What Makes Nile Tilapia Unique

Original Story Published by: Lucy Clark, www.tastingtable.com
Photo Source: Courtesy of Fluke Samed / Shutterstock

Tilapia is a very popular and delicious fish with a variety of health benefits, with Everyday Health stating that it ranks as the fourth most commonly eaten fish in the United States. It's used in humble home-cooked dinners and fine dining meals alike and is versatile for a variety of cuisines.

Tilapia is a freshwater fish with a very low-maintenance diet, making it a very affordable and accessible fish, per Foods Guy. If you don't like fish or seafood flavors, but enjoy the nutritional benefits or the texture of fish, tilapia's mild flavor and adaptability will likely appeal to you. There are more than 100 reported varieties of tilapia, but the most popular and common of them all is Nile tilapia. As the species name suggests, Nile tilapia are found natively in northern Africa, as well as to the east in the Iberian Peninsula — though it's farmed throughout the world