The Tilapia is a fresh or brackish water fish that is indigenous to Africa and the Mediterranean region and is known to have been farm raised as far back as ancient Egypt.

Tilapia belong to a family of fish called Cichlids and those of us that are aquarium enthusiasts will recognize their close relatives, Angel Fish, Oscars and Jack Dempseys.

 

The major reasons for this fish's popularity are its un-fishy, mild flavor and affordable price. Tilapia is considered sustainable thanks to its herbivore eating habits, dining on plankton, algae and other vegetable matter. As a result, Tilapia does not accumulate pollutants and other toxins in their bodies. On fish farms Tilapia are fed mostly on grain and are also prone to be toxin free. Tilapia is rapidly becoming the most popular food fish in the United States: with the National Marine Fisheries Service ranking it the fifth most consumed seafood. In fact American's annual consumption of Tilapia has overtaken many species including Trout as most important seafood product.