Swordfish vs. Mahimahi — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Mahimahi has more potassium, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B2, B5, and folate. On the other hand, swordfish provides more selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins B1, B3, B6, and B12. Moreover, swordfish contain more fat and omega-3 fatty acids.
Mahimahi has fewer calories and mercury levels, whereas swordfish contain less cholesterol and sodium.
Table of contents
Introduction
In this article, we will discuss the differences between mahimahi and swordfish and their impacts on health.
Mahimahi, often known as "dorado" or "dolphinfish," is a deep-sea fish in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Swordfish may be found in tropical, temperate, and occasionally cold waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
Classification
Mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) belongs to the Order Perciformes, the Family Coryphaenidae, the Genus Coryphaena, and the Species Coryphaena hippurus.
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), on the other hand, belong to the Order
Istiophoriformes, the Family Xiphiidae, the Genus Xiphias, and the Species Xiphias gladius.
Appearance
Swordfish is a long, scaleless fish with a huge dorsal fin and a long sword. It's silvery on the bottom and reddish or bluish on top.
Mahimahi has a long, tall, thin body, blunt head, and mouth. It has pretty colors that catch your eye. They have predominantly golden-yellow flanks with iridescent blue pectoral fins.
Taste and Use
The flavor of mahimahi is moderate and mildly sweet. The flesh is solid, lean, and delicate, akin to other white fish such as cod or grouper. Mahimahi has a mild flavor that is not overpowering when cooked fresh. It complements a wide range of seasonings and marinades, making it suitable for several cooking methods, such as grilling, baking, or pan-searing. Swordfish have a distinct and robust flavor compared to mahimahi. Swordfish flesh is solid. The flavor is rich, meaty, and slightly sweet. Swordfish is a popular choice for grilling, broiling, or pan-searing. You can use it with citrus marinades, spice rubs, or herb-infused oils.
Nutrition
The nutritional information below concerns Fish, mahimahi, cooked, dry heat, and Fish, swordfish, cooked, dry heat.
Macronutrients and Calories
Overall, mahimahi and swordfish have similar nutritional densities. Swordfish contains 68% water, while mahimahi has 71% water.
Macronutrient Comparison
Contains
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FatsFats
+781.1%
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OtherOther
+1055.6%
Calories
Compared to mahimahi, swordfish provides more calories per hundred grams. A hundred grams of mahimahi contains 109 calories, whereas swordfish has 172 calories.
Protein
Both are good sources of protein and provide all essential amino acids. The protein content in mahimahi and swordfish is 23.72g and 23.45g, respectively.
Fats
Swordfish have significantly more fat content compared to mahimahi. One hundred-gram serving of mahimahi contains 0.9g of fat, while the same amount of swordfish has 7.93g. Swordfish have over 22 times more monounsaturated and 6.5 times more polyunsaturated fats.
The monounsaturated fats for swordfish and mahimahi are 0.155g and 3.544g, respectively. Mahimahi has 0.211g of polyunsaturated fats, whereas swordfish provide 1.368g. On the other hand, mahimahi provides over eight times less saturated fats. A hundred grams of swordfish has 1.9g of saturated fats, whereas mahimahi provides 0.241g.
Fat Type Comparison
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Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat
+2186.5%
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Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat
+548.3%
Contains
less
Sat. FatSaturated Fat
-87.4%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Compared to mahimahi, swordfish provides over seven times more omega-3 fatty acids. A hundred grams of swordfish has 1.07g of omega-3, whereas mahimahi has only 0.151g.
Carbohydrates
Mahimahi and swordfish do not contain a notable amount of carbohydrates.
Cholesterol
Mahimahi contains more cholesterol compared to swordfish. A hundred grams of swordfish has 78mg of cholesterol, whereas mahimahi provides 94mg.
Vitamins
Mahimahi has more vitamins A, B2, B5, and folate. On the other hand, swordfish is high in vitamins B1, B3, B6, and B12.
Vitamin Comparison
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Vitamin EVitamin E
+∞%
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Vitamin DVitamin D
+∞%
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Vitamin B1Vitamin B1
+287%
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Vitamin B3Vitamin B3
+24.6%
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Vitamin B6Vitamin B6
+33.1%
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Vitamin B12Vitamin B12
+134.8%
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Vitamin KVitamin K
+∞%
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CholineCholine
+∞%
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Vitamin AVitamin A
+61.2%
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Vitamin B2Vitamin B2
+34.9%
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Vitamin B5Vitamin B5
+107.4%
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FolateFolate
+200%
Minerals
Mahimahi has more potassium, iron, calcium, and copper. Conversely, swordfish is high in selenium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Compared to mahimahi, swordfish have less sodium content. A hundred grams of mahimahi provides 113mg of sodium, whereas swordfish has 97mg. Moreover, swordfish contains 77.5 mg of choline.
Mineral Comparison
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ZincZinc
+32.2%
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PhosphorusPhosphorus
+66.1%
Contains
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SodiumSodium
-14.2%
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SeleniumSelenium
+46.4%
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CalciumCalcium
+216.7%
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IronIron
+222.2%
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CopperCopper
+15.2%
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ManganeseManganese
+46.2%
Mercury
Mercury is a dangerous metal found in our environment. As a result, when fish eat mercury, mercury poisoning in humans can be caused.
The mercury concentration mean (PPM) for mahimahi is 0.178. Swordfish have a PPM of 0.995. That means swordfish have a higher mercury content than mahimahi(1).
Glycemic Index
Mahimahi and swordfish are low glycemic index foods and do not contain carbohydrates. They both have a glycemic index of 0.
