Tilapia fillet calories offer a wide range of essential nutrients that can benefit our health in many ways.

Even though so many rumors are told about tilapia due to some bad farming techniques, it is still one of the most consumed fish in the world. (1)

As long as you know how to buy a good quality tilapia or tilapia fillet you have nothing to worry about.

In this article, we go through the tilapia fillet calories starting with the nutritional data, the benefits that tilapia fillet nutrients offer, some famous easy-to-make Asian tilapia recipes + tips on how to buy & store tilapia fillet.

But first, let’s learn a little more about this yummy fish…

Tilapia overview:

Tilapia is among the cichlid genus which is a group of small and medium-sized fish. (2)

The size of a tilapia fish is similar to that of crucian carp fish such as “goldfish” with spiny fins and a flat body.

Generally, tilapia live in the bottom layer of shallow waters mainly in Africa specifically in the Nile water regions. (3)

This fish, along with catfish are among the best types of fish to grow artificially in basins with China being the first producer worldwide.

The taste of tilapia fillet is very delicious and tender and very recognizable regardless of the cooking method.

Tilapia fillet calories:

Tilapia fish is considered the favorite seafood by many people due to its delicious taste.

The nutritional value of tilapia fillet calories offers a variety of unsaturated fats and protein.

In fact, tilapia fillet protein contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids and is particularly high in glutamic acid and glycine. (4)

Because of that, the Japanese believe that tilapia is a source of protein that is perfect on its own.

Although it is not the richest fish in omega-3, it still contains a lot of nutrients that are beneficial for our health.

Tilapia fillet calories data:

A medium-sized tilapia weighs around 5 pounds and can serve up to 10 people.

The recommended weekly intake is two tilapia fillets (232 g), and by eating that much of tilapia per week you will get: (5)

• Calories: 202 calories
• Protein: 43 g
• Fat: 2 g
• Sodium : 81 mg
• Cholesterol: 114 mg 42.5%
• D vitamin: 140%
• E vitamin: 1.18%
• B3 vitamin: 22%
• B5 vitamin: 10%
• B6 vitamin: 11%
• B9 vitamin: 9%
• B12 vitamin: 30%
• Selenium : 100%
• Phosphorus: 38%
• Copper: 7%
• Potassium: 20 %
• Magnesium: 5 %
• Calcium: 4%

Tilapia fillet calories benefits:

Fatty acids:

A serving of tilapia fillet calories offers 40% of the daily need in unsaturated fatty acids Docosahexaenoic DHA and eicosapentaenoic EPA. (6)

These two omega 3 fatty acids help prevent heart disease, arthritis, strokes, skin diseases and contribute to brain and vision development.

Proteins:

Fish protein is easily ingested by the body without waste.

Specifically, tilapia fillet calories contain slightly less amount of protein than salmon, tuna, and chicken for the same amount of 20g per 100g.

In addition, Tilapia protein offers 100% and 50% respectively of the average daily need in glutamic acid and glycine. (7)

Alongside the richness in these two amino acids, tilapia offers 8 of the 8 essential amino acids our body needs.

In addition, tilapia fillet calories also contain more than 100% of our daily needs in another amino acid known as taurine.

Taurine is kind of similar to DHA and EPA as it helps regulate blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, promote liver and vision functions. (8)

It should be noted that taurine content is very low in beef 55mg/100g (25%) and even less in chickens 18mg/100g (9%).

Minerals:

Tilapia fillet offers about 50 mcg of selenium per one fillet and that is about 100% of our daily need.

Selenium is among the most effective antioxidants and is an essential element for cardiac metabolism.

In fact, selenium antioxidant properties are 100 times more than vitamin E and have miraculous anti-aging and anti-cancer effects. (9)

Also, the recommended weekly serving of two tilapia fillets offers about 40% of the daily need in phosphorus.

Phosphorus is among the essential minerals the body needs to maintain teeth health, create DNA, regenerate cells, store energy … (10)

In addition, tilapia fillet calories offer about 20% of potassium per serving (2 fillets) which helps the body regulate its fluids.

Vitamins:

Tilapia fillet calories are also a good source of vitamins as it contains vitamin D and vitamins from the B group.

For instance, 2 tilapia fillet offers more than the daily need in vitamin D which promotes teeth and bones health and support the immune system.

By consuming that same amount of tilapia fillet the body gets 22% of its daily need in vitamin B3.

This vitamin (also called Niacin) reduces blood pressure, improves brain function, and promotes skin health. (11)

Another B vitamin tilapia fillet offer is vitamin B12 with more than 30% of the body’s daily need.

As for vitamin B12, it is involved in the creation of DNA, preventing anemia, and maintaining cells health.

