Blue Cod Vs Cod – A Complete Comparison

You may have heard about blue cod but haven’t seen any in the markets where you shop. You may be wondering if they’re the same as cod or different, after all they share the cod name. Therefore, let’s answer, what’s the difference between blue cod and cod?

Blue cod and cod are from different families of fish and not from the same species. Blue cod is shorter in length than cod and weighs less. Blue cods are blue and green while cod is brownish. Blue cod is found near New Zealand while cod is in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean.

This article will compare both fish characteristics including taste, texture, costs, mercury levels and whether you can substitute one for the other. In addition, I’ll examine their nutrients and include as side-by-side comparison.

The Differences Between Blue Cod and Cod

Both fish share almost the same name but there is more differences than similarities between the two fish. Let’s take a detailed look at the differences between the two fish.

Blue cod is not a cod and is from the Pinguipedidae family. Cod is from the Gadidae family. An average blue cod grows up to 23″ long and weighs 2-7 pounds. Cod grows between 27-34″ in length and up to 15 pounds. Adult blue cods are blue with greenish sides while cod is brownish.

Habitats Including Atlantic Cod and Cod Pacific

Blue cod is exclusively found in the shallow waters around the rocky coasts of New Zealand. They are more common in the colder waters from Cook Strait south and around the Chatham Islands. Juveniles are found in shallow waters while the adults may be up to 500 feet down.

Atlantic cod is found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from Greenland through Boston to North Carolina and in the western Gulf of Maine ((NOAA Fisheries: Atlantic Cod)). Pacific cod is found in the North Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea to California in the east and to the Sea of Japan in the west.

Species

Blue cod is from the Pinguipedidae family.
Cod is from the Gadidae family.

Color and Appearance

Adult blue cod is blue with greenish sides and a golden stripe above each eye. First is a short low dorsal fin followed by a taller long fin.
Cod is brownish, with dark spots and has three dorsal fins.

Size and Weight

Blue cod grows an average of 12-16″ in length and up to 23 inches and weighs 2-7 pounds.
Cod grows an average 27-34″ in length and weighs 5-15 pounds. They are typically bigger, especially when compared from the back view.

Age

Blue cod up to 32 years.
Cod up to 12 years.

Blue Cod vs Cod Nutrition Values

The table below lists the nutrients for both fish per four ounces.

Nutrient	Cod, raw (4 Ounces)	Blue Cod, raw (4 Ounces)
Calories	93	104
Fat	0.8 g	2.3 g
Protein	23 g	21 g
Omega-3	0.22 g	0.73 g
B-6	0.2 mg	0.2 mg
B-12	1.0 mcg	1.1 mcg
Thiamin	0.08 mg	0.15 mg
Riboflavin	0.07 mg	0.05 mg
B5	0.1 mg	0.1 mg
Iron	0.4 mg	0.4 mg
Niacin	2.3 mg	5.8 mg
Folate	7.9 mcg	15.0 mcg
Potassium	468 mg	497 mg
Magnesium	36 mg	41 mg
Phosphorus	230 mg	271 mg
Calcium	18.1 mg	9.0 mg
Zinc	0.5 mg	0.3 mg
Selenium	37.5 mcg	33.9 mcg

Nutrient Sources: Salmon¹²

Although both fish contain many nutrients, vitamins and minerals, you may have noticed one contains more than the other. Let’s determine which fish, blue cod vs cod, is healthier.

Blue cod is healthier than cod due to its 230% more heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Blue cod also contains more vitamins and minerals like B12, thiamin, niacin, folate, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.

Although, as most of us probably don’t have to ask, is cod healthy? It contains more protein and less calories. It also provides more riboflavin, calcium, zinc and selenium³.

While shopping I’ll choose regular cod almost all the time due to its availability and protein.

Blue Cod vs Cod: Health Benefits

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Examining the nutritional information of both fish above, you will notice blue cod has more fat per serving. However, the fat is healthy. Most of the fat in both fish cod are omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies can not produce on their own.

Why are omega-3 fatty acids so important to health? Omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy, help keep bad cholesterol levels lower, good cholesterol higher and arteries healthy.

The DHA and EPA fatty acids are associated with lowering blood pressure and improving the health of blood vessels ((National Center for Biotechnology: Marine Omega-3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease)).

Cod blue contains over three times the amount of omega-3s. This difference is what really separates the two fish and gives it the edge.

