Often times, we hear that opting for fish in our diet is much healthier than choosing meat like bacon. And, this is the truth in most cases because fish is a low-fat and high-protein food with a lot of health advantages.
But, if we take into account where fish comes from today, we may need to rethink our fish consumption. When choosing fish to be a regular part of your diet, you need to pay attention to its source, i.e. whether it is farm-raised or wild-caught.
The most common farm-raised fish include tilapia, salmon, catfish, swai, and cod. Tilapia became particularly popular in aquaculture and aquaponics in Mexico, Central America, and Mexico due to its quick growth and its adaptability and tolerance of stocking density.
The problem is located in how the tilapia was raised and where. If you still have doubts about removing tilapia from your diet, continue reading our article. We will present 5 good reasons why farm-raised tilapia is bad for our health.
5 Good Reasons to Ditch Farm-Raised Tilapia
- Encourages inflammation
According to newest studies, tilapia consumption may increase the inflammation in the body and the risk of arthritis, heart illness, and asthma. If you rely on fish to get your omega-3s and reduce your chance for heart attacks, avoid tilapia!
- Full of antibiotics and pesticides
Since they are farmed in crowded conditions, the fish are more prone to illness. To keep them alive, farmers give them antibiotics similarly to confined cattle. Chinese tilapia is also given pesticides to fight off sea lice. These chemicals are so deadly that they can kill wild salmon if it is accidentally exposed. Unfortunately, the pesticides are eventually released into the ocean where they get into the bodies and systems of other marine life.
- Low in nutrients
Most people eat fish because it is rich in beneficial nutrients; however, the omega-3s in farmed fish is less usable in the body in comparison to wild fish. Plus, they have a lower level of protein. Moreover, as they are kept in cages, they get fatter and more abundant in omega-6s. When we get too much omega-3s and omega-6s, the inflammation in our body elevates.
- Contain dibutylin
Dibutylin is a chemical which is used in PVC plastics and it is six times higher in farm-raised mussels than in wild ones. This toxin damages the immunity and increases inflammation. It may also be the cause for the increase in allergies, obesity, asthma and other metabolic problems that have become more common in recent years.
- Full of dioxin
Did you know that the dioxin is 11 times higher in farm-raised salmon than in wild salmon? Unfortunately, this is a highly toxic chemical which has been linked with cancer and other serious health issues. Once it goes into the system, a lot of time needs to pass for it to leave. Its half-life is around 7 to 11 years!
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