Tilapia is often overlooked, but it is a delicious and nutritious option that should not be overlooked.

This is probably because we believe that this fish could endanger health even though this is not the case for all types of tilapia.

Not only is it low-calorie and low-fat, but it’s also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and other essential vitamins and minerals.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the many health benefits of tilapia and why it should be a staple in your diet.

Keep reading to discover why Tilapia should be your next fish of choice and why it’s more than just a tasty meal.

Tilapia overview:

Tilapia fish lives in freshwater near coastlines.

It is 3000 years ago when the ancient Egyptians used to farm tilapia fishes in their basins. (1)

The name “tilapia” means “fish” in the Botswanan language, it is because this fish is native to Africa and the Middle East.

There are six species of this fish that are bred with the three common being the Java tilapia (Mozambique tilapia), The Blue tilapia, and the Red tilapia.

In the twentieth century, tilapia species were adapted to all tropical regions around the globe with South America and Southeast Asia as the most breeding regions.

Nowadays, the global production of tilapia exceeds the production of salmon with more than 6 million tons of which 4.1 million tons are from farming. (2)

Several reports from various food safety organizations reported tilapia farming practices that made this type of fish contaminated and it’s the reason behind its bad reputation.

Tilapia benefits:

Tilapia fish contain a lot of essential nutrients which makes them very beneficial for our overall health. In fact, It is an important source of vitamin D and protein, and once consumed it fuels our bodies.

Here are our 8 health benefits of tilapia:

Promotes weight loss:

This fish is very efficient for weight loss as it can be added to a diet because it contains protein with a low-calorie intake.

A diet that includes tilapia is very filling and reduces the need for snacking and therefore promotes losing weight between meals.

Nutritionists recommend an increase in protein intake with 25g per serving, it is because a diet full of protein is linked with a lower appetite and fat burning.

They also recommend consuming vegetables and grains along with slices of tilapia.

Some people use this fish with different recipes, don’t forget that cooking this fish in a sauce may increase the calorie intake, and therefore it won’t promote weight loss.

To promote weight loss, it is preferable to eat grilled tilapia as this won’t risk any added ingredients that may increase the caloric value. (3)

Reduces the risk of prostate cancer:

Studies indicate that taking Selenium helps reduce the risk of prostate cancer, as well as heart disease. (4) (5)

Tilapia is very rich in Selenium, a natural antioxidant that has the ability to reduce the activity of free radicals in the body.

This helps reduce the chances of oxidative stress in all body systems, therefore it reduces the mutation of healthy cells to cancer. (6)

Boosts heart health:

This fish is full of beneficial fats such as omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, which is proven to reduce the bad cholesterol in the blood, therefore, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. (7)

It is recommended to eat tilapia at least once a week and that w improve heart health.

Improves bone health:

Tilapia contains many important minerals, the most abundant is phosphorus.

This mineral is necessary for overall health and most essential for tissue generation as this process promotes bone development and growth.

In addition to that, phosphorus is an essential ingredient in maintaining teeth and nail health.

This mineral can also help prevent osteoporosis (a bone disease related to low density) by maintaining bone density. (8)

Helps pregnancy:

During pregnancy, it is very necessary for the mother to nurture her body with essential nutrients.

Tilapia fish contains a lot of those essential nutrients and could be very beneficial for pregnancy.

Eating tilapia during pregnancy will: (9)

• Provide good amounts of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B12, B3, phosphorus, selenium, and calcium. These nutrients are very essential for the fetus’s growth and any deficiency will be replaced from the mother’s stock.
• Reduce the risk of premature labor:
• Many case studies have shown that women who eat tilapia during their pregnancy result in a lower risk of premature labor compared to women who avoid this fish.
• Reduce depression:
• During the first few months of pregnancy, most women experience depression.
• Several studies have shown that omega-3 acids can play a big role in fighting depression.
• Eating tilapia is very beneficial as it is a natural solution for depression compared to chemical drugs which can be harmful to pregnancy.

Because of the many benefits for pregnancy in this fish, the US Food and Drug Administration recommends eating 250 to 350g of tilapia fish per week during pregnancy and that is equal to two or three meals per week. (10)

Boosts the immune system:

One of the minerals found in tilapia is selenium, and this nutrient enhances the overall immune system.

It can help boost the activity of white blood cells which helps the body fight infections and intoxication.

Moreover, selenium plays a key role in regulating the thyroid gland, which produces two hormones essential for all body cells.

Proper functioning of the thyroid gland ensures proper organ function and a well-balanced metabolism. (11)

Stimulates brain function:

Due to its abundance of potassium and omega-3 fatty acids, tilapia fish enhances brain function.

Potassium helps increase brain oxygenation and that ensures maintaining fluid balance in the body.

