Tilapia: Your thoughts on this CONTROVERSIAL fish

[Princess L]

Seems like no one really gives a shit about the literal shit that comes out of Southeast Asia.
 

[Go 4 It]

In my opening post, I specifically talk about price. "Organic" tilapia at whole foods is $8/lb. A 5 oz can of bumblebee solid albacore tuna is about $3 on average, which would mean it's roughly $10/lb. Whole foods tilapia is on the higher end of the price and quality scale. Like I said in that first post, asian tilapia was even less.  I've said it several times in this thread, but I've never had any problem with tilapia smelling up anything. It has very little smell out of its packaging and it has very little smell when you poach it. I actually think canned tuna a more pronounced smell than tilapia while poaching.

Like I said, you can eat whatever you want. I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, but the problems you have with tilapia either aren't things I've experienced or that would be of concern to me.  

No worries bro, eat what want, I'm just shedding some light on the differences between farmed and wild caught fish, specifically tilapia.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

Been on a mostly vegetarian/ pescatarian type diet for past few months. In previous years, I just avoided tilapia because of all the controversies surrounding it (I am fine with the taste). With whole foods new prices, their "responsibly raised" tilapia is actually comparable to canned albacore tuna now, so I've just been picking it up a few times a week.

I was at another grocery store over the weekend and was surprised at how much cheaper asian raised tilapia is. It has a terrible reputation, but even in nyc it was less than $5/lb. That is cheaper than decent canned tuna and also cheaper than medium quality ground beef at most places. There are a lot of strong opinions about asian raised fish. I've been doing some research, and I think I might be leaning into the camp that thinks it's probably not that bad.

What's your thoughts, getblurg? Am I an idiot? Probably so, but specifically, in regards to my thoughts on ingesting poison chinese fish?

They are fine...you just have to add seasoning to it because it has no actual flavor.   Its low cost is perfect for budget conscious people.   If you are concerned with Omega 3's, you should just take a supplement

[Princess L]

http://www.seafoodwatch.org/

[NotMrAverage]

I stay away from that stuff, any farm raised fish (which is the tilapia from Walmart) the fats you are getting from that fish is omega 6 not omega 3, because those fish aren't eating algae and their natural diet, so you're better off eating chicken and it's cheaper, and just go buy a good quality fish oil and supplement with that everyday.

I say go chicken as well. Tilapia is good for a change one in a while. Mostly i stay on chicken and ground beef though. Some fish thrown in here and there.

[residue]

Americans in general seem to opposed to fish, but somehow can chow down on cheap chinese cat meat or anything on a 7/11 menu.

[Rambone]

I think because it’s relatively cheap and tasteless. Lots of Midwesterners don’t really like fish so they prefer a tasteless fish. Also, it IS good for contest prep and your wife doesn’t complain about kitchen smell as much as with other fish.

Other than it being cheap, how is it good for contest prep? Chicken breast macros are virtually the same and it’s a blank canvas. Please don’t say because it “thins your skin out” haha

You can contest prep just fine on whey, 95/5 beef, egg whites, and chicken breast. Even throw in some wild caught flounder if you want some fish. Anything that makes it easier to keep you in a caloric deficit and that you enjoy eating is best for a prep. I’ve never heard anybody say “I can’t wait to go home and eat my tilapia.”

[Al Doggity]

Also, what are the dangers with omega 6?

There's not a definitive danger, but there is evidence that higher omega 6 consumption can lead to inflammation. The thing is tilapia is very nutrient rich and even farmed tilapia has a comparable level of omega 3s as probably most other fish. So if your diet is relatively balanced then you most likely aren't going to experience this problem. Humans need both of those things and inflammation isn't even an all bad thing. It's a necessary body to some degree.

Go4 It might chime in with a different viewpoint, and obviously if you've seen his pics, you shouldn't disregard anything he has to say about diet, but at the same time, even scientific bodies make contradictory nutritional recommendations.  So anyone's advice should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Al Doggity]

I’ve never heard anybody say “I can’t wait to go home and eat my tilapia.”

It's  one of the top 5 best selling sea food items in America. Do you really think that's all people who dislike it or are ambivalent about it?

[Rambone]

It's  one of the top 5 best selling sea food items in America. Do you really think that's all people who dislike it or are ambivalent about it?

I think they’re either poor or lack knowledge in nutrition. The average American is dumb, fat, sick and in debt.

[Irongrip400]

It's  one of the top 5 best selling sea food items in America. Do you really think that's all people who dislike it or are ambivalent about it?

It's cheap and somewhat healthy.

[Al Doggity]

I think they’re either poor or lack knowledge in nutrition. The average American is dumb, fat, sick and in debt.

You can get many other proteins for a comparable price. There are other fish that are cheaper. It doesn't make sense that tilapia' s popularity is due mainly to poor stupid people as opposed to people who like the taste. What other protein is massively popular despite no one liking it?

