Buying
Tilapia fish are available all year round. Much of its supply is now farmed. Small fish are sold whole, while larger tilapia are filleted. A 1.5 lb fish will serve two.
Tilapia sold as fresh, frozen, fileted..etc. You can buy either whole fish or filets.
Buy a high-quality tilapia from authentic sellers. Try to purchase a whole tilapia or fillet that is cut from the thickest part of the fish. Wild-caught tilapias are brighter than farmed varieties. Also, wild varieties types are nutritionally rich and have fewer toxins than farmed ones.
Avoid tilapia with a strong fishy odor. Tilapia spoils quickly, so always store it in the freezer section of the home refrigerator.
Preparation
Whole tilapia need little preparation. Just trim fins, scale, and remove innards before cooking. Tilapia are delicious stuffed and baked, grilled (broiled), or barbecued.
Tilapia may be pan-roasted, shallow fried, broiled, foil-baked, and grilled in the preparation of a variety of mouth-watering menus.
Just ensure it should be cooked until the meat is opaque and flakes off easily.
Here are some serving ideas:
-
Tilapia filets can be lightly coated in cornmeal or egg and breadcrumbs or batter and then deep fried.
-
Enjoy parmesan cheese-crusted tilapia filets with roasted vegetables.
Safety profile
Tilapia is one of the top aquacultured seafood. In many Asian countries, it is farmed in polluted rivers where the water contains fish feces, rotting fish feed, and residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs as well as other pollutants that were already mixed into the poor-quality water supplied to farmers.
Tilapia fish has low mercury levels; 0.013 ppm. WHO’s tolerable upper limit of mercury in food is 0.5 mg/kg of fish. Accordingly, the U.S FDA final guidelines on how much fish expectant as well as breastfeeding mothers can eat, along with lists of specific options that are safe or should be avoided, place tilapia fish consumption under the best choice category. By this yardstick, they can consume 2-3 servings a week. (Medical disclaimer).
Also read ≻≻-
≺≺ Brook trout nutrition facts and health benefits.
≺≺ Halibut nutrition facts and health benefits.
≺≺ Sardines nutrition facts and health benefits.
≺≺ Back to Seafood from Tilapia fish nutrition facts and health benefits.
Further reading (Links opens in new window):
-
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Contribution.