I got a great question on yesterday's post where I featured tilapia in a meal. Peggy asked:
"Do you have any concerns that tilapia is from China (or possibly Ecuador)? Obviously, they are farm raised, but do we have a concern about lead or other contaminates in the water? What inspection process to they go thru? I've never seen this addressed."
I had read somewhere previously that tilapia was one of the better farmed fish to buy, since they naturally live in small, shallow ponds, they grow rapidly, are pretty hardy, and don't pose a threat to sea species since they are freshwater fish.
BUT, I hadn't actually researched, and just a quick look on Swagbucks (got another buck for looking- have you been getting your Swagbucks?) returned some interesting things.
The thing with the Internet is you've got to be careful about being sure of the source of the information as well as the info itself. One of the articles was too old (early 90's), and another was obviously anti-farming saying the fish was "highly carnivorous" (and thus a potential danger to other fish) early on, then later admitting they were "mostly herbivores" with instances of carnivorous activities. It just seemed like they were looking for something to make an issue of, and I was looking for something more well-balanced because the world's wild fish will not support the population and farming is something that should be an option, done properly, to ensure there are wild fish left in the future.
So I liked this short page from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, which is a great consumer information and awareness program about all different kinds of fish and seafood. What I especially like is that they give you the best option to buy, but then also an alternative as well as what to avoid.
As far as tilapia is concerned, U.S. raised is the best and fish raised in South America is a good alternative, since finding US raised tilapia can be difficult (though US companies are growing). And Peggy is right that we should avoid fish raised in China and Taiwan because of "pollution and weak management."
Great. I've got both South American and Chinese in the freezer right now. Well, now I'll know what to avoid in the future.
Hope I can still fit it into my budget! (Where there's a will, there's a way...)
-Jami
Sylvana says
I have been avoiding Asian fish for a couple of years now; that's when I began my buy-local phase of being a more Earth-friendly consumer. It is nice to know that not only am I supporting local production, but that I am not supporting less expensive more pollutive production.
Meadowlark says
Thanks!!!! Good research and more food for thought.
Although I can't imagine thinking "yeah, I'll eat a burger rather than this fish". But I suppose people like to take it to the extremes.
Good stuff, this set of posts.
Jenelle says
Very interesting. I'm going to have to look in my freezer and see where the tilapia I have was raised. But at least now I know to look before I buy.
Thanks!
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Meadowlark: I found this article in response to the ADA's printing of the omega-3 vs. omega-6's in tilapia. It is informative and balanced, with common sense (comparing tilapia to a burger!)-
Thomas Repas, DO, FACP, FACE, CD wrote this at:
http://www.endocrinetoday.com/comments.aspx?rid=31365
"Tilapia is a high-quality protein, low in both total and saturated fat. One 100 g serving of tilapia contains less than 1 g of saturated fat. Compare that to 2 g per serving of roast chicken breast and 6 g or more in a broiled hamburger patty. However, even though tilapia is low fat, a serving still contains up to 100 mg of omega-3. The average daily consumption of EPA and DHA in the United States is only 100 mg to 200 mg.
It does not make sense to avoid tilapia because it does not contain as high an amount of omega-3 compared to other species. If your goal is to increase omega-3 intake, it is correct, you should increase consumption of fatty cold-water ocean fish. However, by replacing other less healthy, higher fat sources of protein, tilapia and other freshwater fish still have a place in our diet. It is absurd to frighten people about tilapia while at the same time they do not think twice about consuming fast food."
Meadowlark says
Of course, there's also the Omega-6 to Omega-3 rations to think about. While most of the studies raising concern about that are older (2008-ish) it still can be an issue.
Omega-3s come from fish raised in nice, deep, cold water. I don't think farmed Tilapia count.
Whether it is accurate/true/relevant or not is anybody's guess, since the food industry delights in jacking us around. (HFCS are SAFE... just like sugar! YEAH, RIGHT!)
Peggy says
Thanks so much... I just didn't know where to look; you obviously went on a fact finding mission, I really appreciate it. Now, I'M going on a mission to find US raised.. I'll let you know if I find it.. Peggy