Reasons why eating tilapia is good for you
Among the key minerals in tilapia is selenium, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Tilapia is an easy-to-prepare, nutritious, and relatively inexpensive fish. However, tilapia farming practices may raise some safety and ethical concerns, so you should be aware of where your fish is coming from.
Tilapia is the commonest type of fish caught in most Ugandan water bodies. It is also among the commonest fish species reared in ponds, hence being readily available and affordable.
Mary Namagala, a fish monger at Kasenyi Landing Site, says tilapia prices vary, depending on the place, market as well as the size of the fish. She adds that prices range from Shs5,000 to Shs30,000.
Compared to animal proteins such as beef, chicken and pork, tilapia is much lower in fats, cholesterol and calories, hence being a go to for many people desiring to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight.
Given that it is delicious and also contains a number of minerals including vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium, phosphorus and omega -3 fatty acids, tilapia has many health benefits according to Dr Martin Opolot of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology in Makerere University.
Cancer prevention
Among the key minerals in tilapia is selenium, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage. Therefore, consumption of this mineral that is readily available in tilapia may reduce the risk of getting prostate and other types of cancers.
However, Opolot warns that over consumption of selenium may be harmful to the body hence the need to regulate its intake.
“The safe upper limit of selenium is 400 micrograms a day,” he warns.
Healthy eyes and brain
Tilapia contains omega-3 fatty acids that are known to be a structural component of the human brain, retina and skin. Okello says these fatty acids are best known for fighting inflammation in the body as well as boosting eye health.
“These omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits including protecting blood vessels which are connected to many vital body organs,” he says, adding that this is the reason why traditionally, it was believed that people who ate fish were more likely to be intelligent.
Bone strength
Tilapia contains nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and magnesium that aid in strengthening bones and teeth. Calcium and magnesium play an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, regulating normal heartbeats as well as nerve functions according to Dr Edward Mugisha, a general physician at Devine Clinic, Namungona.
“Eating foods rich in calcium and magnesium can also prevent high blood pressure in people with prehypertension,” he adds.
Red blood cells
Vitamin B12, a mineral found in tilapia, helps to keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy. It also helps to make DNA, the genetic material in all our cells. This mineral, according to Mugisha, also helps to prevent megaloblastic anaemia, a form of anaemia characterised by large red blood cells and a decrease in the number of those cells.
Mugisha adds that people need a daily supply of vitamin B12 in the body although pregnant and breastfeeding mothers require more of it.
Apart from the common health hazard of cases where some people have swallowed the sharp bones and ended up in hospitals, there are also other health threats caused by too much consumption of this type of fish.
Excess Omega-3
Although Omega -3 fatty acids have a number of health benefits, excessive intake of this mineral that has a high concentration in tilapia can increase the risk of asthma, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions in the body.
Pesticides, chemicals
Tilapia is raised in congested fish ponds and is always prone to diseases. In most cases, the fish are fed antibiotics as protection from sickness. Some pesticides are also used to kill water lice among other parasites that can affect the fish.
According to Phillip Male, a nutritionist, these pesticides are harmful to the human body.
“These toxic chemicals can cause inflammation and weaken the human body. They can also increase the risk of allergies, asthma, obesity and metabolic disorders,” Male says.
Mercury
There is a large quantity of mercury in sea or lake water, which is absorbed by the fish and other organisms that live in this kind of water.
Mercury is a heavy metal found naturally in air, water and soil and it is released into the environment in several ways such as through industrial processes. Mugisha says mercury is highly toxic and can cause serious health problems when it reaches certain levels in the body.
“Mercury can cause loss of vision, impairment of speech, hearing and walking among other ailments,” Mugisha warns.