I recently wrote an article comparing a cod black. If you’re interested in how many omega-3s black cod contains or just want to learn about it, the link to my article is at the end of this article.

B Vitamins

Both fish contain many B vitamins. These include B6, B12, B5, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) and B9 (folate).

These B vitamins helps support the following:

Digestion
Red blood cells
Brain function
Energy levels
Nerve function
Cardiovascular health

Magnesium

Both fish provide a good number of magnesium. Adding magnesium to your diet could be instrumental in improving sleep quality. More so, it helps keep blood pressure levels balanced and stable ((National Institutes of Health: Magnesium)).

Magnesium relaxes and calms the whole body including the blood vessels. A recent study researched 22 studies and concluded magnesium supplementation decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure⁴.

Calcium

Cod contains twice the amount of calcium. Calcium, like magnesium is important for blood pressure and the heart. Harvard Health reports calcium helps maintain blood pressure because it helps to control the relaxing and tightening of blood vessels⁵.

How about cod vs tilapia? Check out the battle of these heavyweights in my article here, Cod Vs Tilapia – A Complete Comparison.

Potassium

Both fish contain almost 500 mg of potassium beneficial for reducing sodium intake. It helps the body reduce fluids and rids excess sodium ((American Heart Association: How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure)). This process helps to reduce blood pressure.

Tastes and Textures

Blue cod has a mild flavor and not oily. It’s a white fish and the flesh has a delicate and flaky texture. The flesh has a medium firmness. If it was caught in the colder months, it might taste more buttery due to a slightly higher fat content.

Cod has a mild, milky flavor. Atlantic cod may be slightly sweeter than cod Pacific. Many people say the texture of the white fish is similar to chicken due to its firmness.

It has large flakes and is good for various cooking methods.

Learn how to cook blue cod.

Can You Substitute?

Sometimes you can’t catch the exact fish wanted while fishing. Other times the seafood section of the supermarket doesn’t have what you need for a recipe.

Especially blue cod which is not typically sold in the local markets. Therefore, let’s examine if one fish can substitute for the other.

Blue cod and cod can substitute for each other due to their similar tastes and textures. Blue cod can be cooked using the same methods as cod like roasting, poached, broiled, frying or grilled.

Good substitutes for cod include pollock, haddock, halibut, striped bass, tilapia and mahi mahi.

Good substitutions for black cod include monkfish, gurnard, haddock, pollock, tilapia and striped bass.

When substituting one fish for the other always stick to the following:

Same size and weight fish fillet.
Stick with similar fillets, whole fillet or cross section.
Stick with skinless or skin when the recipe calls for one.
The fish texture is more important for certain cooking methods. Like using a firmer texture when grilling⁶.

A popular delicacy in New Zealand is smoking the blue cod. Many Asian people will steam the fish whole. Japanese people will use it in their sushi⁷.

When buying blue cod always make sure the white fish flesh is glossy and semi-transparent and not sticky or mushy.

How to cook cod fish three easy ways.

Mercury Levels

The FDA and the EPA have warnings and suggestions regarding mercury levels in fish and how often to consume them⁸. This is especially important for pregnant women, breastfeeding or for young toddlers and infants.

They established a list of best choices, good choices and fish to avoid based on their mercury levels. Let’s take a look at the levels found in both fish.

Blue cod and cod contain similar mercury levels. They are listed on the FDA’s best choices of fish in regards to mercury levels.

Always check with a physician prior to eating new fish, foods, changing your dietary habits and how often to consume certain fish.

The Costs

The cost of fish will differ depending on the location, fresh or frozen and whether it’s farm raised or wild caught fishing.

I conducted original research on costs by visiting stores checking their prices.

Locally, I was able to find prices on cod but not for blue cod. I was only able to locate them selling in New Zealand online websites.

I checked Freshdirect for the current prices and found the following.

Fresh, farm raised cod
- $9.99 per pound
Fresh, wild caught cod
- $12.99 per pound

The availability of blue cod will be extremely difficult to find in your local supermarket or online. You’d have a better chance finding it in an online fish market from New Zealand.

As a Certified Health Coach, many of my clients ask me about fish. In addition to coaching clients about blue cod and cod, I’ve purchased, researched and consumed both fish for over 20 years.

If you have any questions about this article or other posts, don’t hesitate to email notify us. You can find an email on our contact page. We’ll do our best to copy and reply as soon as possible.