Is Ceviche Healthy? A nutrition breakdown of ceviche.
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Ceviche is a staple food in a few Latin American countries, but nowhere is it more popular than Peru. There’s even a national Peruvian holiday called Día del Ceviche dedicated to celebrating this cultural dish! You’ll also find ceviche enjoyed in Mexico, Ecuador, and Chile.
Ceviche is an appetizer or light meal made of raw fish or seafood that’s been marinated in lime or lemon juice. This denatures the proteins to give the fish a cooked texture. Veggies, herbs and spices are added for additional flavor, and it’s often served with tortilla chips or veggies.
Not only is ceviche a delicious dish, it’s also one that’s full of nutrition. It’s an excellent source of lean protein, along with micronutrients like vitamin B12 and choline. Keep reading to learn all about the nutritional value, health benefits, and potential health drawbacks of ceviche.
Ceviche Nutritional Value
Here are the nutritional facts of one cup of ceviche made with snapper, per the USDA:
Protein: 26 grams (g)
Fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: 0.4 g
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Fiber: 1.3 g, or 4% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 372 milligrams (mg), or 16% of the DV
Vitamin C: 47 mg, or 52% of the DV
Choline: 88 mg or 16% of the DV
Vitamin B12: 3.75 micrograms (mcg), or 156% of the DV
Vitamin D: 13 mcg, or 65% of the DV
As you can see, ceviche is an excellent source of protein and key micronutrients like vitamin C, vitamin D, choline, and vitamin B12.
Health Benefits of Ceviche
Helps Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency
The majority of my clients have a vitamin D deficiency, and research shows they’re far from alone. About ¼ of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency, per a 2022 study in Frontiers in Nutrition, making it one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the country.
This is partly because there aren’t many foods high in vitamin D. That’s where ceviche comes into play. When it’s made with fish like snapper, cod, sea bass, or halibut it’s an excellent source of vitamin D.
Note that shrimp—another common ceviche ingredient—isn’t a good source of vitamin D. If you want vitamin D, opt for ceviche made with the fish listed above.
Source of Lean Protein
Lean proteins are low in fat, especially saturated fat. They’re valuable for heart health because eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol, per the American Heart Association. Lean proteins help you meet your protein needs without eating excess saturated fat.
Fish is a great source of lean protein, and ceviche is a delicious way to eat more fish. Of course, the exact nutrition profile depends on the type of fish used. In the example above—which uses snapper—one cup has 26 grams of protein and only 2 grams of fat!
May Contain Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Fatty fish is one of the best sources of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Halibut and sea bass are the best sources of omega-3s as far as ceviche goes.
These fatty acids are linked with improvements in brain and heart health. A 2022 study in Nutrition Reviews found that eating 2 servings of fish per week was linked with a 10% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 30% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
For people with existing cardiovascular disease, eating at least 2 servings of fish per week is linked with a lower risk of major cardiovascular disease and death, per a 2021 study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
In fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish twice each week, especially fatty fish, to get in these omega-3s.
Rich in Vitamin C
The other key ingredient of ceviche (besides seafood) is citrus! Lime or lemon juice doesn’t just give the dish flavor. It also denatures the protein in the fish, giving it a firmer texture.
Thanks to this citrus, each cup of ceviche has about half of your daily vitamin C needs, per the USDA.
You probably know vitamin C is important for immune health, but did you know it’s also necessary to make collagen? Collagen gives structure to your skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments, per StatPearls.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage from free radicals, per the NIH.
Potential Health Drawbacks of Ceviche
Ceviche often includes salt for flavor, so it can be high in sodium. Eating too much sodium is linked with high blood pressure, so the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting your sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day.
If you’re making ceviche yourself, you can use less salt to reduce the sodium content. The ‘cooking process’ happens from the citrus juice, so the salt isn’t necessary for that. It’s mainly used for flavor.
Also, be sure to use high-quality seafood to make ceviche since it’s not cooked to kill off pathogens. It’s best to select saltwater fish since there’s a lower risk of parasites.
The FDA recommends using fish that’s been frozen first as this also helps kill off potential parasites. However, it needs to be frozen at temperatures lower than the average home freezer can reach, per the FDA Food Code, so it’s usually done by the vendor.
Final Thoughts
Ceviche is a delightful Latin American dish that’s also full of protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a great way to eat more fish.
Depending on the type of fish you use, ceviche can be a great source of important nutrients like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, the citrus juice marinade makes ceviche high in vitamin C.
It’s one of many Latin American cultural dishes that deserves to be enjoyed and celebrated!
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
If you liked this post, you may also like:
Is Guacamole Healthy? A nutrition breakdown of guacamole.
