Tilapia
has become the ubiquitous fish in America today. It’s cheap, not
“fishy” tasting, boneless and skinless, and is hard to mess up by
overcooking, which is a problem with many other fish varieties.
However,
the tilapia we’re eating is almost entirely a farmed fish, meaning you
cannot find wild tilapia in any grocery store or on any restaurant menu.
And the farming is usually done on an industrial scale, with thousands
of fish being harvested every day.
Their
feed is not natural — in the wild, tilapia would eat algae and lake
plants, but the farms fatten up the fish on GMO corn and soy pellets.
The amount of healthful fish oils in these creatures is almost
non-existent, negating the main reason why fish is so good for us.
Why Farm-Raised Tilapia is So Bad for You
1. Inflammation
Recent
Studies have found that farm-raised Tilapia may cause more inflammation
– Farm-raised tilapia has always been a popular source for fish, not
only because it is widely available in the US, but it is also very
inexpensive. However, before you stock up on Tilapia, you may want to
know about its correlation to inflammation.
Recent
studies have concluded that eating Tilapia may worsen inflammation that
can lead to heart disease, arthritis, asthma and a world of other
serious health problems. People who resort to eating more fish as a way
to get their dose of omega-3-fatty-acids and lessen their risk of heart
attacks may want to hold off on the tilapia. In fact, scientists have
found that the inflammatory potential of tilapia is far greater than
that of a feed-lot hamburger or bacon!
2. Cancer Causing Pollutants
Farmed
fish may have at least 10 times the amount of cancer causing organic
pollutants compared to the wild variety – This can most likely be
attributed to the feeds that are used on farm raised fish. If you knew
what went into the feeds of farm raised fish you would be horrified.
Apparently, chicken feces is one of the main ingredients that go into
farm fish feed. Not only that, the transfer of pig and duck waste to
fish farms is also a very common practice.
3. Pesticides and Antibiotics
Farm-bred
fish have been found to have high concentrations of antibiotics and
pesticides – Where do farm-bred fish get their antibiotics? The crowded
conditions of fish farms cause the fish to be more susceptible to
disease. To keep them alive, farm owners give antibiotics to the fish to
stave off disease. Farm-bred fish are also treated with pesticides to
combat sea lice. The pesticides used to treat these fish are so deadly
that they have been caused to kill wild salmon that are accidentally
exposed to them. These pesticides are also eventually released in the
ocean where they get into the bodies and systems of other marine life.
4. Poor Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratios
Farm-bred
fish also have lower levels of healthy nutrients- Many of us consume
fish, hoping to reap the omega-3 fatty acid benefits that come with it.
However, did you know that the omega-3-acids that are found in
farm-raised fish are less usable to our bodies compared to wild bred
fish. Farm-raised fish also has a lower protein content. Not only that,
because farm-raised fish are kept in cages, they have the tendency to be
fattier, and can have a higher concentration of omega-6 acids. The
problem with getting too much omega-6 acids is that they may cause
inflammation to the body due to imbalance.
5. High Dioxin Levels
Dioxin
levels are 11 times higher in farm-bred fish compared to wild fish –
Dioxin is actually a very toxic chemical that can contribute to cancer
and other complications. The problem with dioxin is that once it enters
our system, it can take a very long time until it is let out. The half
life of dioxin is about 7 to 11 years.
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