This helps the nerve responses and promotes proper nutrient deposition.

On the other hand, omega 3 acids are proven to stimulate neurological function by enhancing the activity of neurotransmitters. (12)

Improves digestion:

Unlike other types of food, tilapia facilitates digestion not just because it’s full of essential nutrients but also because of its firm texture.

This makes it very light for the digestion process and very quickly digested which prevents constipation.

The good thing about this fish is that it can be combined with vegetables to obtain a light dish complete with all essential nutrients and easy to digest.

Tilapia cooking ideas:

Found mostly throughout the year, tilapia is usually sold in the form of fresh or frozen fillets. Here are 6 ideas to make delicious tilapia dishes:

• Fresh tilapia or fillets can be used to make sushi or sashimi.
• You can dip the tilapia fillets in flour and then fry them in vegetable oil.
  Make a dipping mixture sauce using lemon juice, butter, and parsley.
  Dip the fried fillet in that sauce and have a delicious snack.
• It can also be fried in vegetable oil and lemon juice.
  You can add grated Parmesan cheese and chopped garlic and cook them all together with the fried fillet for two minutes and then serve it.
• Marinate the fillets for 30 minutes in a sauce made with lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic, and tabasco sauce.
  Then grill all these ingredients in the oven for 10 minutes and serve it.
• You can make a delicious baked dish using tilapia.
  Make a sauce using crushed tomatoes, olives, chopped onions, fresh thyme, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped hot pepper.
  Add tilapia fillet to the dish and bake them for 40 minutes in the oven.
• Grill the tilapia fillets then serve them topped with mushrooms and yogurt sauce.

Buying tilapia:

There are a few hints you can look for when you are buying tilapia as a whole fish or as tilapia fillets.

• Eyes: Fresh tilapia have sticking-out eyes that are full, transparent, and clear.
• Bad quality tilapia tend to have wrinkly eyes with blood congestion in them.
• Tail: when the fish is newly caught the tail is strong, smooth, and doesn’t sag, bend or lack strength.
• Gills: When a tilapia fish is old their gills are dark, gray, and have an unpleasant fish smell.
  The gills of a fresh tilapia are bright red with transparent mucus and a light smell of ocean water.
• Tilapia shape: The body of a fresh tilapia fish should be uniform, slender with a long tip of the head.
• Heavily polluted fish tend to have body damages and deformities like a swollen belly or any other morphological abnormalities.
• Tilapia’s body: Good quality tilapia has a smooth surface that has transparent mucus with shiny scales that are intact.
• Bad quality tilapia has a dark mucus that covers the body along with glossy scales that easily fall off.

Mercury and chemicals in Tilapia: should we be concerned?

It is quite known that water contamination can be filtered by certain types of fish and other marine species.

However, The American Food and Drug Administration FDA published an article in which it is mentioned that agriculture practices regarding Tilapia can make the fish contaminated. (13)

As a matter of fact, some countries in Asia and mostly China use farm animal feces and that makes the fish polluted with potentially harmful chemicals.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch MBASW also reported that these Chinese farmed fish contain several chemicals known to cause diseases and even cancer. (14)

Although these reports are very scary, you can still consume Western and North African farmed tilapias.

The best exporters of farmed tilapia are the USA, Canada, Netherlands, Peru, and the Equator.

Wild tilapias are the best ones to consume, but they are very hard to find which is why most of the fish in the markets are farmed fishes.

As long as you stay away from Chinese farmed tilapia, it is totally safe to consume this fish.

 

 

 

References:

(1): Farming tilapia: life history and biology | The Fish Site
(2): 2020 tilapia production figures revealed | The Fish Site
(3): Eating Tilapia for Weight Loss: What You Need to Know – The Healthy Fish
(4): Selenium and prostate cancer – Harvard Health
(5): Selenium and coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis – PubMed (nih.gov)
(6): Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) antimicrobial peptide, hepcidin 1-5, shows antitumor activity in cancer cells – PubMed (nih.gov)
(7): Benefits of Tilapia – 6 Reasons to Eat Tilapia – Central CT Fish Market (cfishct.com)

(8): Frontiers | Tilapia nilotica head lipids improved bone loss by regulating inflammation and serum metabolism through gut microbiota in ovariectomized rats | Nutrition (frontiersin.org)
(9): Can Pregnant Women Eat Tilapia? Is it a Safe Fish? – Pregnancy Food Checker
(10): If You’re Pregnant, Eat Fish But NOT All, Says the FDA and EPA – McLeod Health
(11): Tilapia Health Benefits (webmd.com)
(12): Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Brain Health | Australis Barramundi (thebetterfish.com)
(13): Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012) | FDA
(14): Sustainable seafood | What we do | Monterey Bay Aquarium