Fortunately, this seemingly unfortunate information is actually good news. According to research done by Italy's National Association of Canned Fish and the Experimental Station for the Food Preserving Industry, olive oil drained from canned tuna not only can be eaten but should be.
Draining the oil cuts down on excess calories for weight-conscious consumers, but there may be a resulting loss of nutrition. One theory knocking about is that the beneficial fats in tuna may bond with healthy olive or avocado packing oils, which are therefore eliminated when you drain the can, explains Clean Plates.
If you plan on draining your can of tuna before using it, you may want to choose tuna packed in water. That's because when you drain tuna packed in water, the omega-3s contained in this oily fish are largely retained. But when you drain tuna packed in oil, it takes some of those lovely omega-3 fats with it.
Oil-packed fish is typically packed in vegetable or soy oil and helps to trap vital nutrients deep within the fish where they can be unlocked by your body during digestion.
You can buy canned tuna packed in water and oil, imported from Italy and France and Spain. It's delicious in salads, sandwiches, and in recipes such as tonnato (not tomato) sauce, a silky mixture that's fabulous atop tomatoes or poached chicken.
Fat is fat soluble. This basically means that all the good fats in the fish (OMEGA-3s) will leech away with the sunflower oil when you drain it off. Bearing in mind that there is already less of the good stuff in tinned tuna (versus fresh), you cant really afford to lose any more.
Why do we say "Do Not Drain"? Safe Catch's artisanal single-cook process retains 100% of the tuna's vital oils—like heart-healthy Omega 3s. When you open a can of Safe Catch you will find a solid tuna steak with naturally occurring fish oils and juices that are full of nutrients. Pour into a bowl, mix it up and enjoy!
The good stuff is packed in olive oil. You don't need to drain this tuna, though you don't need to add all of the oil to your dish either. This type of tuna is best for adding to salads or serving unadorned. The oil is its sauce and adds unctuousness to the dry fish.
Tuna can be eaten fresh – either raw or cooked – and canned (which is always pre-cooked).
Is canned tuna fish good for you? Yes, canned tuna is a healthful food rich in protein and contains many vitamins and minerals such as B-Complex vitamins, Vitamins A and D as well as iron, selenium and phosphorus. Tuna also contains healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Canned foods in particular usually contain high levels of sodium. One way to reduce your salt intake with canned food, like tuna for example, is washing. Studies show that rinsing reduces the amount of sodium in canned tuna by 80%.
Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6-12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat this kind of tuna up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).
Canned tuna is perfectly safe to eat directly out of the can, with no further preparation necessary; however, rinsing the tuna before eating it can remove excess sodium, and in the case of tuna that is packed in oil, rinsing it can remove some of the excess calories.
From a nutrition standpoint, water-packed tuna provides you with pure protein and a more subtle tuna flavor. Oil-packed tuna, on the other hand, has a softer texture and stronger tuna flavor. Both water-packed and oil-packed are excellent sources of protein and can be found from sustainable, non-GMO brands.
Olive-oil packed or bust
There's some dissension in the test kitchen about this, but I say, “Go olive-oil-packed or just buy chicken.” If your tuna is in water, all the flavor of your tuna is in that water. Oil-packing, on the other hand, seals in flavor and gives you some luxurious fat to work with.
*Tuna is an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids. The amount of Omega 3's in the different types of tuna varies and may contain 80mg – 240mg mg per serving EPA and DHA combined.
Add extra virgin olive oil to moisten the tuna to your liking. I usually use between 1 and 2 tbsp. Season with salt and pepper to taste; sea salt and freshly ground pepper is best. Serve.
Canned tuna is the only seafood in some people's diets. So that's why mercury contamination is such a concern in this particular fish. Mercury is a known neurotoxin. Too much of it is harmful to children, whose bodies and brains are still growing.
Canned salmon, tuna, sardines, kippered herring, and other types of fish are pretty much on a par with fresh fish. They give you as much heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as fresh fish, and sometimes more.
Brine, essentially salted water, is a far better choice than sunflower oil. That said, it does have a high sodium content which in turn is bad for your heart. Salt also works against you if you're trying to lose weight in that it prompts the body to retain water.
If you want to get rid of the oil, let the oil cool completely, then pour it into a nonrecyclable container with a lid and throw it in the garbage.
Canned light tuna is in the “Best Choices” category and it is fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week. We recommend that you eat a variety of fish. You may wish to try other affordable fish in the “Best Choices” category such as canned salmon or sardines, frozen fish, or fresh fish that are at a reduced price.
The FDA recommends consuming fish lower in mercury. For tuna varieties, skipjack earns the Best Choice label from the FDA, while yellowfin and albacore receive the Good Choice label. The FDA suggests avoiding bigeye tuna, which has the highest levels of mercury.