Catfish Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, And Side Effects

Catfish (Claria gariepinus) is a freshwater ray-finned fish. It is widely available as subcontract-raised fish. The high levels of omega-three fatty acids contribute to the benefits of catfish. This fish has a unique advent with barbels or whiskers and has naked scales. The omega-3 fats in catfish aid promote cardiovascular health. This article explores the health benefits of catfish, its nutrition facts, possible side effects, and the means you can add together it to your diet. Keep reading.

Catfish Nutrition Facts

According to the USDA, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of fresh catfish provides the following nutrients (1):

Energy	439
Poly peptide	18.5 g
Total lipid (fatty)	2.85 k
Carbohydrate	0 one thousand
Cobweb, total dietary	0 yard
Calcium	xi mg
Atomic number 26	0.35 mg
Magnesium	28 mg
Phosphorus	304 mg
Potassium	419 mg
Sodium	50 mg
Selenium	xiv.three µg
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	1.1 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	0.636 chiliad

Besides being depression in sodium and calories, catfish is a good source of good for you fats, protein, important vitamins, and minerals.

Going ahead, let's take a look at the number of health benefits associated with catfish.

Wellness Benefits Of Catfish

•  Contains Health-boosting Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fat acids are known for their potential role in maintaining cardiovascular health and helping proper brain functioning. Research has suggested regular intake of omega-3 helps improve signs of low as well (ii). A study on 23 individuals reported a 7% decrease in all-crusade bloodshed with a regular consumption increase of 0.2g of omega-3 fatty acids (three). Catfish have white mankind and are relatively lean with a small amount of fat content. Fifty-fifty and then, one cooked fillet of catfish tin can provide you with 600 mg of omega-three fatty acids (i). While other oily fish varieties might contain higher amounts of omega-3, this yet is a reasonable amount to include in your diet. The omega-3 in catfish is in the nearly bioavailable forms of EPA and DHA, and that means these go easily absorbed past our organization.

•  Has Minimum Mercury Contagion

Mercury contamination of fish and seafood has recently been of a lot of concern (iv). Mercury is known to build up hands in the body and can cause neurotoxicity and developmental issues in children (5). While large fishes like swordfish, sharks, and tuna are commonly known to have more concentrations of mercury, the catfish fares significantly well in this regard. As per an FDA research between the years 1990-2012, catfish only contains 0.024 PPM (mean average mercury content) (6). Catfish is actually even better than the pop "low-mercury" options in fish like mackerel and herring.

•  Dense In Musculus-edifice Protein

Poly peptide is important for building and maintaining lean musculus mass. It is also a "building cake" responsible for the product of enzymes and hormones that affect every role of our body (vii). Catfish is extremely poly peptide-dense. 100 grams of catfish tin can offer you 18.5 grams of poly peptide for just 105 calories (1).

•  Rich In Vital B Vitamins

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin, and information technology plays a crucial office in red claret cell formation, brain health, and Deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis (eight). Sure population groups, like pregnant women, infants, and the elderly, are more prone to a B12 deficiency (ix). One fillet serving of catfish can provide you with 69% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin B12. Supplementing your diet with catfish can potentially aid balance out any deficiencies.

Now that we have seen the various catfish benefits, let's see if these beneficial nutrients remain the same for both the farmed-raised and the wild catfish.

Wild-caught Vs Farm-raised Catfish

Catfish is bachelor all over the world and is usually establish as farm-raised catfish or wild-caught ones. While both these forms of catfish offer united states the above health benefits, they have some nutritional differences.

Catfish found in the wild are bottom feeders which means that they survive on algae, aquatic plants, fish eggs, and other fish found at the lesser of their h2o habitat. Subcontract-raised catfish on the other hand are fortified with additional feed that'south loftier in fatty acids, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics (10), (11).

These dietary differences can pb to meaning differences in the nutrition value of a farm-raised catfish vs a wildly caught one.

