Tilapia is high on cholesterol or is a good source to reduced the bad cholesterol?

Answer 1

mariella,

Unfortunately, it depends on how the fish is raised.

Recent research has shown that the most important and desirable fatty acids are not merely the omega-3s. There are many of those, and not all of them are all that good for us. Some have no discernable effect on our health at all.

The most important ones are EPA and DHA, eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexanoic acid (input that three times fast). Wild marine (ocean) cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) will have more of these than any other, because somewhere low on the food chain is an animal that eats blue-green algae that makes these fatty acids from photosynthesis. The fish don't make EPA and DHA in any significant amounts any more than we do. They have to eat it, just like we do.

So if tilapia are farmed, as most tilapia are, if they have not been fed diets rich in EPA and DHA, they won't have any positive health effects on us at all. Their health effects will be only positive in that they will keep us from eating worse foods, but they won't be particularly good food for us. If you eat chicken, it's better than if you eat marbled steak, but it's still not really good for you. It still has cholesterol and other fats in it. Farmed Tilapia is mostly like that.

If you can take the time to wade through teh information presented here:

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/article.cgi/jafcau/2006/54/i12/html/jf0581877.html

You'll see what I mean.

Here's a quote from that web page I pointed you to:

"In this study tilapia reared in different aquaculture systems with varied nutrient inputs had widely different FA compositions. The fish with the highest proportion of long-chain PUFA and the highest n-3 to n-6 ratios, therefore being the most favorable for the human consumer, came from the wild or most extensively farmed systems. Fish from the most intensively farmed systems had higher contents of SFA, MUFA, and 18:2n-6, leading to lower n-3 to n-6 ratios. It is therefore recommended that vegetable meals and oils containing lower amounts of 18:2n-6 and more 18:3n-3 should be used in commercial feeds if the favorable flesh lipid composition of wild fish is to be replicated."

This means "It depends on how the fish is fed."

Tilapia is not high in cholesterol, but it most likely won't be high in anything that's good for you, either, unless it's been very carefully--and more expensively--raised..

Answer 2

Eating pure protein does not increase your cholesterol. Avoid eating saturated fats. hydrogenated oils and transfat foods. Minimize eating hamburgers, french fries, ice cream and junk food. Eat as much fruits and vegetables. Eating oatmeal and other breakfast items that are high in fiber helps. Also it is possible your condition is inherited. I would see a doctor and possibly he may prescribe medication. High cholesterol levels for young people can cause onset of heart disease or stroke at much younger age. You also didn't mention your weight. If you are over weight, try to reduce your weight also. Good health to you and wish you well.

Answer 3

Most fish including Tilapia are high in Fatty Omega-3. This is a good source in reducing the bad cholesterol. Nutritionists suggest you eat fish (sea food) high in Omega-3, at least 3 times per week. Of course you shouldn't "deep fry" these foods. Nutritionists suggest you eat them broiled, boiled, grilled etc.
Other good fish to eat to reduce bad cholesterol are: Cod, White fish, Orange Roughy...

Answer 4

i dont think there is any type of fish that is bad for you.....it might be high on the good cholesterol and not necessarily the bad

fish tastes like crap, but i sure wish i could eat it cause the benefits seem to be amazing