Perch vs. Cod — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Both perch and cod are considered moderate-calories foods. The calories per 100g of cod and perch are 105 and 117, respectively.

Proteins

The amounts of protein in perch and cod are almost equal: perch contains 24.86g, and cod has 22.83g of protein per 100g. Both fishes contain high amounts of essential amino acids, such as tryptophan, lysine, histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, methionine, and threonine.

Completeness proteins are those that contain all nine essential amino acids that human bodies cannot make on their own, such as the proteins of cod and perch.

It should be mentioned that the smallest allowed daily protein amount is 55–60g (0.7g per kg of body weight), while the recommended amount is 85–90g, with animal proteins accounting for 55%. Based on the previous information, it follows that consumption of cod and perch may fill this 55%.

Fats

Perch has over 1.4 times the fat content of cod, with 1.18g per 100g vs. 0.86g for the same serving of cod. Perch has twice as much cholesterol as cod, with 115mg per 100g compared to 55mg per 100g for cod. Perch has more omega-3, monounsaturated, and saturated fats than cod.

Carbs

The carb content of cod and perch is zero.

Minerals

Perch has a higher mineral content than cod. When compared to cod, perch is 7 times richer in calcium, nearly twice as rich in iron, 1.8 times richer in phosphorus, 1.4 times richer in potassium, 2.5 times richer in zinc, 5 times richer in copper, and 45 times richer in manganese. When compared to perch, cod has twice the amount of selenium.

Both have nearly identical magnesium and sodium amounts.

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.

Perch

7

Cod

2

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+628.6%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+41%
Contains more IronIron	+136.7%
Contains more CopperCopper	+433.3%
Contains more ZincZinc	+146.6%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+86.2%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+4400%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+10.5%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+133.5%

~equal in Sodium ~78mg

Vitamins

Cod is two times richer in vitamin B6 than perch; it is also high in vitamin B3, B9, and vitamin A. Perch is 1.5 times richer in vitamin B2, 4.8 times richer in vitamin B5, 2 times richer in vitamin B12, and 1.7 times richer in vitamin C compared to cod.

Both fishes have an equal amount of Vitamin B1.

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.

Perch

4

Cod

8

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+70%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+51.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+383.3%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+109.5%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+46.9%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+32.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+102.1%
Contains more FolateFolate	+33.3%

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.088mg

Cardiovascular Health

Peptides found in cod may inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). One of the mechanisms that may lower arterial blood pressure is ACE inhibition. Some antihypertension medications (such as Captopril, Ramipril, Lisinopril, and others) function through the same mechanism (1.2). Unlike cod, there are no studies that show a direct link between the consumption of perch and lowering blood pressure. Still, the omega-3 in it helps lower blood pressure through a variety of mechanisms, including ACE inhibition (3).

According to this cohort study, omega-3 may decrease heart rate, which is important for appropriate cardiac muscle blood supply (3).

Omega-3 fatty acids, protein with vitamins, and even unknown bioactive substances in cod and perch may also play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (such as myocardial infarction and stroke) through a variety of mechanisms, such as lowering circulating levels of total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol), lipoproteins, and triglycerides. (4).

Combining omega-3 fatty acid therapy with baseline statin (such as Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, etc.) medication reduces triglycerides by another 29%. As a result, it improves the cardiovascular prognosis of patients with hyperlipidemia (5).

Several epidemiologic and animal studies have demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids may significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis due to their anti-inflammatory characteristics and suppression of endothelial activation (5).

The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is critical in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and re-stenosis (the diameter of the coronary artery lumen is lowered after angioplasty). Omega-3 fatty acids have been demonstrated to play a role in the suppression of smooth muscle cell growth (5).

A high omega-3 intake can be obtained by eating fish such as cod and perch twice to three times per week to achieve at least 500 mg/day, or by taking fish oil supplements on a regular basis (3).

Diabetes

Because cod and perch are high in omega-3 fatty acids, they may be useful to diabetics.

According to this rat study, consuming cod liver oil, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, is associated with a number of biochemical changes that may be beneficial for diabetes, including lower triglyceridemia, increased fatty acid oxidation, higher HDL levels, and lower LDL levels. As a result, not only is hyperlipidemia reduced, but so is insulin resistance (6). 

Another study found that omega-3 fatty acids may significantly reduce fasting blood glucose levels (7).

Liver Health

Cod and perch may help prevent fatty liver disease since they contain lipotropic omega-3. The optimal dose has yet to be discovered, but the effects are obvious at 20.83 grams of omega-3 per day. For more optimal statistics, further randomized trials are required (8).

Anemia

Because perch is higher in iron and cod is high in vitamins B9 and B12, both are recommended for anemia and may lower the risk of developing anemia (9).

Nervous system

Several epidemiological studies have found that adequate omega-3 intake or greater serum omega-3 levels are linked to a decreased incidence of depression. Low omega-3 levels have been linked to depressive or anxious moods, poor cognitive function, sleep disturbances, aggressiveness, and impulsive behavior (10). As already mentioned, eating fish such as cod and perch two to three times per week can offer a high omega-3 intake.

Immune system

Omega-3 fatty acids have been demonstrated in studies to reduce the symptoms of a variety of disorders (including sepsis and autoimmune hepatitis) by stimulating the immune system. Obtaining extensive information about the unique direct effect of omega-3 fatty acids on diverse immune system cells would allow future researchers and physicians to optimize and apply omega-3-rich supplements and foods (including cod and perch) for the treatment of a wide range of disorders (11).