Tilapia is a common seafood staple that can be seen from America to the Philippines. Amongst the numerous kinds of seafoods: from bangus (milkfish), crab, shrimp, to octopus, the tilapia has gained popularity for its relatively cheap price as dinner.
Reasons why it might it is as cheap as it gets is because of how easy it is to farm, making it inexpensive as far as fisheries are concerned. However, there are a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t eat tilapia such as:
1.) Less favorable amounts of omega-3 Fatty Acids
Compared to mackerel and salmon, tilapia has a lower amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 acids are an important anti-inflammatory agent that is critical in the development of the brain, and its cognitive function.
Furthermore, tilapia is said to contain unhealthy amounts of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid, which while it plays an important role in repairing damaged tissue in the body, it has been linked to development of diseases.
Omega-3 balances omega-6 by preventing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes. However, omega-6 does the opposite in higher dosages, and is responsible for promoting inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.
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2.) Unfit farming conditions (Being fed fecal waste)
Most farm-raised tilapia in China have been said to have bad farming regulations. One such practice is to use livestock waste on fields as fertilizers or even use it as feed for the fish (such as tilapia).
Tilapia is known as one of the hardiest types amongst consumable fish, and eat virtually almost anything it can set its teeth in. This makes it cheaper to feed them, which is why farmers save money on them as they feed them a diet of poop.
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3.) Carcinogenic than other fish
As mentioned above, the tilapia is fed an unhealthy diet of fecal waste from livestock such as cows and pigs. Not only that, they are given pesticides. These conditions make them a potential threat to health as they can carry up to ten times the amount of carcinogens versus other types of fish raised in the farm.
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4.) Genetically-modified farming
Since you have been reading this article, have you ever wondered why they ever produce as fast compared to other types of farm-raised fish? The answer to that is that they are fed antibiotics. Antibiotics such as methyl testosterone and malachite green are hormones that allow the tilapia to develop faster at a safe pace!
However, since 1993, malachite green is banned for commercial use in food because of the amount of carcinogenic properties found within it. Also, the Food and Development Authority (FDA) have found that tilapia fed with the antibiotics have an unhealthy amount of carcinogens inside them because of the hormones injected.
Word to the Wise
Eating tilapia is still a safe thing to do in moderation. Practicing proper cooking, supporting local farming with good food farming standards ensures that you will not be susceptible to the danger of eating bad fish!
References:
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2017/07/tilapia-farming-stop-eating-tilapia.html https://edrugsearch.com/never-eat-tilapia/ https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/the-truth-about-tilapia