A report comparing the nutrient profiles of wild and subcontract-raised African catfish establish that the wild variety had more than protein, cobweb, fat, and overall calories than the farm-raised ones (12). Some other report on the Indian butter catfish reported that farm-raised fish had higher fat and iron content while the wild fish had higher levels of most other minerals (xiii).

Having seen the differences betwixt the farmed and wild varieties of catfish, let's further see how the catfish differs from some other commonly consumed fish, the tilapia.

Tilapia Vs Catfish – Basic Differences

iStock

Catfish and tilapia are very common fish plant and farmed worldwide. Y'all can distinguish tilapia vs catfish from the pointers in the table:

Catfish	Tilapia
Has a potent fishy season	Is milder in taste
Is richer in omega-3 fatty acids	Has a picayune amount of omega-3 fat acids
Catfish need to be supplemented with Vitamin E	Tilapia has considerably more Vitamin Due east
Scaleless, cylindrically shaped torso with a flattened underbelly, and characteristic whisker-like barbels.	Laterally compressed, oval body with a long dorsal fin and proportional features, without any distinctly unusual physical features.
Catfish feed on annihilation in the h2o like insects, eggs, larvae, plants, smaller fish, including Tilapia	Tilapia feeds on algae and aquatic plants

Now that we know the basic differences of tilapia vs catfish, let's further sympathise if in that location are whatsoever side furnishings of including catfish in your nutrition.

Possible Side Furnishings And Allergies Of Catfish

•  Contaminants In Catfish

Fish and seafood can hands absorb toxins and harmful trace metals from their habitat waters. Upon eating, these contaminants can move into your organization resulting in potential toxicities.

Mercury is one such risky heavy metal that is found in most fish (fourteen). It increases the potential risks of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer'due south and Autism (15), (16). Catfish, with 0.024 ppm (mercury concentration hateful) has the everyman mercury concentration amongst most fish making it preferably safer to consume in comparison (6). Nevertheless, ane should be careful of its source, farming methods and avoid excess intake to avert the possible intoxication from mercury.

•  Catfish Allergy

In 2008, catfish production exceeded that of salmon and led a group of scientists to compare the potential allergens (proteins in the fish that bind to human Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies) in catfish and salmon. This particular study conducted on 77 children with fish allergies, reported more than IgE-binding allergens in catfish than salmon (17). When you are exposed to potential allergens, your allowed system produces IgE antibodies in response. These then release chemicals, causing an allergic reaction.

Though catfish allergies are still non widely heard of, yous should avoid excess intake and exist careful of whatever symptoms of an allergic reaction afterward consumption, pare contact, or inhalation of catfish fumes while cooking.

Talking of cooking, let's apace run into some of the best cooking methods for catfish.

All-time Cooking Methods For Catfish

Frying is a common and traditional method for cooking catfish. However, you can choose to grill, broil or bake the catfish too to keep the fat intake in check. Permit'due south run across how the unlike ways of cooking affect the major nutrient intake from a single iii.5oz (100g) serving of catfish (eighteen), (19), (20).

	Dry Heat Without Oil	Broiled Or Broiled With Oil	Breaded And Fried
Calories	105	179	229
Fat	2.9 grams	11 grams	xiii.iii grams
Sodium	fifty mg	433 mg	280 mg

As seen from the higher up comparison, cooking with dry rut is the healthiest fashion to prepare catfish. Otherwise, you can opt for monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils like canola or olive oil and depression-sodium seasonings for the healthier preparation of catfish. You can pair the catfish grooming equally a side dish with brown rice or couscous, some steamed vegetables, and salad to go far a wholesome nutritious meal. Hither are a few recipes for you to try out:

