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Perch vs Tilapia - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on February 01, 2023
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Perch
vs
Tilapia

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.

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

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food
Perch
6
:
Contains more Calcium +628.6%
Contains more Iron +68.1%
Contains more Magnesium +11.8%
Contains more Phosphorus +26%
Contains more Zinc +248.8%
Contains more Copper +156%
Contains more Potassium +10.5%
Contains less Sodium -29.1%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper 31% 44% 28% 111% 31% 11% 39% 64%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper 5% 26% 25% 88% 34% 8% 12% 25%
Contains more Calcium +628.6%
Contains more Iron +68.1%
Contains more Magnesium +11.8%
Contains more Phosphorus +26%
Contains more Zinc +248.8%
Contains more Copper +156%
Contains more Potassium +10.5%
Contains less Sodium -29.1%

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

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food
Perch
6
:
Contains more Vitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin C +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +64.4%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +31%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +13.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12 +18.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +16.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +149.7%
Equal in Folate - 6
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 2% 0% 0% 6% 20% 28% 36% 53% 33% 5% 275% 0%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 0% 16% 111% 0% 24% 17% 89% 40% 29% 5% 233% 3%
Contains more Vitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin C +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +64.4%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +31%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +13.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12 +18.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +16.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +149.7%
Equal in Folate - 6

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

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6742725/
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34371930/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6917524/
  4. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/20/5028
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6923298/
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18589026/
Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Last updated: February 01, 2023

Infographic

Perch vs Tilapia infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Perch
2
:
Contains more Fats +124.6%
Equal in Protein - 26.15
Equal in Water - 71.59
25% 73%
Protein: 24.86 g
Fats: 1.18 g
Carbs: 0 g
Water: 73.25 g
Other: 0.71 g
26% 3% 72%
Protein: 26.15 g
Fats: 2.65 g
Carbs: 0 g
Water: 71.59 g
Other: 0 g
Contains more Fats +124.6%
Equal in Protein - 26.15
Equal in Water - 71.59

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Perch
1
:
Contains less Saturated Fat -74.8%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +389.7%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +27.1%
26% 22% 52%
Saturated Fat: 0.237 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.195 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.472 g
38% 38% 24%
Saturated Fat: 0.94 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.955 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6 g
Contains less Saturated Fat -74.8%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +389.7%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +27.1%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the most right column. It shows the amounts side by side, making it easier to realize the amount of difference.
Perch Tilapia
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in glycemic index Equal
Lower in price Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Perch Tilapia Opinion
Protein 24.86g 26.15g Tilapia
Fats 1.18g 2.65g Tilapia
Calories 117kcal 128kcal Tilapia
Calcium 102mg 14mg Perch
Iron 1.16mg 0.69mg Perch
Magnesium 38mg 34mg Perch
Phosphorus 257mg 204mg Perch
Potassium 344mg 380mg Tilapia
Sodium 79mg 56mg Tilapia
Zinc 1.43mg 0.41mg Perch
Copper 0.192mg 0.075mg Perch
Vitamin A 32IU 0IU Perch
Vitamin A RAE 10µg 0µg Perch
Vitamin E 0.79mg Tilapia
Vitamin D 150IU Tilapia
Vitamin D 3.7µg Tilapia
Vitamin C 1.7mg 0mg Perch
Vitamin B1 0.08mg 0.093mg Tilapia
Vitamin B2 0.12mg 0.073mg Perch
Vitamin B3 1.9mg 4.745mg Tilapia
Vitamin B5 0.87mg 0.664mg Perch
Vitamin B6 0.14mg 0.123mg Perch
Folate 6µg 6µg
Vitamin B12 2.2µg 1.86µg Perch
Vitamin K 0.9µg Tilapia
Tryptophan 0.278mg 0.265mg Perch
Threonine 1.09mg 1.156mg Tilapia
Isoleucine 1.145mg 1.22mg Tilapia
Leucine 2.02mg 2.04mg Tilapia
Lysine 2.283mg 2.315mg Tilapia
Methionine 0.736mg 0.766mg Tilapia
Phenylalanine 0.97mg 1.05mg Tilapia
Valine 1.281mg 1.28mg Perch
Histidine 0.732mg 0.585mg Perch
Cholesterol 115mg 57mg Tilapia
Saturated Fat 0.237g 0.94g Perch
Omega-3 - DHA 0.223g 0.13g Perch
Omega-3 - EPA 0.101g 0.005g Perch
Omega-3 - DPA 0.036g 0.06g Tilapia
Monounsaturated Fat 0.195g 0.955g Tilapia
Polyunsaturated fat 0.472g 0.6g Tilapia
Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.015g Tilapia
Omega-3 - ALA 0.045g Tilapia

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Perch Tilapia
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet Equal
Low Calories diet ok
Low glycemic index diet Equal

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores show how much of your all daily needs across all vitamins or minerals this food would cover if you took three 100 grams servings of it (approximation of 3 serving sizes)
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
38%
Perch
47%
Tilapia
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
44%
Perch
27%
Tilapia

Comparison summary

Which food contains less Sodium?
Tilapia
Tilapia contains less Sodium (difference - 23mg)
Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Tilapia
Tilapia is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 58mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Perch
Perch is lower in Sugar (difference - 0g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Perch
Perch is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.703g)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Perch
Perch is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
?
The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
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.

References

The source of all the nutrient values on the page (excluding the main article the sources for which are presented separately if present) is the USDA's FoodCentral. The exact links to the foods presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Perch - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173679/nutrients
  2. Tilapia - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/175177/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.