The world as we know today homes more than 800 million chronic malnourished people. This is a serious issue, especially when human’s population doesn’t show any sign of decreasing, being predicted that by 2050 we will be 9.6 billion. At the same time, the natural resources our planet offers are not unlimited, and the majority is being either overexploited or poisoned.
The world needs to eat. Every day.
There are several good reasons why Tilapia may help this issue to vanish. It’s cheap, it’s abundant, it has a good source of lean protein and although it’s not rich in omega-3 fatty acids like you find in salmon, when you add Tilapia to other fresh plant-based ingredients and prepare it with olive oil, you are presented with a healthy meal with the same essential omega-3 fatty acids that salmon is so valuable for.
Tilapia is being farmed globally for many years and however occasional questions have been raised against fish farming, it’s important to understand that all environmental conditions can and must be controlled to raise fish in a healthy aquatic environment. This can be done by abstaining the use of drug hormones, antibiotics, water pollutants, etc. All fish farmers may be responsible to raise Tilapia or any other fish upon a healthy and safe environment, ready to be consumed.
As this fish is low in mercury and other poisonous substances, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) listed Tilapia, in 2017, as one of the best options for children over the age of 2 years and pregnant or nursing women. Its mild taste makes it more interesting to children and those who are no fonds of a strong fishy flavor.
There are plenty of benefits Tilapia gives you, besides the ones described above. As a low-fat and low calories fish, Tilapia is very nutritive for seniors and people who suffer from chronic diseases, it reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels, it improves our immune system and prevents our body from aging through cell reparation. It also helps reducing weight as the calorie burning process is boosted and the metabolic activity is properly maintained. Last but not least, all these factors contribute to fight obesity. The risk of Osteoporosis can decrease due to Tilapia’s richness in vitamins, minerals and proteins that have a role in building healthier bones.
Overall, Tilapia is a great choice to improve your health, although we recommend you to vary your intake, as with all other types of fish. Varying the types of fish you eat will secure the diverse range of health benefits.
With a single serving of Tilapia, you will have:
- 36% Calories
- 9g Calcium
- 7mcg Folate
- 5mg Magnesium
- 3mg Niacin
- 2g Omega-3 fatty acids
- 84g Omega-6 fatty acids
- 2mg Pantothenic acid
- 3g Protein
- 106mg Potassium
- 2mg Selenium
- 2mg Vitamin E
- 5mcg Vitamin B12 [7]
Tilapia is among the most affordable options to increase fish consumption and no more considered as “the junk food of the sea” or “worse than doughnuts and bacon”. These misinformed suggestions were broken after more than a dozen doctors met in an international coalition and clarified that tilapia is evidently part of a healthy diet. Today there is no doubt that “there’s absolutely no reason to trash tilapia.”
When choosing Tilapia or any other fish, you have at your service different kinds of premium and delightful ingredients to choose and add the flavor your taste buds need. This is available to everyone, even those who are confined to a specific diet.
A good way to cook Tilapia is no more than five minutes for each 1.30cm (0.5 inches) of thickness. The healthiest ways to prepare it is by grilling, broiling, baking or pan-searing.
Ding, ding – Time to eat!
References:
[1] – http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf
[2] – http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/food-safety/article/truth-about-tilapia
[3] – https://www.livestrong.com/article/377292-is-tilapia-fish-healthy/
[4] – http://aquabestseafood.com/benefits-tilapia-fish-health/
[5] – https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/UCM536321.pdf
[6] – https://www.aboutseafood.com/tilapia-nutrition/
[7] – https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/13-benefits-tilapia/
[8] – https://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=29401038617
