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Cod vs. Pollock — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on June 21, 2023
Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian Article author photo Jack Yacoubian

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Actual differences
      1. Nutrition
        1. Calories
          1. Protein
            1. Fats
              1. Minerals
                1. Vitamins
                2. Health benefits
                  1. Cardiovascular health and omega fatty acids
                    1. Mercury poisoning
                      1. Inflammatory markers
                        1. Metabolic markers
                          1. Dementia
                          2. References
                            Cod
                            vs
                            Pollock

                            Summary

                            Alaska pollock is richer in protein. Cod is lower in cholesterol, calories, and fats. It contains less sodium than pollock. Alaska pollock are richer in B-complex vitamins, especially in vitamin B12: it covers 458% of the DV of vitamin B12.

                            Table of contents

                            1. Introduction
                              1. Actual differences
                                1. Nutrition
                                  1. Calories
                                    1. Protein
                                      1. Fats
                                        1. Minerals
                                          1. Vitamins
                                          2. Health benefits
                                            1. Cardiovascular health and omega fatty acids
                                              1. Mercury poisoning
                                                1. Inflammatory markers
                                                  1. Metabolic markers
                                                    1. Dementia
                                                    2. References
                                                       

                                                      Introduction

                                                      Cod and Alaska pollock are two of the most famous and world-spread fishes. This article will compare cooked versions of these fish species, focusing on their nutritional content and health impact and showing their actual differences.

                                                      Actual differences

                                                      Both pollock and cod are different seafood species belonging to the Gadidae family. The Latin name for Alaska pollock is Gadus chalcogramma, and the cod is called Gadus macrocephalus. Alaska pollock are usually cheaper than cod. These fishes also differ in flavor, smell, appearance, texture, and preparation methods.

                                                      Alaska pollock are brown-black or olive green on the back and become pale and silvery on the ventral side. It is usually camouflaged with yellow or black spots, while cod has a grey-green or red-brown body with black dots. 

                                                      What about the flavors? Cod has a non-fishy, mild, and a bit sweet flavor. The taste of pollock is light-mild and delicate. Cod smells very fishy. Sometimes it may have supplement odors like melon and cucumber smells. Fresh pollock has a briny, mild smell. 

                                                      Both fish can be found in fillets forms. 

                                                      Alaska pollock have a softer, slightly coarse texture and white flesh with flaky white meat. In contrast, cod has a tender-firm texture. 

                                                      One of the most common cod fish is the Pacific cod. 

                                                      Cod is usually prepared in grilled, deep-fried, broiled, or baked form. Tilapia is made by grilling, baking, smoking, and stir-frying. 

                                                      Nutrition

                                                      The following sections of the article will discuss cooked cod and pollock’s macronutrient, vitamin, and mineral composition. Both of them are nutrient rich fish species without any amounts of carbs. 

                                                      Macronutrient Comparison

                                                      Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                      Cod
                                                      Cod
                                                      1
                                                      23% 76%
                                                      Protein: 22.83 g
                                                      Fats: 0.86 g
                                                      Carbs: 0 g
                                                      Water: 75.92 g
                                                      Other: 0.39 g
                                                      23% 74% 2%
                                                      Protein: 23.48 g
                                                      Fats: 1.18 g
                                                      Carbs: 0 g
                                                      Water: 73.65 g
                                                      Other: 1.69 g
                                                      Contains more FatsFats +37.2%
                                                      Contains more OtherOther +333.3%
                                                      ~equal in Protein ~23.48g
                                                      ~equal in Carbs ~0g
                                                      ~equal in Water ~73.65g
                                                       

                                                      Calories

                                                      Due to its higher protein and fat composition, Alaska pollock provides slightly more calories than cod. It contains six more calories.

                                                      Protein

                                                      Pollock is slightly higher in protein than cod. Per 100g serving, pollock provide 23.5 grams of protein, while cod contains 22.8g. 

                                                      Both of them provide different amounts of essential amino acids, such as histidine, lysine, and phenylalanine. 

                                                      Fats

                                                      Cod has less than one gram of fat per 100g, while the same amount of Alaska pollock provides 1.2g. It is higher in omega-3 fatty acids.

                                                      Surprisingly, cod is 31mg lower in cholesterol than Alaska pollock. 

                                                      Fat Type Comparison

                                                      Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                      Cod
                                                      Cod
                                                      0
                                                      29% 21% 50%
                                                      Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.168 g
                                                      Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.124 g
                                                      Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.292 g
                                                      18% 15% 67%
                                                      Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.159 g
                                                      Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.134 g
                                                      Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.583 g
                                                      Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +99.7%
                                                      ~equal in Saturated fat ~0.159g
                                                      ~equal in Monounsaturated fat ~0.134g
                                                       

                                                      Minerals

                                                      Alaskan Pollock has a richer mineral profile. 

                                                      Pollock provides more phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, selenium, copper, potassium, and iron than cod. Cod is lower in sodium than pollock. You can see the mineral comparison chart below.

                                                      Mineral Comparison

                                                      Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                      Cod
                                                      Cod
                                                      1
                                                      Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 30% 4.2% 22% 18% 12% 16% 59% 10% 2.6% 205%
                                                      Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 58% 22% 38% 21% 20% 16% 114% 55% 2.3% 241%
                                                      Contains less SodiumSodium -81.4%
                                                      Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +92.9%
                                                      Contains more CalciumCalcium +414.3%
                                                      Contains more PotassiumPotassium +76.2%
                                                      Contains more IronIron +14.3%
                                                      Contains more CopperCopper +66.7%
                                                      Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +93.5%
                                                      Contains more SeleniumSelenium +17.3%
                                                      ~equal in Zinc ~0.57mg
                                                      ~equal in Manganese ~0.018mg
                                                       

                                                      Vitamins

                                                      In general, Alaska pollock has higher vitamin content than cod. Cod contains vitamin C, which is not present in pollock. Pollock is higher in B-complex vitamins. 100g of Alaska pollock covers 458% of the DV of vitamin B12. 

