Its low cost and mild flavor made tilapia the fourth most consumed fish in the United States in 2010, according to Seafood Health Facts. Like many fish, tilapia is a source of the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. These fatty acids provide anti-inflammatory benefits that may help relieve symptoms of arthritis. However, the fatty acid components in tilapia have been questioned.
Arthritis
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that can be impacted by nutrients that influence the inflammatory process. Two of the most important nutrients are the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Studies have shown that fish oil supplements containing omega-3 decreased joint pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the amount of omega-3 you consume in relation to omega-6 makes a difference.
Essential Fatty Acids
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids lower your risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease. Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, is the essential omega-3 fatty acid. Linoleic acid, or LA, is the most essential omega-6 fatty acid. There are more than 10 types of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids produced from ALA and LA. All of the omega-3s are anti-inflammatory agents. Some of the omega-6 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, but others are pro-inflammatory. The most well-known inflammatory omega-6 is arachidonic acid. Sometimes inflammation serves a purpose, like when damaged tissue is healed, but arthritis can be negatively impacted if too much arachidonic acid is in your system.
Tilapia Controversy
The controversy about tilapia began in 2008, when researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center reported that the fish contained 11 times more omega-6 than omega-3, which means the unhealthy inflammatory fatty acids might overpower the anti-inflammatory ones. The researchers expressed concern that eating fish is encouraged as a way to obtain omega-3, yet people relying on tilapia may not get the nutrients they think they’re eating.
Ratios
The typical Western diet has a ratio of 15-to-1, meaning that we eat 15 times more omega-6 than omega-3. This is because omega-6 is found in commonly used vegetable oils. A better balance is important because your system doesn’t need so much pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid, and also because the omega-3 fatty acids stop it from becoming inflammatory. A study published in the June 2008 issue of “Experimental Biology and Medicine” reported that a ratio of 2-to1 to 3-to-1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and that a ratio of 10-to-1, where people ate 10 times more omega-6 than omega-3, had adverse consequences. A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 increases the risk of inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension recommends balancing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intake with a ratio of 4 parts omega-6 to 1 part omega-3.
Fatty Acids in Tilapia
The problem with determining fatty acids in tilapia is that the amounts vary depending on the feed used. The USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory reports that a 100 gram portion of raw tilapia has 0.22 grams of omega-6 and 0.17 grams of omega-3. That’s a ratio of about 1.3 parts of omega-6 to 1 part of omega-3. Another source of information, Nutrition Value, reports 0.253 grams of omega-6 to 0.223 grams of omega-3 to in a 100 gram portion of tilapia. That’s nearly a 1-to-1 ratio. Both sources show an acceptable ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in tilapia.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق