Poles prefer it to pangasius and cod, and during promotions they buy it by the kilogram. It is a concentration of mercury and lead

It has long been known that fish is an important element of a balanced diet. They are the main source of omega-3 acids and contain a lot of vitamins: A, B, D and E. In addition, they are rich in protein and iron, which is why it is so important to find a place for them in your diet. Unfortunately, not every species will have a positive impact on ours. One may have the opposite effect on our body.

Is tilapia healthy? She could fight with the panga for first place

Until now, the title of “worst fish” belonged to the panga. Heavy metals, e.g. mercury, are accumulated in its meat. It is caught from the very polluted waters of the Mekong River in Vietnam. Additionally, the species is fed with various chemicals to accelerate its growth. All this later goes to our stomach.

It turns out that there is a fish even worse than the panga. This is tilapia, which apparently has very tasty and lean meat. In fact, it contains lead, which is very harmful to the body. Marine Fisheries Institute showed that it also contains mercury and cadmium. But that’s not all. To make the fish grow quickly, it is fed with hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified corn meal.

Fish (illustrative photo) Photo Władysław Czulak / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Which fish is the healthiest? Replace tilapia with these species

Tilapia is imported from Asia to Poland in the form of frozen fillets. Poles like to buy it because it is one of the cheapest and has few bones. If you feel like eating fish, a better choice would be to buy cod, flounder, Baltic salmon, sardines or herring. When we take a closer look at cod, it turns out that it has only advantages. It is low-calorie, rich in B vitamins, and additionally contains phosphorus, selenium and potassium. Flounder has similar properties. If you really want to eat tilapia, choose the smaller ones. This will increase the chance of buying fish that has been naturally fed.