Consuming tilapia fillet:

Tilapia fillet meat is tight and tastes a little similar to salmon and is even called “white meat salmon” in some countries.

Japanese love tilapia fillet and in some restaurants they even use it instead of tuna to make Sashimi. (12)

The flesh of tilapia fillet is very firm, delicate, and tender and these characteristics are highly related to the environment where the fish grew.

Therefore, it is best to marinate the tilapia fillet well to ensure that you get the best taste and texture.

In terms of cooking, you can use tilapia fillet in many ways as you can steam it, grill it or use it as a replacement for the salmon fillet.

Here are a few tilapia fillet recipes that are famous in China:

Tilapia fillet recipes:

Steamed tilapia fillet with broccoli:

Ingredients:

• 6 tilapia fillets (700g).
• 3.5 ounces of shrimps (10 to 12).
• 2 ounces of broccoli (1/4 broccoli).
• 1 tsp of tea.
• 4 tbsp of chicken broth.
• 2 egg.
• 2 tbsp of corn starch.

Preparation:

• Start by rinsing tilapia fillets in warm water then dip them in water for 30 minutes.
• Crush the shrimps or blend them until you obtain something like a shrimp paste then add one egg and mix them together.
• Put 1 to 2 tbsp of shrimp and egg yolk paste on each tilapia fillet and make sure you cover it from both sides.
• After covering all of the fillets from both sides with shrimp paste, sprinkle them with corn starch, then dip them in an egg.
• The last thing is to steam tilapia fillet for 8 minutes or even pan-fry them in vegetable oil for 3 minutes on each side.
• Take the steamed or fried tilapia fillets and plate them with blanched. (13)

Boiled tilapia fillet with onion and coriander salad:

Ingredients:

• 10 tilapia fillets.
• 2 eggs.
• Ground peanuts.
• 2 onions.
• A garlic bulb.
• 1 Green pepper.
• 2 ounces of Coriander (50g).
• 3 ounces of shallots (84g).
• 2 tbsp of peanut oil.
• 3 tbsp of corn starch.
• 1 tsp of salt.
• 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Preparation:

• Marinate the tilapia fillets in a mixture of egg, peanut oil, corn starch.
• Heat a pot of water at 160°F (75°C) then cook the marinated tilapia fillet in the warm water for 10 minutes.
• Take the fillets out and let them dry on a piece of cloth.
• Shred shallot, onion, coriander, peppers into small pieces then mix them with the ground peanuts and salt.
• Serve the boiled tilapia fillet with the salad you just made and season the dish with olive oil.

Buying tilapia fillet:

You could buy a whole tilapia fish and cut your own fillets as each tilapia fish offers 2 fillets.

To choose a good quality fish make sure it doesn’t have a bad unpleasant smell and a uniform slender body with no deformities.

You can also find tilapia fillet sold frozen in a package and they should have light pink color with a translucent aspect (semi-transparent). (14)

The flesh of a good quality tilapia must be firm and that’s what makes them resistant to cooking.

Storing tilapia fillet:

Just like most types of fish, tilapia fillets must be consumed quickly after you buy them.

Specialists recommend only storing fish when it’s needed and no longer than 24 hours.

However, you can still freeze tilapia fillet in a freezing bag for up to 6 months.

You should also know that tilapia fillet must not be frozen again after they thaw.

Therefore, the best thing is to buy tilapia fillet is to refrigerate the amount you need for that day and freeze the rest in a freezing bag.

Once you take tilapia fillet out of the refrigerator it can only last for 2 hours at room temperature.

 

 

 

Rereferences:

(1): Is Tilapia Bad For You? And How to Pick Quality Tilapia | livestrong
(2): African Cichlid Genus Gallery | Cichlid Fish Forum (cichlid-forum.com)
(3): Tilapia markets in Sub-Saharan Africa | GLOBEFISH | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)
(4): Determination of the optimum dietary essential amino acid profile for growing phase of Nile tilapia by deletion method – ScienceDirect
(5): Fish, raw, tilapia nutrition facts and analysis. (nutritionvalue.org)
(6): Production of omega-3 enriched tilapia through dietary algae meal or fish oil – Responsible Seafood Advocate (globalseafood.org)
(7): Amino acid composition and proximate analysis in tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus ) fish from dams and rivers in Zamfara State, Nigeria | Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management (ajol.info)
(8): Taurine — Health benefits, dosage, safety, side-effects, and more | Supplements – Examine
(9): Difference of Antioxidative Effect Between Vitamin E and Selenium | SpringerLink
(10): Phosphorus Information | Mount Sinai – New York
(11): Niacin – Mayo Clinic
(12): Increasing demand for Tilapia in the local market – FBC News
(13): Why blanch? | College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences | Clemson University, South Carolina
(14):