Benefits of tilapia, a fish that is especially rich in nutritional properties, which provides DHA and proteins of high biological value. Know its most important virtues.
The tilapia is the common name that is known to a group of fish of African origin, among which we can find blue tilapia, tilapia Nile and Mozambique tilapia, which can live in both freshwater and saltwater.
It is true that in our country it is not such a well-known fish, although it is possible to find it in many fishmongers. In fact, it becomes a fish whose consumption is interesting in pregnancy, thanks to its low content of mercury (a toxic metal that we find especially in bluefin tuna, dogfish or swordfish, and harmful to the future mother).
From a culinary point of view it can be cooked on the grill, baked or boiled, and even eaten alone thanks to the fact that it does not have such a strong fishy taste or smell.
Benefits of tilapia
High protein content
Tilapia is a fish that stands out from a nutritional point of view for its high content of proteins of high biological value, similar in fact to the protein content found in chicken. In fact, 100 grams of tilapia provide 20 grams of protein.
As you surely know, proteins of high biological value are those that contain the most amino acids, and are essential for our health within a balanced diet.
Low mercury content
Mercury is a metal toxic to health, especially when consuming foods with mercury in large quantities, such as swordfish, bluefin tuna or dogfish.
For this reason, AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition) recently recommended that children under 3 years of age and pregnant women not consume these foods.
Hence, tilapia is a fish whose consumption is recommended in the diet of pregnant women, since it also provides DHA.
Rich in DHA
DHA is a docosahexaenoic acid necessary in pregnancy, since it helps the development of the central nervous system, brain and eyes of the fetus, thus promoting the cognitive development of the baby.
Taking into account that in pregnancy the future mother must eat at least 200 mg. of DHA, tilapia becomes a good source of this acid.
