Is Tilapia the new RED meat?!?!?! (from Jill)

You may have heard news reports saying that a popular fish, Tilapia, is now thought to be LESS heart healthy than a burger, so let us clear up these confusing media headlines. A study was done to analyze the amount of two types of polyunsaturated fats (specifically omega-3 and omega-6) in commonly eaten fish. What they found was that tilapia had similar amount of omega-6 fats to that of bacon and 80% lean hamburger which is possibly related to increased inflammation in the body. However, there is no definitive evidence that this is true. In addition, the media left out the part of the statement from the researchers that talked about “all other nutritional content” of the fish – such as lower calories, total fat and saturated fat – as compared to bacon and burgers. The final word from the American Dietetic Association is that “…Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, including trout, salmon, tuna and mackerel, may offer better health benefits. However, because fish that are low in omega-3’s, such as tilapia, catfish, cod and mahi-mahi, are still low in total and saturated fat and high in protein, they can remain part of a healthy diet”.