Perch vs Tilapia - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Perch provides more minerals, less saturated fat, and calories than tilapia. On the other hand, tilapia is relatively richer in Vitamin B3 and B1. Also, it has less cholesterol and sodium than perch.
Table of contents
Introduction
This article compares two famous fishes: perch and tilapia, focusing on their nutritional content and health impact.
What's The Actual Difference?
Tilapia is a freshwater fish belonging to the Cichlidae family, while perch is a common name for the fish groups that belong to the Percidae family.
Tilapia has a fishy, mild flavor, and perch has a sweet taste and firm, crumbly texture. Tilapia fishes have compressed bodies and long dorsal fins. The dorsal fin's leading edge is heavily spined. While perch's appearance varies greatly, they all have a slender body shape, two back fins, and one anal fin.
Both fish can be cooked in various ways, including grilled, baked, poached, or smoked.
NUTRITION
The food types discussed in this article are raw perch and raw tilapia. To understand the difference between these two fishes, look at our nutrition infographic at the bottom of the page.
Calories
Both fishes are considered moderate-calories foods.
Perch has 117 calories per 100g, and tilapia has 128 calories per 100g.
Minerals
Perch is relatively richer in minerals than tilapia. The amount of calcium is six times higher, and the amount of zinc is two times higher in perch.
Besides, perch is richer in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
On the other hand, tilapia contains more potassium and less sodium.
Mineral Comparison
Vitamins
Perch provides more Vitamin C, Vitamin A, B5, B6, B2, and B12 than tilapia.
On the other hand, tilapia has more Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B3.
Both fishes have an equal amount of folate.
Vitamin Comparison
Fats
Both fishes have a tiny amount of fat.
Protein
The amounts of protein in perch and tilapia are almost equal: perch contains 24.9 g, and tilapia has 26.15g of protein per 100g. Both fishes contain essential amino acids, such as lysine, histidine, and phenylalanine.
Cholesterol
Perch provides two times more cholesterol than tilapia. It has 115mg of cholesterol per 100g, while tilapia provides 57mg per 100g.
HEALTH IMPACT
Health Benefits
Both fishes are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These two compounds can help to improve cardiovascular health, eye health, and the immune system [1]. According to research, the risk of heart disease increases when the concentrations of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the blood flow are out of balance [2].
According to the study, omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation, improving dry eye symptoms and abnormal vessel growth in diabetic retinopathy patients [3]. Another study found that bioactive proteins, peptides, or protein hydrolysates from omega-3-rich fish have immunomodulatory properties [4].
Side Effects
Purines found in perch can cause kidney stones. A high purine intake results in increased uric acid production, which concentration facilitates the formation of uric acid stones [5].
As mentioned in this article, heart disease risks may increase when the concentrations of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the blood flow are out of balance. The bad news is that tilapia has a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio than other fish, which may increase the risk of inflammatory diseases such as heart disease [6].
References
Infographic
Macronutrient Comparison
Fat Type Comparison
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Cholesterol |
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Rich in minerals |
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| Lower in glycemic index | Equal | ||
| Lower in price | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Protein | 24.86g | 26.15g |
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| Fats | 1.18g | 2.65g |
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| Calories | 117kcal | 128kcal |
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| Calcium | 102mg | 14mg |
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| Iron | 1.16mg | 0.69mg |
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| Magnesium | 38mg | 34mg |
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| Phosphorus | 257mg | 204mg |
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| Potassium | 344mg | 380mg |
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| Sodium | 79mg | 56mg |
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| Zinc | 1.43mg | 0.41mg |
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| Copper | 0.192mg | 0.075mg |
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| Vitamin A | 32IU | 0IU |
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| Vitamin A RAE | 10µg | 0µg |
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| Vitamin E | 0.79mg |
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| Vitamin D | 150IU |
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| Vitamin D | 3.7µg |
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| Vitamin C | 1.7mg | 0mg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.08mg | 0.093mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.12mg | 0.073mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 1.9mg | 4.745mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.87mg | 0.664mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.14mg | 0.123mg |
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| Folate | 6µg | 6µg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.2µg | 1.86µg |
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| Vitamin K | 0.9µg |
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| Tryptophan | 0.278mg | 0.265mg |
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| Threonine | 1.09mg | 1.156mg |
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| Isoleucine | 1.145mg | 1.22mg |
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| Leucine | 2.02mg | 2.04mg |
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| Lysine | 2.283mg | 2.315mg |
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| Methionine | 0.736mg | 0.766mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.97mg | 1.05mg |
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| Valine | 1.281mg | 1.28mg |
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| Histidine | 0.732mg | 0.585mg |
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| Cholesterol | 115mg | 57mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.237g | 0.94g |
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| Omega-3 - DHA | 0.223g | 0.13g |
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| Omega-3 - EPA | 0.101g | 0.005g |
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| Omega-3 - DPA | 0.036g | 0.06g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.195g | 0.955g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.472g | 0.6g |
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| Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid | 0.015g |
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| Omega-3 - ALA | 0.045g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet | Equal | |
| Low Calories diet |
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| Low glycemic index diet | Equal | |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary