sticky, and pretty much useless.
Baking Instructions: If you prefer to bake the fish, arrange the coated fillets on a greased parchment-lined baking sheet (use high-temperature parchment), liberally spray them with oil, and bake until crispy on the outside and cooked through on the inside. In my oven, this takes about 10 minutes per side at 400°F. But pan-frying is better and results in tastier fish with crispier coating.
Check Internal Temperature: According to the USDA, fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Storage Tips: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Add Compound Butter: To add an effortless flourish to any keto seafood recipe, make a batch of this lemon-herb compound butter to stash in your freezer.
Explore Slaws: Cabbage slaws are an exceptionally versatile way to enjoy this cruciferous veggie. Pile a light and vibrant slaw into a bowl and top it with halibut fish cakes and a squeeze of lemon juice. Tuck a zesty lemon garlic slaw into a collard wrap with your favorite keto shrimp recipe (but sub in wild-caught spot prawns to keep things sustainable)! Jamie Oliver’s fiery take on slaw turns it into a quick kimchi to spice up your favorite salmon recipe.
Roast Veggies: Roasting veggies at higher temperatures allows them to develop complex flavors and crusty textures. All you need is a drizzle of olive oil to get things going, maybe a light dusting of garlic powder to bring out the savory undertones of whatever you’re cooking, and a sprinkle of paprika to enhance browning. The heat and the veg do the rest of the work for you. Ina Garten’s recipe for roasted winter veggies is a solid how-to. For a different play on texture, try baking veggies with low-carb, gluten-free topping.
Sauté Mushrooms: To soak up grass-fed butter (or ghee!) in style, toss mushrooms into a saute pan with plenty of it and let the fat do its magic. The mushrooms will sweat out their moisture and take on a meatier texture as they cook down and caramelize.
Consider Keto Bread: Bread made from a mix of low-carb flours (almond flour or coconut flour are popular options) let’s you enjoy the experience of bread - meaning, you can enjoy sandwiches, meals with dinner rolls that can be dipped into soups, etc. - without any of the carbs.
Other Considerations for a Keto Diet
- Net Carbs: Keto guidelines can lead to nutrient deficiencies when you aren’t integrating high-quality fats, proteins, and net carbs into your diet. Net carbs are the proportion of total carbohydrates (which includes fiber, sugar alcohols, and sugar) in food that get converted to glucose; glucose is what keto diets are designed to limit.
- Meal Prepping: Because you’re not falling back on easily accessible carbs like bread, rice, or pasta to fill out a meal or accompany a main course, you might find that the total time you spend in the kitchen has increased. One way to relieve this burden is to change the way you approach cooking. Try meal prepping so that you can build an easy keto meal plan that includes lots of good quality, satisfying ingredients to enjoy throughout the week. Meal prepping will also help you to be more efficient in the kitchen, streamlining prep, cook, and clean up and saving you lots of time. Many of the free recipes that we’ve included in this post can easily be meal prepped. When adapting any of the recipes to prep in advance, keep in mind that cooked seafood and other proteins last about four days when stored in the refrigerator.
- Macronutrient Ratio: The pescatarian keto diet follows the typical keto macronutrient ratio of 70-80% fat, 20-30% protein, and 5% or lower carbs.
- Meal Planning: Meal planning helps you save time and makes it easier to stick to your diet. Start small: There’s no need to plan a whole month’s worth of meals. Include quick-cook meals: You may have unexpected busy days. Explore 5-ingredient, easy recipes that can be ready in 15 minutes. Prepare your veggies and fruits: Washing, peeling, and chopping in advance will reduce meal prep time. Vary your menu: A varied menu gives a more enjoyable experience.
- Electrolyte Imbalances: If this is your first time trying a low-carb pescatarian diet, you might experience electrolyte imbalances from water weight loss. Glycogen, the storage form of carbs, is stored with water molecules in your muscles. When glycogen is broken down, water is excreted through urine, and you lose electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.
- Separate Storage: If you live with other people who are not on this plan, consider having separate storage for your specific foods.
Health Benefits of a Pescatarian Keto Diet
Pescatarian and ketogenic diets are known for their many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The pescatarian keto diet is an eating plan that mixes pescatarian and keto diets to get the benefits of each.
- Improved Glycemic Control: Keeping your blood sugar levels within an acceptable range helps avoid problems, especially if you’re at risk for prediabetes or already have diabetes. Studies have shown that a low-carb diet approach may lead to rapid improvements in glycemic control. Furthermore, it reduces insulin resistance to prevent the onset of diabetes. A 2021 narrative review also shows that limiting the intake of carbs prevents glucotoxicity or the impaired function of your beta cells, which are cells that secrete insulin. This is because carb restriction depletes glycogen stores, causing your body to burn its stored fat to produce ketones for fuel.
- Appetite Suppression: Low-carb diets have been known to suppress hunger better when compared to other traditional weight loss approaches. For example, 17 obese men in a crossover study not only lost more weight but also reported experiencing less hunger on a very low-carb diet.
- Increased Fat Breakdown: A study shows peak whole-body fat oxidation (or fat breakdown) is greater on a keto diet during exercise than other diets with varying macro ratios.
- Muscle Mass Preservation: Since the low-carb pescatarian diet has more protein sources than a vegetarian diet alone, you can work on gaining muscle mass while losing body fat (a.k.a. body recomposition). A study done on 8 high-level athletes found that a very low-carb diet has no negative effect on their strength performance. In another study, females aged 20-40 who did 10 weeks of resistance training while on a keto diet lost body fat while preserving lean body mass.
Precautions
- Mercury Content: Fish is one of the primary protein sources in this diet, and many types of fish contain mercury that isn’t good to consume in excess.
- Raw or Undercooked Fish: If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering becoming pregnant, it would be best to avoid eating raw or undercooked fish. This reduces your risk of exposure to potentially harmful bacteria that could affect you and your baby.
- Cost: Pescetarian eating can be costly if you buy only fresh fruits, veggies, and fish.
- Nutrient Deficiencies: A plant-based diet can lack certain nutrients that are more abundant in animal-sourced foods. This is why people following a vegetarian diet must ensure they’re obtaining all the nutrients they need - whether through supplementation or finding other foods containing them.
- The Mediterranean Diet: The Mediterranean diet is a healthier choice than the pescatarian diet. It offers a wider variety of foods that deliver nutrients not found in a pescatarian diet.