Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Is Tilapia Healthy? (Confused Day Tuesday!)

You've probably noticed a couple tilapia recipes on this blog in the past.  Perhaps you were surprised that a dietitian would choose to eat tilapia.  After all, there have been some not-so-great things in the news over the past couple years about tilapia, mainly concerning the amount of omega-3 fatty acids it contains (or lacks).  But are any of the cases against tilapia really justified?  Maybe, but in my opinion there isn't a enough evidence to compel me to stop buying it and feeding it to my family.  Here are some pros and cons so you can make your own decision.




Cons
  • Many people don't like the idea that almost all of the tilapia found in the US is farm-raised. This article from the New York Times, for example, paints a slightly disturbing picture of farm-raised tilapia and it's effect on the environment.  However, I'd like to point out that best practices are taking place in the United States and Latin America.  Look for tilapia from these places, according to the article.  Or, get to know your fish department and learn where your fish is coming from so you can better trust it's origin.
  • If you are watching out for best practices when it comes to raising fish, you'll want to read this article.  As with most species of fish, you may be getting previously frozen fish that claims to be "fresh".  This means whoever raised and shipped your fish may have added things for "freshness" about which you may not be happy to hear (or put in your body).  Make sure you are aware of where your fish is from, and read the sign to see if it was "previously frozen" (most seafood departments will have this on their point of sale signs).
  • Tilapia is not a significant source of omega-3, with only 135 mg per serving.  Compare this to salmon, which contains closer to 1800-200 mg per serving.  That's quite a difference.
  • Some people say that tilapia is a poor choice because of the "imbalance of omegas", meaning the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is too high.  If you believe this is a problem, avoid tilapia, but read the Pro section below to learn why this many not really be a "con" after all.


Pros


  • Worried about the mercury in tilapia?  You shouldn't be, it's one of varieties of fish with the lowest amount of mercury.  Check out appendix 11 in the USDA Dietary Guidelines to see more about mercury and omega-3 in your favorite fish variety.
  • "Why is it that when I was growing up I never heard of tilapia?"; this is what I hear from customers at work, quite often.  It's a good question, I mean, even I hadn't really heard about tilapia until probably ten years ago.  The truth is, it's been around for thousands and thousands of years, but it's only become popular lately because it's become a popular fish to farm.  It's become popular among consumers because many people will eat it because it's not very fishy tasting.  It's a mild tasting fish that many people enjoy, and that is very versatile.
  • While tilapia may be low in omega-3s (compared to other fish), it's also very low in calories, fat, and saturated fat.  Four ounces of raw tilapia contains only 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 1 gram saturated fat.  Compare that to some of your other favorite animal proteins and all of a sudden tilapia is looking pretty good!
  • Tilapia does have a higher omega-6 content, but why is that so bad?  There is really no conclusive evidence that omega-6 is harmful, and in fact there is much more evidence that it plays a positive role in our health.    This section of the American Heart Association website provides a link to an article from Circulation (The AHA's Journal).  The conclusions are posted below;


 







Want to choose a more sustainable tilapia?  Check out the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch guide online.  Here are the best types of tilapia to buy, according to them; 

Buy tilapia from the US, which is farmed in a more sustainable manor, with less pollution.  For a good alternative, tilapia from places like Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Honduras are good too.

The bottom line is that you need to get the facts before making a decision that is right for you, and your family.   Right now the evidence suggests that while it may not be the best choice for your "two servings of fish per week" (you'll need to go elsewhere to get your omega-3s), it still fits into a healthy and balanced diet.   And if you're like me and you live with someone who really despises the taste of "fishy-fish"such as salmon, tilapia can be a nice compromise at the dinner table.  You may still not want to eat tilapia, and that's fine too, but I hope I cleared up some questions either way.


QUESTION:  What's your favorite type of seafood? Do you eat tilapia?



Thanks for reading!


The Candid Rd







18 comments :

  1. Great post!

    I don't usually buy tilapia because it doesn't have many omega-3s. However, I like the points you make, especially the need for all of us to educate ourselves and ask questions when we buy food. I think tilapia can be a good fish to get people who don't like fish get used to fish.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hadn't heard much of anything about tilapia, so this is all news to me! Thanks for sharing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I dont really eat Tilapia, mostly because of the farm-raised aspect. I agree that you should educate yourself before making the tilapia choice or choosing not to eat it, however, I still believe it's a less desirable choice (mainly because where my food is coming from is uber important to me).

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really like this post! As a dietetic intern, I love seeing how other RD's can educate the public - I love how you lay out all the information, sources and advantages/disadvantages. This is a great post!

