Tilapia fish is one of the types of fish that is farm-raised. This species of fish is native to the Middle East and Africa, but now you can find this fish in more than 80 countries around the world. It is famous for having mild-testing, flaky and firm flesh.
Not only that, it is also loaded with nutrition. You can enjoy tilapia by frying it up for tacos, tossing it in a stew or serving it on a bun. Get some more ideas about health benefits of freshwater fish and get one!
Tilapia is popular as it is more affordable than other seafood celebs, such as shrimp and salmon. In a 3-ounce tilapia fillet, you can get 111 calories, 23 g of protein, 2 g of fat and 0 g of carbohydrate.
Tilapia doesn’t only taste good, but it is rich in nutrients. No wonder, there are many health benefits of consuming or eating this fish. Let’s continue to explore each of the health benefits of eating tilapia.
1. Rich in Protein and Nutrients
As stated before, tilapia is rich in nutrients. It is a pretty impressive source of protein. Not only that, tilapia is also rich in niacin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, selenium and potassium.
Potassium is an electrolyte that helps your body to maintain a healthy balance of fluids. Your body needs this nutrient so that your nerve and muscle can function properly.
2. Promote Heart Health
Putting tilapia on the menu is a smart choice, especially if you are concern about your heart. Consuming tilapia has been linked to lower risk of heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
These essential fatty acids have been linked to lower levels of triglyceride in the cardiovascular system and cholesterol.
3. Boost your Brain
Omega-3 fatty acids in tilapia are beneficial for the brain. There’s a connection of consuming tilapia to increased neurological function and may play a role in protecting your mind from dementia and other degenerative mental conditions.
4. Help Manage Your Weight
Eating tilapia will make you full without gaining your weight or adding to your waistline. That’s why it is good for maintaining healthy weight or losing weight. It is high in protein but low in calories and fat.
If you plan to lose your weight, then spend to walk more. Get all the ideas of health benefits of walking for weight loss.
5. Promote Bone Health
Tilapia is a good source of phosphorus that is very essential for bone health. It is indeed a type of mineral that is needed by your body for bone growth and development. Your teeth and nails need it so that they would be strong and durable. Osteoporosis can also be prevented by consuming tilapia fish.
6. Aid Growth and Development
Tilapia is rich in protein as it makes up more than 15% of our daily requirement only in a single serving Protein is directly related to proper growth and development of organs, membranes, cells and even muscles.
Hence, it is important for children to consume adequate amount of protein to ensure that they develop properly. It is also needed for muscle growth, metabolic activity of organ systems as well as cellular repair.
6. Prevent Premature Aging
Who knows that consuming tilapia can prevent you from getting premature aging? It is indeed. Selenium, an antioxidant in tilapia, is able to rejuvenate and stimulate vitamin C and E. Both of these vitamins are beneficial to improve the quality and health of your skin. Reduction in wrinkles, age spots and other signs of aging can be prevented by consuming tilapia.
7. Boost the Immune System
Selenium in tilapia is also beneficial for boosting the immune system. It can help boost the white blood cells activity. As a result, the white blood cells are able to protect the body against toxins and other foreign bodies.
Consuming tilapia is giving you lots of health benefits. However, there are some cautions you need to pay attention before consuming:
- Make sure you purchase tilapia farmed from fisheries where strict regulation of fishery quality is controlled and followed.
- As it is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, people who have pre-existing heart conditions should be careful of eating too much tilapia. You can consume some alternatives, such as salmon, cod or sardines. Get some ideas from health benefits of salted cod fish and health benefits of salmon for kids.
- There are some risks of consuming tilapia, such as risk of increased inflammation, mercury poisoning, pesticide and others. Make sure you buy it from the trusted farmer.
Tilapia can be enjoyed in several dishes, such as baked tilapia, tilapia taco, and others.