Not so long ago, the question became acute, and tilapia is harmful to health? What are the reasons for such massive doubts? American researchers recently found that tilapia meat has a minimum indicator of the content of omega 3 fatty acids that are beneficial for human organisms, but the indicator of the presence of potentially pathogenic omega 6 fatty acids in it is very high, which casts doubt on the safety of using this product in any form.
As it turned out, such a combination of polyunsaturated fatty concentrations is very dangerous for the health of people who have heart pathologies, as well as suffering from asthma, arthritis and other autoimmune and allergic diseases, which are characterized by dominant inflammatory processes, and this once again emphasizes that tilapia is harmful and not recommended for use.
It is important to note that such weighty accusations are not unfounded, since a detailed study of the chemical composition of this fish revealed that omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids are in it in a ratio of 11: 1. For greater clarity, we give a comparative example. So, a similar ratio in red fish is less than 1: 1.
Such a statement in the world of modern science should be an alarming signal for a wide mass of people and a weighty reason for changing dietary advice for the prevention of cardiovascular and other pathologies. So, the demand for salmon and trout has significantly increased, but it has significantly decreased for such fish as tilapia, which, judging by the words of world scientists, can be felt even for a healthy organism.
Although it is fair to clarify that such an opinion is controversial, and many people are convinced of the harmlessness of eating such fish as tilapia, the benefits of which, in their opinion, are excessive. Fish is considered an indispensable supplier of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, without which the usual vital functions of the human body are impossible.
However, there are significant contradictions here, which are more likely connected with the “cleanliness” of suppliers than with scientific research, which also claims that tilapia is harmful. What are the doubts associated with real meat connoisseurs of this representative of the aquatic world?
Very often, fish are grown in contaminated urban water bodies, where it eats (due to its omnivorous nature) exclusively waste products, as well as antibiotics, hormones and other stimulators of intensive growth, which already significantly reduces its beneficial properties. In addition, this product goes on sale mainly in frozen form, and countless chemical treatments, of course, kill the causative agents of all intestinal infections, but no one dares to guarantee their complete absence.
No, you should not ignore this fish, but it will not be superfluous to show excessive vigilance, therefore, before starting cooking, you should subject tilapia to additional heat treatment, and even better soak in a weak vinegar solution for a certain time. In addition, due to the great popularity of this natural product, manufacturers go to the trick, and in order to increase fish weight, they use polyphosphates that hold water, but are harmful to the human body.
However, you should not judge badly about all existing suppliers, because among them there are decent entrepreneurs offering exceptionally high-quality products. However, the last word will always be with buyers, therefore, before such a purchase, you need to build your own position and decide for yourself whether tilapia is harmful or not. Only then can you safely enjoy the delicious and at the same time dietary meat of this fish.