Can Babies Eat Tilapia?

Tilapia is the common name used for many freshwater fish living in shallow streams, pond, rivers and lakes. Tilapia played an important role in Egyptian art and in hieroglyphs, being the symbol of rebirth, and it was thought to protect the sun god in his daily routine of crossing the sky.

Tilapia is the fourth most eaten fish in the USA, because it has a low price, it can be easily prepared and has a mild taste. Tilapia is a fast-growing, lean and short-lived fish. Tilapia has mostly a vegetarian diet, eating typically algae and other plants, so it does not accumulate mercury found in prey. Tilapia is usually sold as skinless and boneless fillets.

Is Tilapia Healthy For Babies?

Tilapia is low in mercury, but high in protein and packed with vitamins B12, B3 and D and selenium. Vitamin B12 supports a healthy blood and nervous system. The protein and the essential nutrients are important for the growth of your baby. Unlike other fish, tilapia has low levels of omega-3 fatty acids, but being low in mercury, it is recommended not only for adults, but it can be safely eaten by pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding and by babies too. Tilapia can cause allergic reactions and can also represent a choking hazard for babies, because of the fish bones. Tilapia can be introduced into a baby’s diet from the age of 6 months old, when he starts eating solid food.

Tilapia & Vegetable Curry

Ingredients: 0.5 kg tilapia fillets, cut into chunks, 1 tsp turmeric, piece of 2.5cm of fresh ginger, peeled and grated, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, ¾ cup of coconut milk, 1 chopped onion, 2 medium potatoes and ½ small butternut squash, both ingredients cut into bite-size pieces, a little oil, 1 ¼ cups of homemade vegetable stock, cooked rice.

Heat the oil in a medium frying pan, add the onions and cook until they get tender. Stir in the grated ginger, turmeric, cumin and coriander and keep on cooking for a few minutes. Add the potato and butternut squash pieces and stir well. Pour in the coconut milk and the vegetable stock, cover the pan and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are almost cooked. Add some more water if needed. Add the tilapia and cook for another 5 minutes, until the fish is done. Serve with cooked rice.