Cod vs. Grouper fish — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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by Sveta Badalyan | Last updated on October 09, 2023

Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Summary

Grouper fish is high in vitamins B5, B6, A, iron, and potassium. It covers your daily need for selenium 17% more than cod. Grouper fish has slightly more protein and fat content.

Unlike it, cod is richer in vitamins B3, B12, C, magnesium, and choline. Cod also provides fewer calories and saturated fats, whereas grouper fish has a lower sodium level.

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the dissimilarities between grouper fish and cod and what impacts these differences have on health.

Classification

Grouper fish belongs to the order Perciformes, family Serranidae, and subfamily Epinephelinae. Cod belongs to the order Gadiformes, family Gadidae, genus Gadus.

Appearance

The hue of Atlantic codfish can range from reddish brown to gray-green. They often have patches that are reddish brown.

Grouper fish frequently have dark colors of green or brown, but certain species have brighter colors.

The length of the Atlantic cod is 51 inches, and the weight is 77 pounds. Grouper fish is 10-12 inches long and weighs around 440 pounds.

Groupers live in warm waters, whereas cod prefer cold water.

Taste and Use

Grouper fish has a gentle, delicate taste. The texture of grouper fish is thick and flaky. Cod has a subtle and delicate taste with a little bit of sweetness. The flesh is tender and crispy.

Both are suitable for various cooking methods, such as grilling, baking, or frying.

Varieties

There are numerous species of grouper fish. Black, Red, Yellowedge, Nassau, Yellowfin, and Tiger Grouper are the most common.

There are three species in the Gadus genus: Atlantic, Pacific, and Greenland.

Nutrition

Macronutrients and Calories

Overall, grouper fish and cod have similar nutritional densities, grouper fish being only a little denser. Grouper fish has 74% water, whereas cod has 76%. Both are carb-free and provide equal amounts of protein. Moreover, grouper fish has more calories, whereas cod has less fat content.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Cod

Grouper fish

Contains more Fats +51.2%

Contains more Other +28.2%

Equal in Protein - 24.84

Equal in Water - 73.36

Cod

Protein: 22.83 g

Fats: 0.86 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 75.92 g

Other: 0.39 g

Grouper fish

Protein: 24.84 g

Fats: 1.3 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 73.36 g

Other: 0.5 g

Contains more Fats +51.2%

Contains more Other +28.2%

Equal in Protein - 24.84

Equal in Water - 73.36

Calories

Compared to cod, grouper fish has more calories per hundred grams. A hundred grams of grouper fish contains 118 calories, whereas cod provides 105 calories.

Calories in one fillet or 202 grams for grouper fish is 238kcal. One fillet of cod weighs 180 grams and has 189 kcal.

Protein

Grouper fish and cod are good sources of protein. A hundred grams of grouper fish provide 24.84g of protein, whereas cod contains 22.83g.

Fats

Grouper fish is high in total fat content. A hundred grams of grouper fish contain 1.3g of fats, whereas cod provides 0.86g. Grouper fish is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. On the other hand, cod provides less saturated fats.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Cod

Grouper fish

Contains less Saturated Fat -43.8%

Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +116.1%

Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +38%

Cod

Saturated Fat: 0.168 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 0.124 g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.292 g

Grouper fish

Saturated Fat: 0.299 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 0.268 g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.403 g

Contains less Saturated Fat -43.8%

Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +116.1%

Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +38%

Omega-3 fatty acids

A hundred grams of grouper fish contain 0.365g of omega-3 fatty acids, whereas cod provides 0.171g. Grouper fish is high in omega-3 DHA, EPA, and DPA.

Carbohydrates

Grouper fish and cod do not contain carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Cholesterol

Cod is high in cholesterol levels. A hundred grams of grouper fish contain 47mg of cholesterol, whereas cod provides 55mg.

Vitamins

Grouper fish is high in vitamins B5, B6, A, and folate. On the other hand, cod is high in vitamins B2, B3, B12, and C.

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

Grouper fish

Contains more Vitamin C +∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +1216.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +559.6%

Contains more Vitamin B12 +52.2%

Contains more Vitamin A +251.1%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +383.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +23.7%

Contains more Folate +25%

Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.081

Cod

Grouper fish

Contains more Vitamin C +∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +1216.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +559.6%

Contains more Vitamin B12 +52.2%

Contains more Vitamin A +251.1%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +383.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +23.7%

Contains more Folate +25%

Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.081

Minerals

Grouper fish is high in potassium, selenium, and iron. Moreover, grouper fish contain less sodium. In contrast, cod is high in magnesium, manganese, and choline.

