Tilapia's Potentially Dangerous Fatty Acid Combination

There are many health benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids. They play a key role in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. They also form the foundation for pro-inflammatory and inhibitory compounds.

In fact, the American Heart Association recommends we eat at least two servings of fish per week. Heart patients, meanwhile, are advised to consume at least 1 gram a day of the two most critical omega-3s, EPA and DHA.

But Western diets are significantly higher in omaega-6 fatty acids, due in part to people swapping saturated animal fat for vegetable oil. Omega-6s, however, do not provide the health benefits that omega-3 fatty acids do, increasing inflammation and blood clotting.

And according to new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, farm-raised tilapia contains very low levels of omega-3s and very high levels of omega-6s, a potentially dangerous food source for some patients with heart disease, arthritis, asthma and other allergic and auto-immune diseases.

"Cardiologists are telling their patients to go home and eat fish, and if the patients are poor, they're eating tilapia. And that could translate into a dangerous situation," said Floyd Chilton, a professor of physiology and pharmacology and director of the Wake Forest Center for Botanical Lipids.

Farmed tilapia contained less than half a gram of omega-3s per 100 grams of fish, compared to the 3 and 4 grams in farmed salmon and trout.

Chilton explained tilapia is easily farmed using inexpensive corn-based feeds, which contain short chain omega-6s. Feeding inexpensive foods to the fish, which grow under almost any condition, keeps the market price low, making it a staple in low-income diets.

Why does this matter to you? Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA found in fatty fish like wild salmon and lake trout may help ward off depression, Alzheimer's disease, and some cancers. Aim for 1,000 mg of omega-3 oils a day, but remember: Not all fish are created equal! If you're on a budget, go for sardines instead of tilapia.

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