[Go 4 It]

There's not a definitive danger, but there is evidence that higher omega 6 consumption can lead to inflammation. The thing is tilapia is very nutrient rich and even farmed tilapia has a comparable level of omega 3s as probably most other fish. So if your diet is relatively balanced then you most likely aren't going to experience this problem. Humans need both of those things and inflammation isn't even an all bad thing. It's a necessary body to some degree.

Go4 It might chime in with a different viewpoint, and obviously if you've seen his pics, you shouldn't disregard anything he has to say about diet, but at the same time, even scientific bodies make contradictory nutritional recommendations.  So anyone's advice should be taken with a grain of salt.

Nothing wrong with omega 6's, I'm just saying my whole goal when eating fish is for it's Omega 3 health benefits, if farm raised fish has little to no omega 3's then I'd rather opt for chicken or turkey based on price and taste and supplement with fish oils.

[Rambone]

You can get many other proteins for a comparable price. There are other fish that are cheaper. It doesn't make sense that tilapia' s popularity is due mainly to poor stupid people as opposed to people who like the taste. What other protein is massively popular despite no one liking it?

I guess I’m not in-touch or friends with the average American eating all of this farm-raised tilapia. I won’t be losing any sleep over it since I am bigger, leaner, and stronger than these tilapia-eating pussies

[Tapeworm]

Seems like no one really gives a shit about the literal shit that comes out of Southeast Asia.
 

I got bigger fish to fry.

[Desolate]

Am I the only one still using canned tuna?

Am I too old-fashioned or retro?

I like to put it on my salad with a homemade olive oil/apple cider vinegar based dressing.

I try to buy the albacore and stock up when there is a supermarket sale.

[tres_taco_combo]

I think because it’s relatively cheap and tasteless. Lots of Midwesterners don’t really like fish so they prefer a tasteless fish. Also, it IS good for contest prep and your wife doesn’t complain about kitchen smell as much as with other fish.

interesting comment about the midwestern thing

yea its cheap, easy to put down, white fish is amazing for prep

[Parker]

Am I the only one still using canned tuna?

Am I too old-fashioned or retro?

I like to put it on my salad with a homemade olive oil/apple cider vinegar based dressing.

I try to buy the albacore and stock up when there is a supermarket sale.

Canned tuna seems to have lower sodium levels than the bagged versions. I like eating the tuna with salsa.

[Bindare_Dundat]

LOL In your last post, you responded to me by saying that tilapia is sooo awful tasting, then suggested sardines. I was going to type that I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that sardines were a better taste alternative  than tilapia, but then before  I can even do that you agree with another poster that they are nasty and stink? I'm not even  a sardine snob, I like them and started a thread on here a while ago about how more people should try them for protein diets.

Anyway, different people have different tastes. I like the taste of tilapia. It has a mild taste, definitely not something to get worked up about. It has no smell when poaching, it has a rich texture. Granted, you were also talking about some of the other, more controversial aspects of tilapia and that's why I started this thread. I think a lot of that stuff may be simplified and overblown.

There's a lot in this thread that I want to respond to, but I'm a little busy at work right now, so I'll try to do some in-depth responses after lunch. I just wanted to get this response up real quick.  

if youre gonna eat it anyway then shut the fuck up and eat it and don't start pointless threads.

[be back]

people injecting ugl steroids, concerned about toxins in fish...........

[IRON CROSS]

People get real, canned fish is tasteless. Just like fresh fruit vs canned fruit.


Eat fresh food .

[Al Doggity]

if youre gonna eat it anyway then shut the fuck up and eat it and don't start pointless threads.

[Thin Lizzy]

Is this thread still alive? The getbig consensus, which is rarely wrong, has spoken. Tilapia is a disgusting food and anyone who consumes it should experience a deep and profound sense of shame.

[Al Doggity]

Is this thread still alive? The getbig consensus, which is rarely wrong, has spoken. Tilapia is a disgusting food and anyone who consumes it should experience a deep and profound sense of shame.

Getbig is literally always wrong. There was a thread going on a few days ago where both participants managed to be factually wrong despite disagreeing with each other, and only needed to do a simple dictionary search to prove it... which no one bothered doing for 4 pages. You agreed with someone that a better tasting option to eating tilapia was eating a fish that that poster admitted smelled and tasted worse.  Of course this thread is still going on. People have these bizarrely passionate ideas about this simple fish. That's the reason this thread was started. If you're not interested, you know what your options are

[be back]

Getbig is literally always wrong. There was a thread going on a few days ago where both participants managed to be factually wrong despite disagreeing with each other, and only needed to do a simple dictionary search to prove it... which no one bothered doing for 4 pages. You agreed with someone that a better tasting option to eating tilapia was eating a fish that that poster admitted smelled and tasted worse.  Of course this thread is still going on. People have these bizarrely passionate ideas about this simple fish. That's the reason this thread was started. If you're not interested, you know what your options are

thats what makes getbig great...