Tilapia vs. Rockfish — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Actual Differences

 Rockfish, also known as the Atlantic striped bass, exhibit a silver look with a white belly, whereas tilapia, a freshwater fish from the Cichlidae family, stands out with its deep body that is black, crimson, or gold, with long dorsal fins. 

Tilapia has a mild, non-fishy flavor that is a little bit sweet, whereas rockfish has a buttery, non-fishy flavor that is delicious. 

In contrast to rockfish, which is traditionally eaten steamed, broiled, or roasted, tilapia may be cooked in a variety of ways, including sealing, poaching, steaming, grilling, baking, or smoking. Compared to diverse rockfish species, including Canary Rockfish, Copper Rockfish, and Widow Rockfish, tilapia's silvery look is in stark contrast to their varying shades of silver, greyish blue, or olive green. 

Calories

Rockfish has fewer calories per serving than tilapia. Tilapia has 128 kcal, whereas rockfish has 109 kcal.

Protei

Rockfish are somewhat lower in protein than tilapia. Tilapia has 26.15g of protein per 100g serving, but rockfish only have 22.2g. 

They both provide healthy amounts of vital amino acids. 

Fats

The quantity of fat in tilapia and rockfish per 100g is insignificant. Tilapia has a slightly greater fat content of 2.65g compared to rockfish's 1.62g.

Tilapia has 0.94g of saturated fat, while rockfish has 0.42g. Additionally, compared to rockfish, which has 0.13g and 0.005g of omega-3 fatty acids, respectively, rockfish has greater concentrations of DHA (0.238g) and EPA (0.107g). Tilapia, on the other hand, has more Omega-3 DPA (0.06g). Tilapia has higher monounsaturated fat (0.466g) and polyunsaturated fat (0.485g) than Rockfish (0.955g and 0.6g, respectively) in terms of unsaturated fats. Omega-6 Eicosadienoic acid is also somewhat more abundant in tilapia (0.015g). Omega-3 ALA levels in each fish are comparable, with tilapia having 0.045g.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Tilapia

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.94 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.955 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.6 g

Rockfish

1

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.42 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.466 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.485 g

Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+104.9%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+23.7%

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-55.3%

Vitamins

Tilapia doesn't have any vitamin A content, although rockfish does. Additionally, vitamin D, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6 levels in rockfish are somewhat higher. 

When compared to rockfish, tilapia is higher in vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, and folate.

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.

Tilapia

6

Rockfish

6

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+79.5%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+244.4%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+63.8%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+64.4%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+17%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+24.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+209.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+95.9%
Contains more FolateFolate	+66.7%
Contains more CholineCholine	+53.4%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

Minerals

Rockfish contain a tiny bit more calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium compared to tilapia. 

Tilapia has lower levels of magnesium, zinc, copper, and sodium than rockfish.

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.

Tilapia

4

Rockfish

4

Contains more IronIron	+91.7%
Contains more CopperCopper	+82.9%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-37.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+184.6%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+21.4%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+22.9%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+21.6%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+40.1%

~equal in Magnesium ~33mg

~equal in Zinc ~0.43mg

Glycemic Index

Rockfish and tilapia both have a glycemic index of zero. For more GI values, see our glycemic index chart. 

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Rockfish and tilapia are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for people with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease because these fatty acids may help improve lipid profiles, lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in the blood (1.2.3).

The combination of omega-3 fats and statins (such as Rosuvastatin, Atorvastatin, etc.) has been shown to be a successful and well-tolerated treatment for dyslipidemia. Patients who have had a recent myocardial infarction may also benefit from this combination (4).

Protein hydrolysates obtained from tilapia byproducts, such as skin and frame, exhibited varying levels of in vitro ACE and renin-inhibitory activity, which is important to the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension (5.6). 

Consuming fatty fish twice a week is important for maintaining a healthy heart, and the American Heart Association strongly recommends it. Make sure to include this nutrient-dense food in your diet to help prevent heart disease and promote overall well-being (7).

Downsides and Risk

Tilapia and rockfish are categorized as foods with moderate mercury content. While healthy middle-aged people are not adversely affected by mercury, children, teens, and pregnant women may be (8). It is advised to minimize fish consumption, particularly that of rockfish and tilapia, to prevent mercury poisoning, especially for sensitive groups including children, teenagers, and expectant women.

It is important to be informed that tilapia is regularly farmed using harmful chemicals, which are against the law and is commonly fed animal waste. It might include the potential carcinogen dioxin (9).