Pop Recipes With Catfish

•  Lime Broiled Catfish

Shutterstock

Ingredients

•  Butter -ane tablespoon
•  lime juice – 2 tablespoons
•  Common salt (optional) -½ teaspoon
•  Pepper – 1/4 teaspoon
•  Garlic pulverisation – 1/iv teaspoon
•  Catfish fillets (vi ounces each) – ii
•  Lime slices or wedges, optional
•  Fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1.  Melt butter in a minor bucket.
2.  Stir in the lime juice, pepper, garlic pulverization, and salt if desired.
3.  Remove from oestrus and set aside.
4.  Place the catfish fillets in a shallow blistering pan.
5.  Brush each fillet generously with the lime-butter sauce.
6.  Bake for 5-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
7.  Remove to a warm serving dish.
8.  Spoon the pan juices over each fillet.
9.  Garnish with lime slices and parsley if desired.

•  Cornmeal Catfish

Shutterstock

Ingredients

•  Cornmeal – ¼ cup
•  Seafood seasoning – one teaspoon
•  Catfish fillets (half dozen ounces each) – four
•  Canola oil – 3 tablespoons
•  Tomato plant (medium, chopped) -1

Instructions

1.  Accept cornmeal and seafood seasoning in a shallow basin and mix.
2.  Oat the catfish in the cornmeal mixture and shake off excess.
3.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium oestrus.
4.  Add the catfish in batches.
5.  Cook for 4-five minutes on either side or until the fish flakes hands with a fork.
6.  Top with chopped tomato plant, and serve.

To Sum Upwards

Catfish are found worldwide. They are low in calories with a fair amount of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12. They make for a expert source of lean protein and can be a healthy addition to any meal when cooked right. Y'all tin can reap the many benefits of catfish nutrition without worrying too much about mercury contamination besides. If y'all like having fish, catfish is a good choice to include in your meals overall.

Sources

Manufactures on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

1. Fish catfish aqueduct wild cooked dry heat
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2. Dietary due north-3 PUFA fish consumption and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27544316/
3. Fish long chain omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids consumption and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-assay from 23 independent prospective cohort studies
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4. Environmental Mercury and Its Toxic Effects
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7. Protein Construction and Function
   https://world wide web.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21177/
8. Vitamin B12 in Health and Disease
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3257642/#:~:text=Vitamin%20B12%20is%20essential
9. Epidemiology of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
   https://www.intechopen.com/books/epidemiology-of-communicable-and-non-catching-diseases-attributes-of-lifestyle-and-nature-on-humankind/epidemiology-of-vitamin-b12-deficiency
10. Diet and health of aquaculture fish
    https://world wide web.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22233511
11. Δ6-fat acid desaturase and fatty acid elongase mRNA expression phagocytic action and weight-to-length relationships in aqueduct catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fed alternative diets with soy oil and a probiotic
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26400353
12. COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF WILD CAUGHT AND POND REARED AFRICAN CATFISH CLARIAS GARIEPINUS
    http://oaji.net/articles/2017/491-1503315672.pdf
13. Comparative study of seasonal variation in proximate composition and nutritional quality of farmed and wild Indian butter catfish (Ompok bimaculatus) in Tripura India
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322020300_Comparative_study_of_seasonal_variation_in_proximate_composition_and_nutritional_quality_of_farmed_and_wild_Indian_butter_catfish_Ompok_bimaculatus_in_Tripura_India
14. Fish and fish products as take a chance factors of mercury exposure
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15. Insights into the Potential Role of Mercury in Alzheimer\'s Disease
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30877448/
16. The relationship betwixt mercury and autism: A comprehensive review and discussion
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27473827/
17. Expanding the allergen repertoire of salmon and catfish
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32860256/
18. Fish catfish channel wild cooked dry out heat
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19. Catfish baked or broiled fabricated with oil
    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/nutrient-details/1098783/nutrients
20. Fish catfish channel cooked breaded and fried
    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174187/nutrients

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Varsha holds a principal'south degree in biotechnology and is a certified diet and nutrition coach. She combines her scientific knowledge... more

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