Salmon and tilapia: same protein, very different fat

Cooked salmon hands over its omega-3 about as well as a capsule does. In a two-week randomized trial in 32 healthy adults aged 20 to 65, DHA from assayed cooked salmon raised DHA in plasma phospholipids by about 80 percent and in red cells by about 25 percent, the same as algal-oil capsules, in a short open-label study. Tilapia has very little of that DHA to hand over. Across 8 USDA samples of each raw farmed fillet, salmon carried 0.585 g DHA and 0.318 g EPA per 3.5 oz (100 g) and tilapia 0.027 g and 0.001 g, and these were US retail samples whose salmon omega-3 depends on what the fish were fed. Protein is close, 20.3 g against 19.0 g per 3.5 oz (100 g). Fat is not, with 13.1 g in salmon and 2.5 g in tilapia, though tilapia samples ranged from 1.4 to 3.7 g. In a meal test on 13 healthy women, an intact salmon fillet raised plasma EPA and DHA over 6 hours more than the other test meals did, and the abstract gives no size for the difference.

How much is actually in it

• Raw farmed Atlantic salmon carried about 0.32 g EPA and 0.59 g DHA per 3.5 oz (100 g), while raw farmed tilapia carried 0.001 g EPA and 0.027 g DHA. — Raw fillets, USDA Foundation Foods, 8 analytical samples per fish (n = 8 + 8) Evidence E source
  Salmon EPA 0.318 g (0.228-0.43), DHA 0.585 g (0.488-0.739) vs tilapia EPA 0.001 g (0.001-0.003), DHA 0.027 g (0.012-0.038) per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• Raw farmed Atlantic salmon averaged 13.1 g fat and 20.3 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), while raw farmed tilapia averaged 2.5 g fat and 19.0 g protein, so protein is similar and fat differs about fivefold. — Raw fillets, USDA Foundation Foods, 8 analytical samples per fish (n = 8 + 8) Evidence E source
  Fat 13.11 g (10.44-16.04) vs 2.479 g (1.41-3.74); protein 20.3 g vs 19.0 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• The UK CoFID table gives raw tilapia 85 calories, 1.5 g fat and 17.8 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), and baked farmed salmon 232 calories, 14.6 g fat and 3.10 g omega-3 fat per 3.5 oz (100 g). — UK composition table entries, tilapia raw and farmed salmon flesh baked Evidence E source
  Tilapia 85 calories, fat 1.5 g vs salmon baked 232 calories, fat 14.6 g, n-3 3.10 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What a real portion looks like

• In US survey portions a regular grilled salmon fillet is counted as 140 g and a regular baked tilapia fillet as 90 g. — US household measures, FNDDS Evidence E source
  Salmon fillet 140 g (large 210 g) vs tilapia fillet 90 g (large 135 g)

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover trial in 13 healthy women, intact salmon raised plasma EPA and DHA more over 6 hours than the same salmon minced or defatted with the oil added back. — healthy females, n = 13, single meals, 6 h postprandial (n = 13) Evidence B source
  Plasma EPA and DHA significantly higher after intact salmon, p < 0.001
• In a 2-week randomized trial in 32 adults, DHA from assayed cooked salmon or algal-oil capsules raised plasma phospholipid DHA by about 80% and red cell DHA by about 25% in both groups. — 32 healthy men and women aged 20 to 65, 2 weeks (n = 32) Evidence B source
  DHA +80% plasma phospholipids, +25% erythrocytes, similar in both arms
• In a crossover trial in 21 young women with low iron stores, adding sous vide salmon to a high-phytate bean meal significantly increased non-heme iron absorption. — 21 young women with ferritin below 30 microg/L, single test meals (n = 21) Evidence B source
  Iron absorption increased, p < 0.001; absolute size not in abstract

What cooking and storage change

• By the USDA retention table, baking fish without drippings keeps 85% of vitamin B12 in fish above 5% fat such as salmon and 90% in fish below 5% fat such as tilapia, with minerals kept in full. — USDA R6 group Finfish and Shellfish Products, codes 2451 and 2301 Evidence E source
  B12 85% vs 90%; B6 and folate 90%; calcium, iron, zinc, potassium 100%

What it does to your health

• In an 8-week randomized trial in 38 young women with excess weight, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked farmed salmon a week lowered LDL by 8.2 mg/dL while it rose 9.5 mg/dL in controls, with no difference in final lipid levels. — 38 pair-matched women aged 18 to 30 with BMI 25 or more, 8 weeks (n = 38) Evidence B source
  LDL change -8.2 +/- 20.7 vs +9.5 +/- 20.0 mg/dL, p = 0.011
• In a 16-week randomized trial in 205 children aged 4 to 6, salmon meals three times a week did not change scale scores of IQ or fine-motor tests compared with meat. — 205 preschool children aged 4 to 6, 16 weeks (n = 205) Evidence B source
  No difference in WPPSI-III scale scores; 2 of 8 raw scores better (p = 0.038, 0.047)

