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+-- Thread: Relative health values of various fish? (/showthread.php?tid=67955)
Relative health values of various fish? - labradors - 10-26-2008
I really should eat more fish, but usually don't because of the price. Still, I've been looking into it, and am trying to decide which of the locally available fish that I like would be the best, health-wise. Here are the choices:
- Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Róbalo (aka Snook or Gulf Pike)
- Tilapia
So far, the only really good information I can find relates to mercury content or over-fishing, but not nutritional value. Even so, the best sites I found do provide a fantastic wealth of information. The first of those sites is the International Seafood Guide. It is a collection of various seafood guides from around the Internet, none of which, unfortunately, seem to have nutritional information, but do have a lot of other good information.
The second site (which is also one of the sites accessible through the first site mentioned) is FishBase. Again, nothing in the way of nutritional information, but an incredible amount of other information.
What you any of you know about the fish listed above, and which would be the most healthful as the seafood part of one's diet?
Thanks!
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - luvnit - 10-26-2008
Good sources. I too would love to incorporate more fish into our weekly menu, but have trouble fitting it into the food budget. I used to be able to get salmon and our local warehouse store. But now I have found that the 'farmed' salmon gives me heartburn. Wild Salmon is just too far out of the budget.
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - farnfam - 10-26-2008
Rob, do you mean like the RDA value?
Cis
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - Gourmet_Mom - 10-26-2008
I found this site which lists tilapia. Then there is this article which discusses seafood in general. Personally, I would think there would not be THAT much difference in deep water fish, which would mean all the fish you list would be similar to the tilapia. I think?!?!
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - DFen911 - 10-26-2008
Lab's here in California, Monterey Bay has a list of fish, where they are farmed from and if they should be eaten or avoided.
http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx
It shows all sorts of information about the fish. I have a pocket guide I carry with me and update regularly. Most groupers are on the "avoid" list.
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - Gourmet_Mom - 10-26-2008
OK, here you go: Nutrition Facts and Analysis You can type in the food and it will give you the nutritional info on the food. I thought I had this place bookmarked.
It is now...LOL! 
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - Trixxee - 10-26-2008
If I remember correctly, of the fish on your list "Dr. Oz" recommends tilapia. If you're not familiar, Dr. Oz is often on Oprah and has several books out on healthy lifestyles.
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - labradors - 10-26-2008
Quote:
Rob, do you mean like the RDA value?
That's part of it, but also how healthy they are, not just the nutritional RDA values.
Quote:
Lab's here in California, Monterey Bay has a list of fish, where they are farmed from and if they should be eaten or avoided.
That's the problem. All I can find are "enjoy/avoid" lists for which the only health criterion is the potential mercury level. All the rest is only based upon whether something is considered to be "overfished," and has more to do with politics and the environment than the actual health of the consumer.
Quote:
If I remember correctly, of the fish on your list "Dr. Oz" recommends tilapia. If you're not familiar, Dr. Oz is often on Oprah and has several books out on healthy lifestyles.
Not familiar. In fact, I'm always a little wary of some of the people Oprah endorses. Most of the time they are okay, but she's also had some smooth-talking crackpots, as well.
Lately, tilapia has actually come under more intense scrutiny as NOT being as healthful as believed, since it has a poor ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids. It's probably not as bad here, though, since I don't think our tilapia is farm raised.
Quote:This is more what I was trying to find. Unfortunately, hardly any of the sites mention Róbalo (Snook or Gulf Pike), which is the one I like the most of the lot (of course, my liking it probably means it's the worst for me).
OK, here you go: Nutrition Facts and Analysis You can type in the food and it will give you the nutritional info on the food.
This is a good start, though. Thanks, everyone!
EDIT:
Just found a journal article (in Spanish) that doesn't analyse Grouper or Red Snapper, but DOES include Tilapia and Róbalo. Since it's from a journal, it's a more technical article, but the information it gives is great. It appears that the Róbalo is actually pretty good. For one thing, for every 100g of fat, Róbalo has 19.4g of Omega-3, while Tilapia has 33g. Based upon that number, alone, the Tilapia would win, hands down.
The Omega-6 numbers are another story, though. Tilapia has a whopping 47.7g, for a ratio of 0.7; but Róbalo has only 4.7g, for a ratio of 4.5!
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - Gourmet_Mom - 10-26-2008
Glad you finally found what you were looking for Labs. Yea, I was aware the pike wasn't there...sorry. I should have mentioned that.
So, now that you have all this info you wanted, what fish are you going to use? Sometimes I find the numbers confusing...like your mention of the Omega-6 versus the Omega-3....I wouldn't know what to get!?!?!? One thing I DO know, I can get Tilapia cheaper than anything else unless my fisherman friend gets me some grouper or dolphin...that's free!
Re: Relative health values of various fish? - cjs - 10-27-2008
I'm finding that if I wait an hour or two great minds will change our thinking on just about every fish available and not available and overall health.
So, I stick to Julia's mantra....moderation in all things. (unless it's chocolate
)