Swai Fish: Nutrition and Benefits
Swai Fish: Nutrition and Benefits. Swai (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a freshwater catfish farmed from the Mekong River in Vietnam. You may also see swai referred to as pangasius, basa, or tra. It has grown in popularity in the United States for its low cost, mild flavor, and health benefits. Swai is a good source of protein, micronutrients, and vitamins.
Researchers have several ethical and environmental concerns about how swai is produced. Swai has more sodium and a higher risk of contamination than other locally grown catfish. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels swai as one of the most commonly mislabeled types of fish.
What Is Swai Fish?
Swai fish is a type of white fish with a mild flavor and flaky texture. It’s a freshwater fish that’s native to Vietnamese rivers and a type of catfish. It’s also called Vietnamese catfish, basa fish and iridescent shark, but it’s neither a basa nor a type of shark.
The abundance of names come from an identity crisis swai fish had in the early 2000s, when it still was sold in the U.S. under the name of “catfish.”
In 2003, Congress passed a law stating that only American catfish could be labeled as such, prompting a variety of names to flood the market, though today, the Vietnamese fish industry seems to have settled on swai.
You won’t find the fish in in Alabama, Louisiana or Mississippi, though. In these states, where catfish is a big industry, it’s illegal to sell swai.
Good Source of Micronutrients
Swai Fish: Nutrition and Benefits. Swai is a good source of many essential micronutrients, including selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and certain B vitamins. Selenium is important for thyroid health, infection prevention, and DNA synthesis. Micronutrients in swai can also improve reproductive health and protect against oxidative stress, which can lead to illness and infection.
The B vitamins in swai include niacin, thiamin, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, and biotin. B vitamins in swai can help keep your body energized by assisting with the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate)—a molecule that stores energy in your cells.
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Other nutrients like zinc support immune health, wound healing, and protein synthesis.
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Nutrition
Swai is a lean protein with less saturated fat than other types of fish. Although consuming less saturated fat is good for your health, swai is also higher in sodium than many other types of fish. Fatty fish like salmon and haddock have more nutrients than swai.
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A 4-ounce (112-gram) swai fillet has the following nutrition profile:1
- Calories: 80 cal
- Fat: 0.5 grams (g)
- Sodium: 30 milligrams (mg)
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Added sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Fatty fish like salmon or sea bass are better sources of omega-3 fatty acids than swai. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in your body. They also benefit your heart, immune, and respiratory health.
High amounts of sodium in swai may be especially harmful for people with high blood pressure. Excess sodium can raise blood pressure. Fish like salmon and mackerel may be a better protein option for managing your blood pressure.
Risks
Swai are typically grown in rivers with an increased risk of contamination. This makes swai prone to unsafe levels of mercury and other chemicals. One study found a range of mercury concentrations in different frozen swai fillets.
Furthermore, one study evaluating swai fish exported to countries like Ukraine and Poland found that 70%–80% of swai used tested positive for vibrio—a bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Many fish farmers in Vietnam rely heavily on antibiotics and other drugs to prevent bacterial infections in fish. Some antibiotics used in swai fish in Vietnam are prohibited in the U.S. because of the risk of antibiotic resistance.
As with any other type of seafood, exercise caution if you are allergic to seafood.
Tips for Consuming Swai
Swai has a mild flavor with a hint of sweetness similar to flounder, tilapia, and grouper. To avoid foodborne illness, ensure that the fish is thoroughly cooked. Fully cooked fish should not look translucent and should break apart easily.
Many people purchase frozen swai at home. When purchasing swai, check the label for the amount of water and salt added. Researchers recommend cooking fish at a temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
What is the nutritional value of swai fish?
The American Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition recommends eating fish as a preventive method against heart and neurological conditions. This quality of fish is largely attributed to the omega-3 fatty acids present in it. However, the amount of omega-3 fatty acids present in a single serving (4 ounces or 114 g) of swai fish is low as compared to other fatty fishes, such as salmon and sardines. There are also vegan options such as nuts, flax, and chia seeds, and many cooking oils that are excellent sources of omega-3. The amount of protein (15 g) is also similar to or less than other fishes.
| Name | Amount | Unit | % DV |
| Energy | 70.1 | kcal | |
| Protein | 15 | g | |
| Carbohydrates, by the difference | 0 | g | |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.497 | g | 1% |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0 | g | |
| Sugars, total including NLEA | 0 | g | |
| Calcium, Ca | 0 | mg | |
| Iron, Fe | 0.362 | mg | 2% |
| Sodium, Na | 410 | mg | 17% |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0 | mg | |
| Vitamin A | 0 | IU | |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0 | g | |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0 | g | |
| Cholesterol | 45.2 | mg | 15% |
| % DV = percent of the daily requirement | |||
Nutrition Facts
Swai fish is high in protein and low in fat. One four-ounce fillet (112 g) of swai provides about:
- Calories: 80
- Total Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Total Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.25 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 50.4 mg
- Sodium: 30.2 mg (1% DV*)
- Potassium: 385 mg (8% DV)
- Calcium: 13.4 mg (2% DV)
*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.
According to research conducted at Purdue University, swai (or pangasius) contains 17 milligrams of EPA plus DHA for every 100 grams of fish. That’s much lower than other fish like salmon (717–1533 mg/100 g), Alaskan pollock (236 mg/100 g) or Atlantic cod (253 mg/100 g).
Of course, the ingredients you use to cook and coat swai fillets change the nutrition content, typically adding more fats, carbs and sodium.
Is Swai Fish Safe to Eat?
The simple answer is no. This is not because of the nutritional content, but because of the way swai is typically raised and fed.
Why is swai fish bad for you? The main reasons to never eat swai fish include the presence of dangerous microbes, the use of antibiotics to treat sick fish, the filthy water conditions and the constant mislabeling of swai.
3. Fish Mislabeling and Fraud
Swai is an inexpensive fish, which is why some people choose to consume it, but did you know that it’s often mislabeled and sold as more expensive fish like catfish, sole, grouper and flounder?
A report by Oceana indicated that swai (referred to as Asian catfish) was one of the three types of fish most commonly substituted for higher-value fish.
Oceana’s global fish fraud report included more than 200 sources, including journal articles and public documents from governments. Researchers revealed that every study found seafood fraud, except for one, and in 58 percent of cases, the samples substituted for other types of seafood posed a health risk to consumers!
Food Poisoning
The most direct threat from poor-quality food is food poisoning. This term refers to a wide variety of infections that can be transmitted by food. The severity of food poisoning varies, but it is never a good time.
Farmed swai has a greater risk of causing food poisoning due to their dense farming conditions. Just like in all species, living in close quarters increases the risk of infectious disease. In one study, researchers found Vibrio bacteria contaminating 70-80% of tested swai imports. This form of food poisoning causes severe gastrointestinal distress.
Antibiotics
Pharmaceuticals and disinfectants are used to combat the risks associated with farming fish. Because of the infections that these farms are prone to, large doses of de-wormers, antibiotics and other drugs are fed to the fish. Though this decreases the amount of bacteria, it also exposes the consumer to these drugs. Many of these compounds are not approved for use in humans.
Far more dangerously, the uncontrolled use of antibiotics poses an existential threat to humanity. Bacteria evolve very quickly and are becoming immune to our antibiotics. The more antibiotics that are used, the more quickly these pathogens become resistant. Letting antibiotics leach into rivers just multiplies this problem.
