Everyone knows about the benefits of fish. Since childhood, we hear: “Eat fish to be smart!”, “There is a lot of phosphorus in fish, and it is needed for brains!” And so on. Fish is considered a dietary product, light, low-calorie compared to meat. It is recommended to include in the composition of many diets and health systems of nutrition, it must also be present in the children's diet. But there are a lot of fish species, it is good for making a varied menu, but it makes life very difficult when choosing the most useful product. Tilapia can often be found on our shelves, what kind of fish it is and how useful it is, let's see.
Tilapia is a freshwater fish, belongs to the numerous family Cichlids (many of whose members live in home aquariums). Homeland tilapia tropical rivers and lakes, but today this fish is bred specifically for sale around the world. In food, this fish is not legible, so when buying it is advisable to find out about where it was grown and caught, so with a negligent attitude fish may contain harmful substances and antibiotics.
There is an opinion that Jesus fed the followers with tilapia, and Saint Peter preferred to catch this particular fish. Today, tilapia is popular for its pleasant taste, it prepares quickly and does not have any specific taste typical of river fish.
How many calories in telapia
The caloric content of tilapia is not high - about 100 calories per 100 grams, which confirms the possibility of using fish in the diet. At the same time, it contains a fairly high content of easily digestible protein, which nourishes a growing body or experiencing physical exertion.
Useful properties of tilapia
Of the nutrients, special attention should be paid to the B vitamins, they are present in tilapia with everything near and in large quantities. B vitamins are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, so tilapia should be included in its autumn-winter menu to avoid depression, headaches, loss of strength, mood swings.
Vitamin E is an effective antioxidant, a substance that keeps youth and fights the signs of aging. The fish will be useful to middle-aged people who care about their appearance.
Vitamin K, which is also present in the chemical composition of tilapia fish, is necessary for the blood formation process. It helps to produce red blood cells, so products with its content should be eaten with low hemoglobin or already developed anemia.
Pleases and the mineral composition of the product, in addition to basic potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium in tilapia there is phosphorus and iron, their content allows you to replenish the daily rate of these substances. In this regard, tilapia fish is really useful for brain activity, as well as for maintaining the cardiovascular system. For teens, when the body is growing rapidly, this fish will be particularly useful.
To assimilate the iron contained in tilapia, you should eat the product along with vitamin C. Fish can be poured with lemon juice, which makes it piquant, or cook a side dish for it in the form of cabbage salad - it contains a high vitamin content.
Saturated fatty acids are necessary for maintaining the work of the heart muscle, blood vessels, they provide the tissues with elasticity, favorably affect all metabolic processes in the body. The ratio of substances such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is inharmonious, which gives some scientists the reason to consider tilapia to be fish not very useful. Omega-6 fatty acid can be 10 times more than omega-3, although ideally the proportions should be. The great advantage of tilapia is that its fillets practically do not contain pits, which makes it ideal for preparing many dishes, including children’s. It is prepared in minutes, so it is a good help for busy people. Tilapia is excellent for frying, boiling, steaming, grilling. It is very tasty in batter, in vegetable salad, in the form of cold rolls. The fillet is quite elastic, does not break, so it can be rolled up or laid in another original way. Children tilapia will like, her meat is tender, devoid of sharp fish smell. For special needs, it can be easily disguised, so that the little gourmet will not even guess that he is eating a fish.
Tilapia damage
If you listen to the opinion of scientists regarding the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, then tilapia fish can be harmful to people suffering from atherosclerosis, having heart pathology or autoimmune disease. Also, a bad negative reaction to fish can occur if you are hypersensitive to protein and fish products.