                                                      Vitamin Comparison

                                                      Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                      Cod
                                                      Cod
                                                      4
                                                      Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 3.3% 4.7% 16% 18% 22% 18% 47% 11% 65% 131% 0.25% 6% 46%
                                                      Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 5.7% 5.6% 20% 14% 51% 74% 26% 76% 458% 0.25% 2.3% 50%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +∞%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +189.3%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +63%
                                                      Contains more FolateFolate +166.7%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +21.4%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +182.3%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +57.1%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +140%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +16.3%
                                                      Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +248.6%
                                                      ~equal in Vitamin D ~1.3µg
                                                      ~equal in Vitamin K ~0.1µg
                                                      ~equal in Choline ~91.6mg
                                                       

                                                      Health benefits

                                                      Cardiovascular health and omega fatty acids

                                                      Consuming Alaska pollock and cod is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (1). The proportion of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is responsible for this. The human body cannot produce these long-chain essential fatty acids. We have to get them from some food products as a result. A study found that when blood flow quantities of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are out of balance, the risk of heart disease rises (2). Thus, eating fish can support a balanced diet.

                                                      Mercury poisoning

                                                      Alaska pollock is categorized as a food that contains moderate amounts of mercury. Mercury is poisonous to children, young people, and pregnant women, even if it is safe for healthy middle-aged individuals (3). Cod is a better option to avoid mercury poisoning because it has less mercury than Alaska pollock (4).

                                                      Inflammatory markers

                                                      Consumption of cod is associated with decreased levels of neopterin, which is a pro-inflammatory marker. Indicating lower levels of inflammation. (5)

                                                      Metabolic markers

                                                      Consumption of cod is associated with lower levels of postprandial glucose and blood lipid levels. Overall, having a positive effect on our metabolism. The limitation of this study is that it was done on rats and not in clinical trials. (6)

                                                      When it comes to hyperglycemia in diabetes, pollock consumption is linked with better health outcomes in type 2 diabetic patients by overall reducing glucose spikes. (7)

                                                      Dementia

                                                      Pollock consumption is linked with protective functions against short-term memory decline with age. 

                                                      You can also read about Cod vs. Tilapia in this article.

                                                      References

                                                      1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468748/ 
                                                      2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34371930/ 
                                                      3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2954077/ 
                                                      4. https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/mercury-levels-commercial-fish-and-shellfish-1990-2012 
                                                      5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33576844/ 
                                                      6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25380663/ 
                                                      7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32885439/ 
                                                      8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36364879/ 
                                                      Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
                                                      Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                                                      Last updated: June 21, 2023
                                                      Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian

                                                      Infographic

                                                      Cod vs Pollock infographic
                                                      Infographic link

                                                      All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                                                      Nutrient Cod Pollock DV% diff.
                                                      Vitamin B12 1.05µg 3.66µg 109%
                                                      Phosphorus 138mg 267mg 18%
                                                      Sodium 78mg 419mg 15%
                                                      Selenium 37.6µg 44.1µg 12%
                                                      Vitamin B2 0.079mg 0.223mg 11%
                                                      Cholesterol 55mg 86mg 10%
                                                      Vitamin B3 2.513mg 3.949mg 9%
                                                      Magnesium 42mg 81mg 9%
                                                      Calcium 14mg 72mg 6%
                                                      Vitamin B5 0.18mg 0.432mg 5%
                                                      Potassium 244mg 430mg 5%
                                                      Vitamin B6 0.283mg 0.329mg 4%
                                                      Vitamin E 0.81mg 0.28mg 4%
                                                      Copper 0.036mg 0.06mg 3%
                                                      Vitamin B1 0.088mg 0.054mg 3%
                                                      Polyunsaturated fat 0.292g 0.583g 2%
                                                      Iron 0.49mg 0.56mg 1%
                                                      Folate 8µg 3µg 1%
                                                      Vitamin D 1.2µg 1.3µg 1%
                                                      Vitamin D 46IU 51IU 1%
                                                      Vitamin C 1mg 0mg 1%
                                                      Protein 22.83g 23.48g 1%
                                                      Choline 83.7mg 91.6mg 1%
                                                      Calories 105kcal 111kcal 0%
                                                      Fats 0.86g 1.18g 0%
                                                      Zinc 0.58mg 0.57mg 0%
                                                      Vitamin A 14µg 17µg 0%
                                                      Manganese 0.02mg 0.018mg 0%
                                                      Vitamin K 0.1µg 0.1µg 0%
                                                      Saturated fat 0.168g 0.159g 0%
                                                      Monounsaturated fat 0.124g 0.134g 0%
                                                      Tryptophan 0.256mg 0.263mg 0%
                                                      Threonine 1.001mg 1.029mg 0%
                                                      Isoleucine 1.052mg 1.082mg 0%
                                                      Leucine 1.856mg 1.908mg 0%
                                                      Lysine 2.097mg 2.157mg 0%
                                                      Methionine 0.676mg 0.696mg 0%
                                                      Phenylalanine 0.891mg 0.917mg 0%
                                                      Valine 1.176mg 1.21mg 0%
                                                      Histidine 0.672mg 0.691mg 0%
                                                      Omega-3 - EPA 0.004g 0.086g N/A
                                                      Omega-3 - DHA 0.154g 0.423g N/A
                                                      Omega-3 - DPA 0.013g 0.027g N/A

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                                                      References

                                                      All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                                                      1. Cod - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171956/nutrients
                                                      2. Pollock - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173681/nutrients

                                                      All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                                                      Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.