A Dietitian Offers Five Arguments for Eating More Canned Fish
- Omega-3 fatty acids found in canned fish may help maintain the health of the heart, brain, and joints.
- It is inexpensive, shelf-stable, and a wise alternative to frozen or fresh seafood.
- Canned fish is tasty and versatile, making it easy to prepare meals either straight from the can or in recipes.
Many diets around the world already include canned fish, which is also known as tinned fish, conservas in the Iberian Peninsula, kanzume (which can also include meat or vegetables) in Japan, and a variety of other names. Although canned tuna might be the first fish that comes to mind, canning works well for many other fish as well. This is due to the fact that preserving fish in tins is not only practical but also, to be honest, somewhat magical.
Heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in canned fish, which include salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies, to mention a few. One of the main recommendations of the Mediterranean diet is to eat fish, particularly those that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
But canned fish's popularity isn't solely due to its nutritional advantages. A tasty and affordable substitute for fresh and frozen seafood is canned fish.
The versatility of canned fish makes it a wise choice in addition to its affordability and nutritional advantages. In this article, we'll explore the nutritional and culinary advantages that make canned fish worthy of a larger place in your pantry.
The Mediterranean Diet and Canned Fish
The variety of fish available in cans is as vast as the ocean. Offers range from trout, mackerel, cod, mussels, clams, oysters, octopus, and squid to canned tuna, salmon, anchovies, and sardines. Canned fish is being served by chefs, wine bars, restaurants, and specialty shops like a charcuterie board, complete with crackers, mustards, and pickles. Pâté and cured meats, which are higher in saturated fat, can be substituted with high-quality canned fish.
Additionally, switching from red meat to fish aligns with the Mediterranean diet's tenets. Although the Mediterranean diet originally emphasized foods from nations around the Mediterranean Sea, it is simple to adapt the nutritious eating pattern that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats to your own eating habits and cultural heritage. Fish and other lean proteins typically predominate as the primary source of protein rather than meat.
While some people eat canned fish on a regular basis, others might benefit from a careful introduction. From a nutritional and culinary standpoint, these are the top five reasons to eat more fish.
1. Excellent Omega-3 Source
Since your body is unable to produce omega-3 fatty acids, you must get them from food or supplements. Because omega-3 fatty acids are naturally anti-inflammatory and may promote heart health, a diet high in them can be beneficial to the entire body..1 Furthermore, their anti-inflammatory qualities might lessen osteoarthritis symptoms..2
Typical canned fish types, such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, and sardines, are excellent providers of omega-3 fatty acids. Adults should consume 8 ounces of seafood per week, according to health and nutrition experts..3
2. Outlasts Frozen or Fresh Food
15% of the world's fish production is thought to be wasted, perhaps as a result of the short safety window for fresh fish..4 In addition to being less costly than fresh seafood, canned seafood has a longer shelf life—years rather than days—because it is sealed in an airtight container and heated or preserved in salt. Even frozen fish, which is less costly than fresh, loses quality over time compared to canned fish.
For people with limited access to utilities, canned fish is a dependable, high-nutrient protein choice because it is shelf-stable. When refrigeration is not an option, it's also a fantastic choice for travel, camping, and picnics.
3. Capable of Sustainability
Canned fish can be a sustainable seafood choice because many businesses place a high priority on collaborating with regional fisheries and canneries that follow sustainable fishing methods. Make sure the fisheries are using eco-friendly equipment by looking at the can when searching for sustainable canned fish. When buying canned fish, particularly tuna, you can look up terms like "pole-and-line-caught," "pole-caught," "troll-caught," "FAD-free," "free school," and "school-caught." It's likely that the fish was harvested in an unsustainable way if you don't see any information about how it was caught, particularly for tuna.
4. Excellent Source of Calcium and Vitamin D
Together, calcium and vitamin D help maintain strong bones. Although vitamin D is one of the most difficult nutrients to obtain through diet, your body can produce it with the aid of sunlight. On the other hand, canned fish like sardines, salmon, trout, and tuna are excellent providers of calcium and vitamin D. Actually, 3 ounces of salmon has about 570 IU of vitamin D, which is 71% of the daily value that is advised.
5. Delicious and Adaptable
The fact that canned fish is tasty and adaptable, whether used as an ingredient or on its own, is perhaps the best justification for eating it. While many canned fish varieties, such as octopus, squid, and mussels, can be eaten straight from the can with crackers, others are excellent additions to recipes. In addition to canned salmon and tuna making fantastic tuna melts and salmon burgers, anchovies are an essential component of a traditional Caesar salad. Canned trout can be turned into a spread fit for a restaurant, and canned mussels, clams, and sardines make eye-catching pasta dishes and high-protein salad toppings.
Our Professional Opinion
There are numerous reasons why canned fish is so popular. It's a tasty, wholesome, and reasonably priced ingredient that you can have in your pantry to quickly prepare a nutritious meal. From the large brands that fill the shelves of your supermarket to the niche brands that sell carefully chosen, handcrafted tins, there are plenty of options when it comes to canned fish. Canned fish is a great option if you're trying to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, are searching for a high-quality dietary source of vitamin D, or are just looking for sustainable, shelf-stable fish options.