Tilapia = Bad?

Any time you question where your food is coming from is a good time, so thanks for asking this question.

I think Americans in particular are too fixated on just getting a cheap protein source, that we oftern don't think/care about where it comes from, how it was produced, or even how it tastes.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I certainly avoid things like farm-raised tilapia and the ubiquitous boneless, skinless chicken breast. I'm not comfortable with how they're generally produced, and combined with their lack of flavor I don't think they're worth including in my regular diet just because they're cheap and convenient.

So - Obviously you're kind of grossed out by how this fish is raised, so that's probably a sign that maybe you can find something to replace it with. Look for something produced closer to home, using methods that make more sense to you, and that you eat because you enjoy it, not because it's an easy fix to your protein needs. Maybe that means paying a little bit more for something that you eat less frequesntly, but it will probably all even out.

Sadly, hubby and I started avoiding talapia after watching the Dirty Jobs episode in which we learned that fish farmers of other species also raise talapia because talapia are poop eaters. Technically, that doesn't make them worse for us but the yuck factor was too much to overcome. We avoid food from China in general because of the problems that country has had with keeping adulterants and poisons out of foods it exports. Chinese electronics? Yes. Chinese food exports? No.

More specifically, farm raised tilipia from China. I've heard it's "dirty", that its raised on poop. POOP. Which makes the fish susceptible to spreading food born diseases.

So, I did some googling, and snopes backs this up with some pretty alarming info.

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/tilapia.asp

Question-- Do you avoid eating farm raised tilapia? More specifically, farm raised tilapia from China? (which accounts for most of the tilapia on the market.)

I don't eat much of it, its bland and tasteless and I much prefer salmon and tuna, but this has just made me feel all icky. :sick:

I only choose fresh caught fish, regardless of the type. As with all foods you eat, organic is best; free-ranged; grass fed, etc. so for me the same holds true of the fish I consume. Lucky for me the Farmer's Market I go to is by the water and a fisherman is there every Sunday with his fresh catch of the night.

He found that most tilapia is raised on corn and he is of the opinion that we have enough corn in our diet.

This seems like dumb logic. If an animal eats something you're not eating what the animal ate. You're eating the animal's tissues.

I think the logic was probably more related to dependency on corn's role in our diet and economy, rather than actually eating corn.

How is eating corn fed tilapia the same as eating corn?

And corn fed chicken, beef....
Whatever...I really am not going to worry about these wild food stories. Everything has a certain amount of poop, body part and such in it. Quit worrying so much!

One of many reasons why I LOVE living in Alaska...

Fresh halibut, salmon, rockfish, cod, crab, shrimp, scallops, clams.....and that is just salt water.

I live near Seattle, so we get a lot of that tasty Alaska seafood! My freezer is full of tasty fish from the Pike Place Fish Market, and its salmon spawning season here!

Any fish monger worth their salt will be able to answer your questions/concerns about where their product came from, whether its farm or wild, fresh or frozen or suggest an alternative. Ask them questions. If they can't answer to your satisfaction, go somewhere else. If you can smell the meat department/fish department as soon as you walk into a store and its that omg fish smell, don't buy their product.

My mom ran a butcher block in the grocery store we both worked at for years. I picked up quite a bit of info, plus we often had awesome seafood dinners!

One of many reasons why I LOVE living in Alaska...

Fresh halibut, salmon, rockfish, cod, crab, shrimp, scallops, clams.....and that is just salt water.

True dat!But there is a new show coming out where the Alaskan women have to go to Florida to find mates...... like are they dragging Florida beach bodies back to Alaska??

I sell fish for a living and I try to stay away from most fish from China. First, it's rarely from China. It's usually caught in other countries, frozen, shipped to China, processed with little or no regulations, then shipped to the US. If you like tilapia ask a local fishmonger in your area for Regal Springs or Marine Harvest. These brands have farms in Central America and there standards are among the highest. Personally, I prefer wild caught fish like grouper, salmon, snapper, tuna, mahi...but I'm a Florida boy and kind of a fish snob. :-) These species are typically more expensive and some may not be found in your local supermarket. If you tell me where you live, I may be able to recommend a local supplier who can help you. Fish is a great source of protein, good fats, omega 3's , etc. Good luck...

Jack

I've heard that if you beer batter and deep fry, it kills the poop....

I didn't realize people didn't know this.

Any time you question where your food is coming from is a good time, so thanks for asking this question.

I think Americans in particular are too fixated on just getting a cheap protein source, that we oftern don't think/care about where it comes from, how it was produced, or even how it tastes.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I certainly avoid things like farm-raised tilapia and the ubiquitous boneless, skinless chicken breast. I'm not comfortable with how they're generally produced, and combined with their lack of flavor I don't think they're worth including in my regular diet just because they're cheap and convenient.

So - Obviously you're kind of grossed out by how this fish is raised, so that's probably a sign that maybe you can find something to replace it with. Look for something produced closer to home, using methods that make more sense to you, and that you eat because you enjoy it, not because it's an easy fix to your protein needs. Maybe that means paying a little bit more for something that you eat less frequesntly, but it will probably all even out.

:frown: <worried....ummm, what is wrong with boneless, skinless chicken? What am I missing?

He found that most tilapia is raised on corn and he is of the opinion that we have enough corn in our diet.

This seems like dumb logic. If an animal eats something you're not eating what the animal ate. You're eating the animal's tissues.

I think the logic was probably more related to dependency on corn's role in our diet and economy, rather than actually eating corn.

That's it exactly. Thank you.

I'm having rice with a side of poopy tilapia for lunch. Yum!

Dinner tonight...White rice, Veggies and Tilapia.....never figured poop into the menu...might rethink that.

Extra nutrients and stuff! No need to rethink!

The fact that you can buy farm-raised tilapia from China in the states is kind of disappointing. They're destructive invasive species here that were decimating fish populations in the southeast, including in the Everglades... a lot of restaurants in tx/fla/SC started serving tilapia specifically to drive up prices so that local fishermen would selectively hunt for them and control populations.

Hug a tree you guys, buy wild-caught tilapia.