Affordable, Nutritious Fish Year-Round? Can Do!

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You know you should eat more fish. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings a week, especially fish high in hearthealthy omega-3 fats. But fresh fish can be expensive and spoils quickly. Maybe its time to rediscover canned fish.Happily, many of the varieties most often canned or preserved in handy pouches are the same fish highest in omega-3s. Canned salmon puts omega- 3s just a can-opener away, with about 1.0-1.3 grams of EPA plus DHA (the two most important omega-3s) in a three-ounce serving. Omega-3 amounts dont differ much by type of salmon, so pick based on taste and texture-and of course price! And dont overlook canned sardines (see recipes below), with about 0.8 grams in three ounces, and mackerel, with a little over a gram of EPA/DHA in three ounces.Even higher amounts are found in canned anchovies (1.75 grams/3 oz.) and herring (1.8 grams/3 oz.), but their downsides may outweigh the omega-3 benefits: Salty anchovies pack one and a half times your recommended daily sodium total in just three ounces, while herring are typically canned kippered (salted and smoked), which also makes them high in sodium. Try rinsing and soaking anchovies or herring in water for 30 minutes before using to remove some of the salt.Americas favorite canned fish, tuna, is not naturally as high in omega-3s, but the amount differs sharply by variety. A three-ounce serving of the most common canned tuna, skipjack (often sold as light), packed in water and then drained, delivers a little over a quartergram of EPA/DHA. But albacore tuna (white) has nearly three-quarters of a gram in the same size serving-putting it not so far behind salmon.Omega-3s arent destroyed in the canning process, so youre not sacrificing heart health for convenience. If fish are canned in oil, however, some of the omega-3 fats can migrate into the surrounding oil, to be lost when the fish are drained. Albacore tuna canned in oil loses three-fourths of its omega-3s compared to water-packed-while gaining half again as many calories plus saturated fat.Although canning does damage fragile nutrients such as vitamin C, most of the healthy ingredients in fish come through unscathed. Canned fish is an excellent source of low-calorie protein: Three ounces of canned salmon contain 21 grams of protein and 177 calories; a similar serving of water-packed tuna has almost 22 grams of protein and 100 calories.Some types of canned fish-notably salmon and mackerel, but not tuna- actually outdo the fresh or frozen alternatives in calcium. Theyre canned with the bones, which the heat of cooking and canning makes soft enough to eat. So three ounces of canned salmon contain 325 milligrams of calcium (about the same as a cup of milk), compared to almost none in fresh salmon fillets.Studies have also shown that canned fish can be added to dishes such as casseroles with almost no further loss of nutrients from cooking. What you see on the label is what you get on the plate.

Fishy Facts
The US is the worlds second-largest consumer of canned tuna, behind only the European Union, using 31% of the global supply-about 1 billion pounds a year.
Canned tuna is the US second mostpopular seafood product, after shrimp.
More than half of all canned tuna is used in sandwiches.
In supermarkets, only coffee and sugar exceed canned tuna in sales per foot of shelf space.
Endangered bluefin tuna is not used in commercial canned or pouched products.
Americans eat the most tuna in the summer, the least in fall.

But what about unwanted extras in fish such as mercury and PCBs? Most experts agree the health benefits of fish outweigh the risks of mercury; in any case, mercury contamination is primarily a concern for pregnant or nursing women or those planning to become pregnant. If youre worried about mercury nonetheless, avoid mackerel and look for US or Canadian albacore tuna. The Environmental Defense Fund also rates domestic albacore as well as canned salmon as Eco-Best.But what about unwanted extras in fish such as mercury and PCBs? Most experts agree the health benefits of fish outweigh the risks of mercury; in any case, mercury contamination is primarily a concern for pregnant or nursing women or those planning to become pregnant. If youre worried about mercury nonetheless, avoid mackerel and look for US or Canadian albacore tuna. The Environmental Defense Fund also rates domestic albacore as well as canned salmon as Eco-Best.The FDA says PCB levels in fish are well below safety limits. Look for wild rather than farm-raised canned fish if youre concerned.A bigger worry with canned fish is added salt. Check the label and look for cans boasting low sodium or reduced salt. The difference in canned tuna can be as much as 250 milligrams of sodium versus just 35. Also avoid kippered and smoked fish, as these processes add salt.(Also be careful when youre doing the adding. A tablespoon of full-fat mayonnaise has as many calories as three ounces of canned tuna, while helper products add processed carbs and sodium along with calories.)When you do find a favorite, healthy brand and its on sale, dont hesitate to stock up. Unopened canned tuna has a shelf life of up to four years, and pouched fish lasts three years.

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