One thing I love about summer is all my "summer" foods that I eat. I love to eat tuna fish on whole wheat bread (without mayo, don't like mayo) smothered in honey mustard topped with the crunchy lettuce and pickles. I was eating one yesterday and wondered if canned fish was as good for you as fresh fish and this is what I came up with.
Q: I know that eating fish is good for the heart. But fresh fish costs a lot and I can’t get to the grocery store very often. Does eating canned fish help?
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. They also work against inflammation and the formation of blood clots inside arteries. An Italian study published in 2001 found that people who ate fresh or canned fish at least twice a week were 30% less likely to have had heart attacks as those who ate fish less than once a week.
Whenever possible, choose fish packed in water. Since water and oil don’t mix, omega-3 fats remain locked in the fish. When fish is packed in oil, some of the omega-3 fats intermingle with the packing oil and are lost when the oil is drained.
About the only downside of eating canned fish is the extra sodium it contains. You can get more than 300 milligrams of sodium — one-seventh of a healthy daily ration — from three ounces of canned salmon or tuna. Rinsing the fish can help a bit.
Enjoy a tuna fish sandwich once in awhile, its good for you!