Safety, limits and interactions

• In a trial in 123 pregnant women, two 5.3 oz (150 g) portions of farmed salmon a week from week 20 led to higher total essential amino acids at week 38 without changing cord blood levels. — 123 pregnant women, week 20 to delivery (61 control, 62 salmon) (n = 123) Evidence B source
  Total essential AA higher at w38, p < 0.05; cord plasma similar, p > 0.05
• A systematic review of 18 studies found mercury in farmed fish, with tilapia among the most studied species, was low, though values in Korea and Pakistan suggested possible risk. — 18 articles on 50 farmed fish species from 7 countries (n = 18) Evidence C source
  Mercury low overall; India within tolerable limits, Korea and Pakistan high
• The FDA and EPA list both salmon and tilapia as Best Choices and advise 2 to 3 servings of 4 ounces a week during pregnancy and breastfeeding. — people who are or might become pregnant or are breastfeeding Evidence E source
  Best Choices, 2 to 3 servings of 4 oz a week

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU rejected the claim that a salmon oil product supports normal blood cholesterol, and the register holds no claim for tilapia. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, snapshot 2026-09-21 Evidence E source
  Status Non-authorized

What is still unknown

• In an 8-week autumn trial in 120 young women, salmon products giving about 5 micrograms of vitamin D a day did not stop blood vitamin D falling, though salmon sausage slowed the drop to 4.3 versus 15.0 nmol/L. — 120 non-obese women aged 20 to 25, Poland, autumn, 8 weeks (n = 120) Evidence B source
  25(OH)D change -4.3 vs -15.0 nmol/L (salmon sausage vs control), p < 0.05; smoked salmon not different

The bottom line

A regular fillet in US survey data weighs 4.9 oz (140 g) for grilled salmon and 90 g for baked tilapia, so a salmon portion is half again bigger before the fat gap even starts. UK tables put baked farmed salmon at 232 calories and 14.6 g fat per 3.5 oz (100 g) and raw tilapia at 85 calories and 1.5 g, and since one is cooked and one is raw, read those energies side by side with care. USDA retention factors for baking, set for whole fish groups in 1975 and never measured on these two species, keep 85 percent of vitamin B12 in fattier fish and 90 percent in lean fish. Those tables have no factor for omega-3 or vitamin D. The health trials are all on salmon and all small. In 38 women aged 18 to 30 with a BMI of 25 or more, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked salmon a week for 8 weeks moved LDL down by 8.2 mg/dL while it rose 9.5 mg/dL in controls (p = 0.011). The spread around both numbers was wide, and the levels the two groups ended on did not differ. In 205 children aged 4 to 6, salmon meals three times a week for 16 weeks gave no significant difference from meat meals in IQ scale scores or a fine-motor test. Adding fish to a high-phytate bean meal raised iron absorption in 21 young women with low iron stores (p < 0.001), after one meal, and tilapia was not tested. Vitamin D is still an open question. Over an 8-week Polish autumn, blood vitamin D fell in all 120 young women studied, by 4.3 nmol/L with salmon sausage against 15.0 in controls, while smoked salmon made no significant difference, and the authors could not fully explain why. The EU rejected a cholesterol claim for a salmon oil capsule, which says nothing about the fish itself. Who should be careful. The FDA and EPA put both salmon and tilapia among Best Choices for people who are or might become pregnant or are breastfeeding, at 2 to 3 servings of 4 ounces a week, advice that rests on mercury. In 123 pregnant women, two 5.3 oz (150 g) portions of farmed salmon a week from week 20 raised total essential amino acids by week 38, a blood marker and no more. A review of 18 studies of farmed fish, with tilapia among the most studied, found mercury values low, measured in fish and not in people. We have no card on fish allergy or on drug interactions for either fish.

