Know2eat

Tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

What tilapia has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Moderate
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About tilapia

A fast-growing, warm-water cichlid farmed on every inhabited continent, and one of the cheapest sources of animal protein in global trade. It is lean, mild and almost entirely a product of aquaculture.

Also known as Nile tilapia, St Peter fish, Izumidai

Muscle & Physical PerformanceHeart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Moderate evidence

May support muscle protein synthesis as a lean complete protein source. This rests on the established protein quality of fish rather than on trials of tilapia.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for tilapia affecting cardiovascular outcomes. It supplies very little EPA or DHA, so the omega-3 evidence built on oily fish does not carry across, and no cohort has isolated tilapia as an exposure.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Tilapia

Ask about Tilapia

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories96 kcal5%
Protein20.1 g40%
Total fat1.7 g2%
Carbohydrate0 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water78.1 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.585 g3%
Monounsaturated fat0.498 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.363 g—
Cholesterol50 mg17%
ALA (omega-3)0.033 g—
EPA (omega-3)0.0050 g—
DHA (omega-3)0.086 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.043 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.158 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D3.1 µg16%
Vitamin E0.4 mg3%
Vitamin K1.4 µg1%
Thiamin (B1)0.041 mg3%
Riboflavin (B2)0.063 mg5%
Niacin (B3)3.9 mg24%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.487 mg10%
Vitamin B60.162 mg10%
Folate24 µg6%
Vitamin B121.58 µg66%
Choline42.5 mg8%
Minerals
Calcium10 mg1%
Iron0.56 mg3%
Magnesium27 mg6%
Phosphorus170 mg14%
Potassium302 mg6%
Sodium52 mg2%
Zinc0.33 mg3%
Copper0.075 mg8%
Manganese0.037 mg2%
Selenium41.8 µg76%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.93 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Fish, tilapia, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 175176).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Fish allergy

    A finfish allergen. Cross-reactivity with other species is common though not universal.

  • Worth knowing

    Farming standards vary widely

    Tilapia is produced in many countries under very different regulatory regimes, and import testing has repeatedly found unapproved veterinary drug residues in consignments from some sources. Certification schemes exist precisely because the baseline varies.

  • Too much

    Fatty-acid profile is often overstated as a problem

    Tilapia is frequently criticised for a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. The ratio is unfavourable, but the absolute quantity of fat in a lean fillet is small, so the effect on whole-diet fatty-acid intake is modest either way.