You’re Going To Be Shocked When You Learn Which Fish Never To Eat

That’s because you’ve been told over and over again that fish is healthy, and should be a substantial part of your diet.

Well, just because you hear something day in and day out doesn’t make every bit of that saying true. Have you ever heard the expression, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day?” Well, that one’s actually true…assuming you don’t get the clock fixed during the middle of the day.

But I digress.

The reality is, there’s always going to be an opinion that adds dispute to an idea that’s generally accepted as true.

And, just because fish is generally regarded as healthy, that doesn’t mean that all fish are good for you.

Any idea which fish never to eat?

It’s tilapia that should be avoided at all costs. Seriously, if you can get other kinds of fish, I highly recommend it.

Curious as to why? Take a look:

When Asked Which Fish Never To Eat, Scientists Agreed On Tilapia Because Of These Reasons

There’s been a considerable amount of research done on tilapia in recent years.

Part of that has to do with people’s interests in creating sustainable food sources that we can depend on for food. The other reason is to see what the effects of these farm-raised foods can do to us.

All tilapia you eat has one thing in common: it has never been in open waters. All tilapia is farm-raised, and the process of farm-raising fish presents some pretty substantial problems. It’s for this reason that tilapia is one of the least recommended fish breeds for consumption.

#1 – It can cause dangerous inflammation. A recent study done by a scientist at my alma mater indicated that tilapia can cause an increase in inflammation. Chronic inflammation is harmful to your body, and can lead to a number of conditions including achy joints, decreased immunity, cpoor heart health, and more.

It’s the diet that’s fed to farm-raised tilapia that causes this. Tilapia are fed foods which aren’t found in their natural diet; and, as you might guess ,when you feed an animal foods that it wasn’t designed to eat, it can cause problems down the road. For tilapia, this problem results in an elevated level of a certain fatty acid that seems to be concerning.

This fat is an Omega-6 fatty acid – a pro-inflammatory acid called arachidonic acid. And this acid is really, really bad for you.

Science Daily writes:

“The ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to very long chain n-3 PUFAs (EPA and DHA) in diets of human beings appears to be an important factor that dictates the anti-inflammatory effects of fish oils.”

They also cite numerous studies, including a recent one that predicts “that changes in arachidonic acid to EPA or DHA ratios shift the balance from pro-inflammatory [agents] to protective chemical mediators … which are proposed to play a pivotal role in resolving inflammatory response in the body.”

#2- It comes loaded with horrible chemicals and pollutants. Here’s the thing about farm-raised tilapia – many times, these fish are bred and raised in an environment that’s chock-full of dangerous chemicals and pollutants. Some of that comes from chemicals that are added to the water to prevent the overgrowth of dangerous bacteria; some of this, on the other hand, comes from the environment. Because a fish farm is a closed environment, these chemicals don’t have a chance to escape, and are then absorbed by the fish.

In addition to that, there are also pesticides and antibiotics you have to deal with. Because tilapia are susceptible to parasites, sea lice, and infections, they’re treated with chemicals and pesticides so that they stay “healthy.”

On top of that, there’s also the food that is fed to the fish. Depending on where you get your tilapia (and many times, you don’t really know), a lot of the fish food supply is coated in all kinds of disgusting by-products of the industrialization process. This includes feces, guts, and other things you wouldn’t necessarily want in the fish you eat. It’s so bad that the FDA has actually rejected shipments of tilapia because they found so much poop in the tilapia’s feed.

Another thing that tilapia has a lot of is Dibutyltin – a toxic substance that has the real possibility of  impairing immune system function, while also contributing to inflammation.

# 3- It lacks Omega-3s. I want to preface that this isn’t necessarily a reason that tilapia is “bad;” however, many people are advised to eat fish because they’re high in Omega-3s. Well, as mentioned above,tilapia is not.

Ultimately, that means that if you’re going to eat fish for its Omega-3 content, then you need to select a breed that is high in Omega-3s. Tilapia is high in the fats you don’t want – mainly Omega-6s.  In the study from Wake Forest, the researchers wanted to ensure that their tilapia’s sizes were accurate across the board, so they secured samples from all over the world. Consistently, their findings proved that tilapia was low in Omega-3s and high in Omega-6 fatty acids. In terms of its total Omega-3 fatty acid composition, the fish was found to only contain half a gram on a filet weighing 100 grams or more. While this isn’t awful, it goes to show that you’re better off eating fish like salmon, trout, cod, or other fatty breeds to get your recommended amount of Omega-3s.

Regarding its Omega-6 content, tilapia came up a clear loser: “…the tilapia had much higher amounts of omega-6 acids generally and AA specifically than both salmon and trout. Ratios of long-chain omega-6 to long-chain omega-3, AA to EPA respectively, in tilapia averaged about 11:1, compared to much less than 1:1 (indicating more EPA than AA) in both salmon and trout.”

Bottom line? One of the primary reasons to enjoy fish is its Omega-3 content. Don’t waste your money on a fish that’s incapable of giving you what you need!