    ReplyDelete
  5. salmon is my fave. thank you for clearing this up for us Gina :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the taste of Tilapia, and absolutely, we need some 0mega-6 fa in our diet, but the problem for most people, is that they get far more omega-6 in their diet, than 0mega-3 which puts them in a state of inflammation. I believe most of the research suggests an optimal level is 4:1 {omega-6: omega-3}. From what I have read, the problem with farm raised tilapia is that the level of omega-6 in tilapia has gotten even higher due to being fed a diet of mostly corn and soy oil. I think it's fine to eat it every now and then {especially if farmed under good practices}, but there are much better choices for regular consumption. Thanks for sharing the pros and cons!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you're saying about the omega3:omega6 ratio, but I've yet to see convincing evidence that our higher omega-6 is pro inflammatory, it's just not conclusive. That being said, I do try to get more omega 3 whenever I can. Thanks for your input, I always love to hear your thoughts!

      Delete
  7. I do like tilapia! I like any kind of fish/seafood, really. Perhaps not the "meatier" ones like swordfish, marlin, etc...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very good post, Gina! I think the raising of tilapia is what bothers me most, and mainly, what they're fed. I think, like you said though, it really depends on where they're coming from. I know they're an eco-friendly option that is extremely low in fat which is a huge bonus in my eyes. I wish tilapia wasn't all so thin and flimsy...that's why I often don't buy it and choose another white fish. There's nothing better than salmon though...it'll always be my favorite :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. The cons of tilapia are new to me. I enjoy tilapia mostly because it is easy to use and takes on flavors really well. It's very versatile to cook with. Thanks for sharing this information. I'll keep eating it, but it's good to know to make my choices work better for me.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks as always for telling us all the facts. I have heard different things but it hasn't really convinced me out of buying it :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't eat tilapia because a) I find it has no flavour - fish should taste like fish, that's what makes it great! And b) I'm a fish snob, and feel if the fish don't spend some time in the ocean, they aren't "real" fish (yes, this is how us fisheries people think). I love salmon, halibut, sablefish, or any of the other wild species we have right here on the coast. We're a little spoiled that way :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Huh, I've never heard anything about tilapia being bad for you! I don't buy it that often because I don't totally love it -- I'm a salmon girl! -- but thanks for letting me know what's up.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I’m really confused about the omega-6 content of tilapia, the fact that it’s my favorite. I just do wonder if what are the effects on the heart if this fish is taken in excess.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Paige,
      Ok, so it's fine love tilapia, and eat it regularly (in my opinion) but the fact is that if you're eating it for the omega-3, you're not really eating the right type of fish. It does have more omega-6 compared to omega-3, and it will sort of throw off your "Balance" a bit. So....eat your tilapia with flax, and some hearty greens to get more omega-3, if you can! And think about eating some salmon, tuna, mackeral, etc. for more omega-3.

      Delete
  14. I have always liked to eat salmon. About starting 2-1/2 years ago, I started to have pain in the morning for unknown reasons. Checked with many doctors with ultrasounds, second opinions, and etc., no conclusive findings why I had that pain. One morning, the pain was there again. Then I connected to a piece of salmon that I bought from Whole Foods that I cooked and ate the night before. Could that be the salmon? I went on the Internet and tried to find out about possible causes of salmon that might have induced my pain in the abdomen. Just like now try to find out some doctors' negative claims on tilapia. Well, there was an organic foods web site talked about salmon farmers use torches to torch the salmon for the perfect red coloring to sell the "pretty-looking" salmon. That was it, I thought, I was allergic to the red torching color on the salmon. The sign on the piece of salmon that I bought from Whole Foods said that the salmon was wild caught from some ocean! It might be wild caught, but the farmers did some artificial coloring on it (the sign did not inidicate that the salmon was colored). I stopped eating salmon now. My pain stopped. I told the fish counter salesperson about my findings and how it could have associated with my pain. Tilapia is now safe for me to eat. Our family eats a lot of tilapia, ocean perch, and cod as well as mussels too -frozen packages from China. I have not had any pain since I stopped eating salmon! I do not have any reaction to tilapia and the others. Thanks, Gina for sharing. I feel that you are right about omega-6 that I concurred with the Am Heart Association on their findings that tilapia is still safe to eat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to hear you found out what was causing the pain!! Yes, wild-caught doesn't necessarily mean they haven't added anything....isn't it insane how little we really know about our food?! I'm actually surprised that it wasn't listed on the label, but then again...I'm not. I say stick to the tilapia, or cod even (or catch your own salmon, lol, if you could that would be nice, right?!)

      Delete
  15. This dish is awesome for heart patient it has protein :) but not more oily :)

    Cardiovascular Cardiology news

    ReplyDelete