Would You Still Eat Tilapia?
We all know that fish is good for our health. The oilier the better. They contain those essential fatty acids (EFA) such as Omega 3 that our body can’t produce. Some people even take Omega 3-6-9 supplements. These EFA helps lower cholesterol in our body which often leads to heart diseases.
Recently, a research study by Professor Floyd Chilton from Wake Forest Center for Botanical Lipids has been revealed that eating tilapia might do you more harm than good. Here’s an excerpt from Associated Content (thanks Mike for the heads up):
Often, farm-raised tilapia are fed corn-based foods that are high in harmful Omega 6 fatty acids and arachidonic acid. The tilapia stores these arachidonic and Omega 6 fatty acids in its tissues for you to eat when you buy them in a store.
Unlike the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, the Omega 6 fatty acids and arachidonic acid found in farm-raised tilapia can cause an inflammatory response in the body. Inflammation in the cardiovascular system can cause permanent injury and lead to hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and heart disease. The researchers also cited asthma, arthritis, and other conditions related to exaggerated inflammatory response as conditions that might be made worse by eating farm-raised tilapia.
In a nutshell, Omega 3 is good… too much Omega 6 is bad and tilapia (not all but based on how they were raised) has excess amounts of Omega 6. Experts say that the ratio should only be 4:1 (Omega 6 to Omega 3).
Bottomline is that tilapia is a cheap, readily-available fish that you can cook in plenty of ways. I would still consume them but maybe every once in a while now. Twice a month of my wife’s tilapia fillet cooked in olive oil with lemon butter sauce and a healty serving of french fries would be just right.
Interview with Prof. Chilton: One Fish, Two Fish, Good Fish, Bad Fish
Filed under: Health & Lifestyle