Insulin Index
While there is no research regarding the insulin index of mahimahi, the insulin index of swordfish is 59.
Acidity
The potential renal acid load (PRAL) is a method for determining the acidity of food. The PRAL values for mahimahi and swordfish are 6 and 11.3, respectively. That shows that swordfish is significantly more acid-forming than mahimahi.
Weight Loss & Diets
As fish is meat, mahimahi and swordfish are not considered vegan or vegetarian. On the other hand, mahimahi and swordfish are allowed in the pescetarian diet, which incorporates fish and seafood.
Due to their low carb, mahimahi and swordfish are good sources for the keto diet.
Mahimahi and swordfish are paleo-friendly.
Whole foods are the main focus of the Mediterranean diet, with fish being the primary source of protein. Mahimahi and swordfish are allowed in the Mediterranean diet.
Health Benefits
Eye Health
According to the study, consumption of DHA, EPA, and seafood may lower the risk of incident age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in women(2).
On the other hand, mahimahi and swordfish contain vitamin A, which has an essential role in the eye system. Acute vitamin A deficiency leads to impaired photoreceptor function and night blindness. Chronic deficiency induces retinal dystrophies and photoreceptor cell death(3).
Cardiovascular Health
Although mahimahi and swordfish provide selenium, swordfish have more.
Recent studies have found that selenium can protect the heart in animals from damage caused by oxidative stress. So it can decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases(4).
Consumption of fatty fish, such as swordfish, may improve cardiovascular function. Omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk of sudden death caused by coronary heart disease(5).
Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids can improve vascular function and lower blood pressure(6).
Downsides and Risks
Mercury's Effect
As mentioned above, swordfish have more mercury content compared to mahimahi. Mercury can cause many health problems, such as issues with the kidneys, immune system, heart, muscles, reproduction, and genetics(7).
A study has found a connection between mercury and diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Autism, Lupus, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, etc(7).
Mercury's impacts on the vascular system include elevated inflammation and oxidative stress. Another mechanism by which mercury damages the cardiovascular system is the inactivation of paraoxonase. Mercury poisoning is associated with hypertension, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, carotid artery blockage, cerebrovascular accidents, and atherosclerosis(8).
Mercury and Pregnancy
Seafood may be a regular part of your healthy eating regimen during pregnancy if you avoid mercury-rich seafood. Mahimahi is a good choice for pregnant women. In contrast, they must avoid swordfish, which is high in mercury(9).
Mercury toxicity is more severe in fetuses and children. Mothers who consume a mercury-containing diet convey the toxin to their fetuses and infants through breast milk(7).
Mercury exposure during pregnancy was consistently related to decreased birth weight. Higher levels of mercury may decrease neuropsychological and developmental test scores(10).
Flushing Syndrome
Mahimahi consumption may cause flushing syndrome. The response generally begins abruptly and is accompanied by a pronounced blush like a sunburn. Headaches occur when a toxin similar to histamine is produced due to bacteria in fish that are not stored properly. The bacteria change histidine, a substance found in dark-meat fishes, into this toxin. Parenteral antihistamine treatment typically relieves symptoms quickly(11).
References
- https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/mercury-levels-commercial-fish-and-shellfish-1990-2012
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3134638/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33774009/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25720716/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21783611/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5295325/
- https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33954792/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/572660/
Infographic
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Cholesterol |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Rich in vitamins |
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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 | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Calories | 172kcal | 109kcal |
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| Protein | 23.45g | 23.72g |
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| Fats | 7.93g | 0.9g |
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| Cholesterol | 78mg | 94mg |
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| Vitamin D | 666IU |
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| Magnesium | 35mg | 38mg |
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| Calcium | 6mg | 19mg |
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| Potassium | 499mg | 533mg |
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| Iron | 0.45mg | 1.45mg |
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| Copper | 0.046mg | 0.053mg |
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| Zinc | 0.78mg | 0.59mg |
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| Phosphorus | 304mg | 183mg |
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| Sodium | 97mg | 113mg |
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| Vitamin A | 129IU | 208IU |
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| Vitamin A | 43µg | 62µg |
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| Vitamin E | 2.41mg |
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| Vitamin D | 16.6µg |
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| Manganese | 0.013mg | 0.019mg |
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| Selenium | 68.5µg | 46.8µg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.089mg | 0.023mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.063mg | 0.085mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 9.254mg | 7.429mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.417mg | 0.865mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.615mg | 0.462mg |
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| Vitamin B12 | 1.62µg | 0.69µg |
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| Vitamin K | 0.1µg |
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| Folate | 2µg | 6µg |
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| Trans Fat | 0.056g |
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| Choline | 77.5mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 1.911g | 0.241g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.544g | 0.155g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.368g | 0.211g |
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| Tryptophan | 0.265mg | 0.266mg |
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| Threonine | 1.035mg | 1.04mg |
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| Isoleucine | 1.088mg | 1.093mg |
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| Leucine | 1.919mg | 1.928mg |
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| Lysine | 2.168mg | 2.178mg |
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| Methionine | 0.699mg | 0.702mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.922mg | 0.926mg |
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| Valine | 1.216mg | 1.222mg |
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| Histidine | 0.695mg | 0.698mg |
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| Omega-3 - EPA | 0.127g | 0.026g |
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| Omega-3 - DHA | 0.772g | 0.113g |
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| Omega-3 - DPA | 0.168g | 0.012g |
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| Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid | 0.022g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet | Equal | |
| Low Glycemic Index diet | Equal | |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Swordfish - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173704/nutrients
- Mahimahi - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171992/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.