According to The Healthy Fish, tilapia is the fourth-most eaten fish in the U.S., with citizens consuming about 440 million pounds of it per year.

While tilapia was beaten out by salmon, shrimp, and tuna, it’s still the white fish of choice for most Americans due to its incredible versatility, availability, and cheaper price.

Most tilapia consumed in the U.S. is imported, and the main exporters are China, Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand, and Brazil. However, it’s best to avoid Chinese Tilapia.

As per Healthline, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch reported the use of toxic chemicals in Chinese tilapia farming, along with instances of animal feces being used in the feed.

Tilapia skin is quite useful in the medical world. Brazilian doctors use it to treat second and third-degree burns due to its pain-reducing and healing properties.

As one of the world’s largest tilapia farmers, Brazil has better access to tilapia skin than human or pig skin, which is commonly used to treat burn cases in other countries.

When it comes to health benefits, tilapia is a good choice — as is most seafood. Despite being a very low-calorie fish, tilapia packs a good amount of protein.

With about 26 grams of protein in a 3.5-ounce serving, tilapia can easily fit into your healthy weeknight meal rotation if you’re following keto or other high-protein diets.

As a mild and versatile white fish, tilapia is easy to cook and comes together quickly with whatever seasoning you use, making it a savior on busy weeknights.

Cooking tilapia not only keeps costs low but also allows you to invest more in quality ingredients to enhance its taste, making it a truly convenient choice of fish.