Catfish is one of the most popular freshwater fish on American tables, but its fat content varies widely depending on whether it was farm-raised or wild-caught, and how it is prepared. Raw farmed catfish contains about 5.5 g of fat per 100 g, while wild catfish has closer to 2.8 g. Frying with breading can push the number much higher.
This catfish fat calculator lets you enter the exact portion size you plan to eat, choose farmed or wild catfish, and pick a preparation method. It instantly shows total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, calories from fat, and the share of calories that come from fat.
Whether you are tracking macros, planning heart-healthy meals, or simply curious about your favorite Southern fish, this tool turns USDA nutrition data into numbers that matter for your plate.
🐟 Catfish Fat Calculator
Enter a serving size, choose your catfish type and preparation, then get the full fat breakdown.
Catfish fat numbers on nutrition labels and recipe sites often mix up raw versus cooked and farmed versus wild. This guide explains how the calculator works, why the numbers change with cooking method, and how to use the results in real meal planning.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Type your portion size in the number field, then choose grams, ounces, or pounds from the dropdown.
- Select whether your fillet is farm-raised or wild-caught. Farmed catfish is the familiar channel catfish from aquaculture ponds; wild catfish comes from rivers and lakes.
- Choose a preparation method. Use raw if you weigh it before cooking, dry heat for baked or broiled fish, and breaded and fried for Southern-style fillets.
- Press Calculate Fat to see total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, calories, calories from fat, and protein for that exact serving.
How the Calculator Works
All base nutrition values are taken from the USDA FoodData Central database for catfish, raw and cooked. Each combination of catfish type and preparation has its own average fat profile per 100 grams. The calculator scales those base values to your serving size using this formula:
Total fat (g) = fat per 100 g × (serving weight in grams ÷ 100)
The same scaling is applied to saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, calories, and protein. Calories from fat are estimated by multiplying total fat by 9 kcal per gram, and the fat share of calories is that number divided by total calories. Since the USDA values are averages, the result should be treated as a practical estimate, not a laboratory measurement.
If you eat a whole fillet that weighs 170 g raw, simply enter 170 — the calculator handles the arithmetic.
Primary data source: USDA FoodData Central.
Worked Example
Suppose you are meal-prepping and plan to eat 150 g of farm-raised catfish cooked by dry heat. The base values for that combination are 7.7 g total fat, 161 calories, and 20.7 g protein per 100 g. Multiplying by 1.5 gives about 11.6 g total fat, 242 calories, and 31.1 g protein. Fat contributes roughly 104 calories, or about 43 percent of the total calories. The calculator shows these numbers instantly and also breaks down the saturated, mono, and poly fat.
Reference Table: Fat in Catfish per 100 g
The table below summarizes the USDA typical values used by the calculator.
| Type | Preparation | Total fat | Saturated | Monounsat | Polyunsat | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmed | Raw | 5.5 g | 1.3 g | 2.4 g | 1.4 g | 119 kcal | 17.8 g |
| Farmed | Dry heat | 7.7 g | 1.8 g | 3.4 g | 1.9 g | 161 kcal | 20.7 g |
| Farmed | Breaded & fried | 12.0 g | 2.7 g | 5.2 g | 2.0 g | 200 kcal | 16.0 g |
| Wild | Raw | 2.8 g | 0.6 g | 1.1 g | 0.8 g | 95 kcal | 18.3 g |
| Wild | Dry heat | 3.9 g | 0.9 g | 1.5 g | 1.2 g | 130 kcal | 19.7 g |
| Wild | Breaded & fried | 10.5 g | 2.3 g | 4.5 g | 1.9 g | 185 kcal | 15.5 g |
Values are rounded for consumer use and may differ by cut and season.
Tips & Best Practices
- Weigh the fish before cooking if you select the raw option, and after cooking for the dry-heat or fried options, because moisture loss changes nutrient density per gram.
- If you are tracking fat for heart health, wild-caught catfish is noticeably leaner than farmed, with roughly half the total fat in most preparations.
- Breading and frying add not only fat but also refined carbohydrates. If you are watching calories, choose dry heat and season with herbs instead of batter.
- Use the fat-share-of-calories value to compare catfish with other proteins. For context, raw chicken breast is about 20 percent fat calories, while olive oil is 100 percent.
- For meal prep, calculate the whole batch: multiply your portion result by the number of servings, or enter the total batch weight once.
- If you are comparing brands or restaurant dishes, remember that added batters, marinades, and sauces can change the fat content beyond the values here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is catfish a fatty fish? Compared with salmon or mackerel, no. Farmed catfish is moderate at about 5.5 g fat per 100 g raw, and wild catfish is lean at about 2.8 g. Most of the fat is mono- and polyunsaturated.
Which type of catfish is healthier? Wild catfish is lower in fat and calories, but farmed catfish has a slightly higher content of omega-6 fatty acids. Both are good sources of protein, and the choice depends on your calorie and fat goals.
Why does fried catfish have so much more fat? Batter absorbs oil during frying. A breaded fillet can soak up several grams of oil per 100 g, raising total fat from about 8 g to 12 g in the typical USDA profile.
Can I use this calculator for other fish? No. The base values are specific to catfish. For other species, look up the corresponding USDA FoodData Central entry and use a general nutrition calculator.
Are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated numbers important? They can be, if you are tracking omega-3 fatty acids or managing cholesterol-related goals. Catfish provides a moderate mix of both, but it is not as rich in omega-3s as fatty fish like salmon.