Perch vs. Tilapia — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Macronutrients and Calories

As can be seen from the macronutrient composition charts below, both of these types of fish have similar distributions of macronutrients. They consist of around 72% water and 25% protein.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Perch

2

Protein: 24.86 g

Fats: 1.18 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 73.25 g

Other: 0.71 g

Tilapia

2

Protein: 26.15 g

Fats: 2.65 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 71.59 g

Other: 0 g

Contains more OtherOther

+-282.1%

Contains more FatsFats

+124.6%

~equal in Protein ~26.15g

~equal in Carbs ~0g

~equal in Water ~71.59g

Calories

Both perch and tilapia are considered moderate-calorie foods.

Perch provides 117 calories per 100-gram serving, while tilapia provides 128 calories per same serving.

Vitamins

The predominant vitamins found in tilapia are Vitamin B12, Vitamin B5, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B3. The predominant vitamins in perch are Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B5. 

Both contain similar amounts of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B5, although the amounts in perch are slightly higher. Tilapia contains 3.7µg of Vitamin D per 100-gram serving, while perch completely lack the vitamin. Tilapia also contains around 2 times more Vitamin B3. 

Moreover, while tilapia contains small amounts of Vitamin K and Vitamin E, perch completely lacks these vitamins. Conversely, when it comes to Vitamin A and Vitamin C, the situation is reversed, with perch containing small quantities of the vitamins while it remains entirely absent in tilapia.

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

6

Tilapia

6

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+64.4%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+31%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+13.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+18.3%

Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+16.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+149.7%

~equal in Folate ~6µg

Minerals

Perch is relatively richer in minerals than tilapia. Specifically, it contains around 24 times more manganese, as well as around 7 times more calcium and 3 times more zinc. 

Perch also contains more phosphorus, copper, and iron. On the other hand, tilapia contains around 3 times more selenium.  

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

Tilapia

3

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+11.8%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+628.6%
Contains more IronIron	+68.1%
Contains more CopperCopper	+156%
Contains more ZincZinc	+248.8%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+26%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+2332.4%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+10.5%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-29.1%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+237.9%

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a rating system used for foods containing carbohydrates. As both perch and tilapia contain no carbohydrates, their glycemic index is 0, which means their consumption has minimal or no effect on blood sugar levels.

Acidity

One way to understand the acidity of foods is through their potential renal acid load (PRAL) value, which shows how much acid or base the given food produces inside the organism. 

Based on our calculations, the PRAL values of perch and tilapia are 12.2 and 11.3, respectively, which means both values are acidic.

Health Benefits

Both tilapia and perch are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These two compounds can help 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 one 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).