Sources

1. slt-r2-01 · composition data
   Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw: PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) 0.318 G, range 0.228-0.43, samples 8; PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) 0.585 G, range 0.488-0.739, samples 8 · Fish, tilapia, farm raised, raw: PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) 0.001 G, range 0.001-0.003, samples 8; PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) 0.027 G, range 0.012-0.038, samples 8
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-10-02
2. slt-r2-02 · composition data
   Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw: Total lipid (fat) 13.11 G, range 10.44-16.04, samples 8; Protein 20.31875 G · Fish, tilapia, farm raised, raw: Total lipid (fat) 2.479 G, range 1.41-3.74, samples 8; Protein 19.0 G
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-10-02
3. slt-r2-03 · composition data
   16-154 Tilapia, raw: Energy (kcal) 85, Fat (g) 1.5, Protein (g) 17.8 · 16-359 Salmon, farmed, flesh only, baked: Energy (kcal) 232, Fat (g) 14.6, Protein (g) 25.2, n-3 poly /100g food (g) 3.10
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England / OGL v3.0, codes 16-154 and 16-359 · checked 2026-10-02
4. slt-r2-08 · dataset
   FNDDS 26137123 Fish, salmon, grilled (fdc 2706287): 1 small/regular fillet 140 g, 1 large fillet 210 g · FNDDS 26158010 Fish, tilapia, baked or broiled (fdc 2706319): 1 small/regular fillet 90 g, 1 large fillet 135 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food codes 26137123 and 26158010 · checked 2026-10-02
5. slt-r2-04 · RCT (crossover)
   Healthy female participants (n = 13) consumed the meals in a postprandial crossover study and blood was collected at regular time points for 6 h post meal consumption. ... Results: showed that plasma concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were significantly higher after participants consumed intact salmon compared to the other meals (covariate analysis p < 0.001).
   Food Funct, 2021 · checked 2026-10-02
6. slt-r2-05 · RCT
   We compared the nutritional availability of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from algal-oil capsules to that from assayed cooked salmon in 32 healthy men and women, ages 20 to 65 years, in a randomized, open-label, parallel-group study. ... DHA levels increased by approximately 80% in plasma phospholipids and by approximately 25% in erythrocytes in both groups.
   J Am Diet Assoc, 2008 · checked 2026-10-02
7. slt-r2-06 · RCT (crossover)
   Randomized crossover trial in 21 young women with low iron stores (ferritin < 30 microg/L). ... RESULTS: The addition of fish to the bean meal significantly increased (p < 0.001) iron absorption.
   J Am Coll Nutr, 2008 · checked 2026-10-02
8. slt-r2-07 · dataset
   USDA-RETN-R6:2451 FINFISH,>5%FAT,BAKED,WO/DRIPPINGS: vitamin_b12_ug 85%, vitamin_b6_mg 90%, folate_total_ug 90%, zinc_mg 100% · USDA-RETN-R6:2301 FINFISH,<5%FAT,BAKED,WO/DRIPPINGS: vitamin_b12_ug 90%, vitamin_b6_mg 90%, folate_total_ug 90%, zinc_mg 100%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007) · checked 2026-10-02
9. slt-r2-09 · RCT
   The 8-week intervention involved 38 pair-matched women aged 18-30 years with excessive body weight defined as BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (200 g of smoked salmon weekly) or the control group. ... However, differences in the change of the LDL concentration were noted, with a decrease of 8.2 ± 20.7 mg/dL in the intervention group compared to an increase of 9.5 ± 20.0 mg/dL in the control group (p = 0.011)
   Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02
10. slt-r2-11 · RCT
    Children (n = 205, age 4-6 years) in this trial were individually randomized to eating meals containing farmed Atlantic salmon or meat three times weekly for 16 weeks. ... In general linear models no significant differences between the intervention groups were found in the scale scores of the WPPSI-III tests and the 9-HPT.
    Clin Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-10-02
11. slt-r2-12 · RCT
    Pregnant women were randomly allocated to remain on their habitual diet (n = 61; control group) or to consume two 150 g farmed salmon portions per week from 20 weeks pregnancy until birth (n = 62; salmon group). ... Total essential AA concentrations were similar in both groups at w20, but at w38 were higher in salmon group (p < 0.05).
    Clin Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-10-02
12. slt-r2-13 · systematic review (observational data)
    In total, 18 articles are eligible for this review. ... Fifty species from farmed fish were evaluated worldwide, and Ctenopharyngodon idella Glass carp, Oreochromis niloticus Tilapia, and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (synonym of Aristichthys nobilis) Bighead carp have registered the highest frequency. The mercury values found in fish from the production system were low.
    Biol Trace Elem Res, 2025 · checked 2026-10-02
13. slt-r2-14 · agency guidance
    As an adult who is or might become pregnant or is breastfeeding, you should eat 2 to 3 servings a week of fish in the "Best Choices" category, based on a serving size of four ounces, in the context of a total healthy diet. ... these fish are anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, mullet, oysters, plaice, pollock, salmon, sardines, scallops, shad, shrimp, sole, squid, tilapia, trout, and whiting.
    FDA/EPA, Questions and Answers on Advice about Eating Fish · checked 2026-10-02
14. slt-r2-15 · regulatory register
    POL-HC-7853 Pure salmon oil 500 mg. D alpha tocopherol10 mg.-cps Supports the normal level of blood cholesterol. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7853, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-02
15. slt-r2-10 · RCT
    The 8-week intervention involved 120 non-obese women, aged 20-25 years. ... While all groups experienced a decrease in 25(OH)D serum concentrations, the decrease was significantly smaller in the salmon sausage group compared to the control group (-4.3 vs. -15.0 nmol/L, p < 0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the smoked salmon and control group after 8 weeks (p > 0.05).
    Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02