Fish is considered a healthy source of protein because it’s lean, easy to digest, and filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and other important minerals.However, the dark side of the story is that about 50% of the fish we eat are factory farmed, and tilapia takes a fair share of that percentage. According to Seafood Health Facts, it was the fourth most consumed fish in the United States in 2017.Not surprisingly, tilapia is also one of the cheapest kinds of fish on the market. Which also might make you wonder — could something so cheap actually be healthy?What Is Tilapia?Tilapia is a tropical fish and a member of the Cichlid family. This fish is native to Africa and the Middle East, though most of the tilapia you find in the stores originate from fish farms. In fact, over 135 countries have tilapia farms, with China leading the pack (and supplying directly to the U.S.)Many people enjoy eating tilapia because it’s such a mild-tasting white fish. It’s easy to cook and works great in tacos and other easy recipes.Tilapia is an easy fish to farm as it eats a cheap diet, grows quickly, and is exceptionally hardy. Unfortunately, this makes tilapia an easy fish to farm with poor practices.Why Tilapia Is FarmedIt’s amazing how adaptable the tilapia fish can be. It can tolerate varying concentrations of salt, and high concentration of pesticides, medication residues, and fertilizers. Such conditions typically cause an overgrowth of algae, which significantly reduces the amount of oxygen in the water. This is often a problem for other fish, but tilapia can survive those harsher conditions.Tilapia feeds mostly on algae and marine planktons, although it can eat nearly anything, including corn and soy. This could be a problem, as their diet could easily contain GMOs or pesticides.Since it is a tropical freshwater fish, tilapia cannot survive in cold water. Therefore, the majority of tilapia consumed in the U.S. is farmed in Asia.The Dangers of Tilapia FarmingChina is the largest exporter of farmed fish, which is a problem due to water pollution. These farms also make ample use of pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals to keep fish alive and maximize profit.Unfortunately, the FDA doesn’t do too much to make sure the tilapia is safe. They only sample about 1-2% of imported seafood to screen for illegal chemicals that are banned in the United States. Among the fish shipments tested, the rejection rate for
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