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

Grouper fish

Contains more Magnesium +13.5%

Contains more Zinc +13.7%

Contains more Manganese +66.7%

Contains more Calcium +50%

Contains more Iron +132.7%

Contains more Potassium +94.7%

Contains less Sodium -32.1%

Contains more Copper +25%

Contains more Selenium +24.5%

Equal in Phosphorus - 143

Cod

Grouper fish

Contains more Magnesium +13.5%

Contains more Zinc +13.7%

Contains more Manganese +66.7%

Contains more Calcium +50%

Contains more Iron +132.7%

Contains more Potassium +94.7%

Contains less Sodium -32.1%

Contains more Copper +25%

Contains more Selenium +24.5%

Equal in Phosphorus - 143

Mercury content

Grouper fish have a higher mercury level than cod. The mercury concentration mean (PPM) for grouper fish is 0.448. In contrast, the PPM for cod is 0.111(1).

Glycemic Index

Grouper fish and cod are low-GI foods. The glycemic index of both foods is 0.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load (PRAL) is a way to determine the acidity of foods. The PRAL value of grouper fish is 6.3. The PRAL value of cod is 9.9. Both of them are acid-forming.

Weight Loss & Diets

The study found a connection between eating lean and fatty fish and losing weight on a calorie-restricted diet(2).

Consumption of cod fish per week causes obese people to lose more weight than a diet without seafood(3).

Cod-fed mice had less adipose tissue mass and smaller white adipocytes than chicken-fed mice(4).

Compared to grouper fish, cod has fewer fats and is a good option for a low-fat diet.

Cod containing fewer calories per 100g is the better choice for a low-calorie diet.

Grouper fish and cod are excellent for the keto diet because they are carb-free.

Grouper fish and cod are not considered vegan or vegetarian.

Both are allowed in the pescetarian and the Mediterranean diets.

Grouper fish and cod are acceptable for the Paleo diet.

Health Impact

Cardiovascular Health

Fish intake may decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality(5).

Increased intake of cod is associated with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Consuming cod does not affect blood lipids or glucose levels(6).

According to the study, high consumption of cod affected the blood concentration of total neopterin, a marker of cellular immunological activation(7).

Compared to the positive control, the group given the grouper fish diet had considerably reduced liver, kidney, and heart damage. Consumption of grouper fish may lower the total cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum glucose(8).

Inflammation

Grouper fish and cod contain omega-3 fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory and inflammation-resolving properties(9).

Cod, for instance, contains proteins that may help to control the inflammatory response during recovery from skeletal muscle injury(10).

Pregnancy

Grouper fish and cod do not contain high levels of mercury and are good choices for pregnant women. Grouper has more mercury content than cod. However, you can consume grouper fish in moderate amounts(11).

References

Author name: Sveta Badalyan

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Last updated: October 09, 2023

Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

Infographic

Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Lower in Sugar
Lower in Sodium
Lower in Cholesterol
Lower in price
Lower in Saturated Fat
Rich in vitamins
Lower in Glycemic Index	Equal
Rich in minerals	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Protein	22.83g	24.84g
Fats	0.86g	1.3g
Calories	105kcal	118kcal
Calcium	14mg	21mg
Iron	0.49mg	1.14mg
Magnesium	42mg	37mg
Phosphorus	138mg	143mg
Potassium	244mg	475mg
Sodium	78mg	53mg
Zinc	0.58mg	0.51mg
Copper	0.036mg	0.045mg
Manganese	0.02mg	0.012mg
Selenium	37.6µg	46.8µg
Vitamin A	47IU	165IU
Vitamin A RAE	14µg	50µg
Vitamin E	0.81mg
Vitamin D	46IU
Vitamin D	1.2µg
Vitamin C	1mg	0mg
Vitamin B1	0.088mg	0.081mg
Vitamin B2	0.079mg	0.006mg
Vitamin B3	2.513mg	0.381mg
Vitamin B5	0.18mg	0.87mg
Vitamin B6	0.283mg	0.35mg
Folate	8µg	10µg
Vitamin B12	1.05µg	0.69µg
Vitamin K	0.1µg
Tryptophan	0.256mg	0.278mg
Threonine	1.001mg	1.089mg
Isoleucine	1.052mg	1.145mg
Leucine	1.856mg	2.019mg
Lysine	2.097mg	2.282mg
Methionine	0.676mg	0.735mg
Phenylalanine	0.891mg	0.97mg
Valine	1.176mg	1.28mg
Histidine	0.672mg	0.731mg
Cholesterol	55mg	47mg
Saturated Fat	0.168g	0.299g
Omega-3 - DHA	0.154g	0.213g
Omega-3 - EPA	0.004g	0.035g
Omega-3 - DPA	0.013g	0.017g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.124g	0.268g
Polyunsaturated fat	0.292g	0.403g

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Calories diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet	Equal
Low Calories diet
Low Glycemic Index diet	Equal

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

30%

22%

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

38%

47%

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?

Grouper fish is lower in Sugar (difference - 0g)

Which food contains less Sodium?

Grouper fish contains less Sodium (difference - 25mg)

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?

Grouper fish is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 8mg)

Which food is cheaper?

Grouper fish is cheaper (difference - $1.3)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Cod is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.131g)

Which food is richer in vitamins?

Cod is relatively richer in vitamins

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)

Which food is richer in minerals?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.