If you're counting calories and maximizing omega-3 fatty acids, then tuna in water might make a great choice. On the other hand, if moisture, flavor, and vitamin D levels are your focus, then olive oil-packed tuna might be better. Whatever tuna you choose, it's important not to go overboard for this mild-flavored fish.
Oil vs Water
Tuna packed in water will contain fewer calories and less fat but also allows for the loss of omega 3 fatty acids to occur. Water-packed also dilutes the natural juices and flavors contained within the fish and can lead to a more rounded and less refined taste.
If you'll be flavoring your tinned fish, reach for water-packed. You may believe that, nutritionally, the better choice is tuna packed in water because it contains fewer calories than tuna packed in oil. Tuna in oil, however, is higher in bone-healthy vitamin D and selenium, which helps your body fight infections.
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.
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.
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.
Light and skipjack varieties, for instance, contain much less mercury on average than albacore tuna.
If your iron levels are solid but you could use some more zinc, potassium, or phosphorus, then chicken is a better choice. In the end, the choice between tuna and chicken boils down to what you need. Whichever you choose, you're guaranteed lots of lean, low-calorie protein, with vitamins and minerals galore.
The bottom line
Overall, salmon offers higher levels of brain-boosting omega-3 fats, and much higher levels of bone-strengthening calcium. While tuna contains less of these, it's still a good source of omega-3 fats and an excellent source of hunger-busting protein.
The first step in your complete guide for how to cook tuna fish is adding your desired flavor enhancers. Before cooking tuna steaks, check for scales. If any are present, rinse with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Processed foods: When ingredients such as oil, sugar or salt are added to foods and they are packaged, the result is processed foods. Examples are simple bread, cheese, tofu, and canned tuna or beans. These foods have been altered, but not in a way that's detrimental to health.
Preserving tuna in olive oil is a classic option. The belief is that instead of “washing” the flavor out of the fish, oil seals the flavor in, so the chunks of tuna maintain their natural flavors better and are closer to tasting as fresh-caught tuna would.
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.
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.
Since tuna is relatively high in mercury, one can per day would bring you to the FDA suggested maximum amount of mercury. Having more than that on occasion may not be a problem, but you are at risk of getting low dose sustained mercury poisoning.
The best in terms of lowering cholesterol are tuna, salmon, and swordfish. Sardines and halibut are good options, too. Dr. Curry says, if you don't like to eat fish, consider taking omega-3 supplements.
Skipjack are the smallest of the major tuna species, while yellowfin are larger. So, the fact the canned tuna in Australian cupboards is likely to contain smaller species is already a bonus when it comes to reducing mercury risk.
SAFCOL TUNA
was founded in 1945 by a group of South Australian Fishermen to sell their catch; the first of its kind in Australia. This connection with the craft and the catch has been constant throughout our history.
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).
The good news is that eating canned tuna will not directly raise your cholesterol levels. And, with many options available, such as tuna melts, tuna on crackers or tuna casseroles, eating this fish can be a tasty part of a heart-healthy diet.
A. 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. These essential oils help prevent potentially deadly heart rhythms.
The high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in tuna fish may help to reduce the level of omega-6 fatty acids and LDL cholesterol that can accumulate inside the arteries of the heart. Studies have shown that eating more omega-3 is associated with reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.