Carp vs. Catfish — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Taste and Use

Catfish tends to have a milder and softer taste, while carp has a somewhat fishier flavor. This is especially true if we compare farm-raised catfish to wild-caught carp. Despite the similar fat content, carp also tends to have a slightly softer and oilier texture compared to the firm and flaky texture of catfish.

Catfish is usually easy to cook, whereas carp requires deboning, which can be time-consuming due to its small bones.

Catfish is more popular in North American cuisine, whereas carp is a lot more widely used in Eastern Europe and Asia.

Macronutrients and Calories

Carp tends to be overall denser in nutrients, being composed of 30% nutrients and 70% water, while catfish is made up of 25% nutrients and 75% water.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Carp

2

Protein: 22.86 g

Fats: 7.17 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 69.63 g

Other: 0.34 g

Catfish

2

Protein: 18.44 g

Fats: 7.19 g

Carbs: 0 g

Water: 74.65 g

Other: 0 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+24%
Contains more OtherOther	+-221.4%

~equal in Fats ~7.19g

~equal in Carbs ~0g

~equal in Water ~74.65g

Fats

Being white fish, carp and catfish are not very high in fats, containing nearly the same amount, 7g per 100g serving.

That being said, their fat compositions are different. Carp is higher in polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, while catfish contains more saturated and monounsaturated fats. Carp is also higher in cholesterol.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Carp

2

Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 1.388 g

Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 2.985 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.835 g

Catfish

1

Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 1.586 g

Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.115 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 1.354 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat	-12.5%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+35.5%

~equal in Monounsaturated fat ~3.115g

Vitamins

Carp has a somewhat more favorable vitamin profile than catfish. It is 10 times richer in vitamin A and 6 times richer in vitamin B1. Carp provides more vitamin B6 and folate or vitamin B9, and it is a source of vitamin C, which catfish lacks entirely.

On the other hand, catfish is a better source of vitamins B12, B2, and B3. 

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.

Carp

5

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g1 fillet - 170g

Catfish

7

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g1 fillet - 143g

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+900%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+483.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+23.7%
Contains more FolateFolate	+41.7%

Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+42.9%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+21.3%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+89.1%

~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0.811mg

Minerals 

Carp wins in the mineral category hands down, being richer in nearly all minerals. In particular, carp contains 6 times more calcium and iron, 3 times more zinc and manganese, approximately twice as much phosphorus and copper, and is overall higher in magnesium, selenium, and potassium.

Carp also tends to be naturally a little saltier.

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.

Carp

10

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g1 fillet - 170g

Catfish

0

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g1 fillet - 143g

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+65.2%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+477.8%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+16.7%
Contains more IronIron	+467.9%
Contains more CopperCopper	+87.2%
Contains more ZincZinc	+227.6%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+115%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-47.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+177.8%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+63.6%

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index value of foods with no carbohydrates, such as catfish and carp, is considered to be 0.

Insulin Index

The insulin index is useful for foods with no carbohydrates, as it helps us understand how the given food affects our insulin levels. The insulin index value of carp and catfish can be considered 59, which is the same as that of white fish (1).

Cardiovascular Health

One high-quality systematic review found that consuming non-fried fish is associated with a decreased overall risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. In contrast, the consumption of fried fish has been associated with an increased risk (2).

One study found that consuming carp with an elevated omega-3 fatty acid content leads to improved blood lipid levels in individuals who have undergone heart surgery (3).

Another study found that consuming two portions of fish per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease outcomes by 10%, while eating a full portion of fish daily can reduce this risk by approximately 30% (4).

Diabetes

Catfish and carp have very low glycemic index and medium insulin index values.

Research has found that both white and fatty fish intake are inversely associated with diabetes risk. However, this association was not significant after adjusting for obesity factors (5).

Another study found that fatty fish was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but not white fish, such as carp and catfish (6).

Mercury Content

According to the FDA, catfish is lower in mercury than carp. Catfish falls under the category of the “Best Choices” of fish to have in regards to mercury content, while carp falls in the “Good Choices” category (7).

During pregnancy and lactation, it is recommended to consume 2 to 3 four-ounce portions of catfish per week, taking into consideration the mercury content. It is advised to serve carp only once per week.