Touted as a cheap "health food" by many, this invasive fish species is found more and more on the dinner tables of America, and in our restaurants. Today's NYT carried an article on tilapia farming in Central America. Seems the health claims are a bit far fetched.
The fish when farmed are fed soymeal and corn pellets, generally industrially raised, which means lots of herbicides and pesticides, or genetically modified seed. If they were allowed to eat the algae and other plants from the ponds and lakes where they are found as native species, they may contain some healthful levels of omega 3's, but fed pellets, no. Then, they dump huge quantities of waste into the waters, which, unless collected for fertilizer, eventually destroys the lake. Finally, they are shipped fresh by jet to the U.S., often arriving within 12 hours of swimming around in their pond. Hard to justify using jet fuel, producing CO2, for this.
It does however provide jobs for locals who otherwise might emigrate to the U.S.
Ned's overall take: if you can find tilapia raised in the U.S., it's a decent substitute for chicken.
Otherwise, stay with the salmon, and Ned recommends the canned variety from Alaska, which is wild caught, and you can get it with no salt added. This stuff is loaded with omega 3's and is good for you, but don't overdo it.
Ned had a recipe in an earlier post.
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