Living on a planet where over 70 percent from the surface is covered with water that’s abundant with edible life, fishing is really a sport and an enjoyable hobby with delicious prizes. But if fishing is not your avenue of feeling peace and serenity or thrill and excitement, you most likely buy fish in the supermarket every now and then. Fish not only satisfies your appetite, but supplies generous amounts of valuable protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Specifically, fish is the best supply of Omega-3 polyunsaturated essential fatty acids which play a balancing act with animal fats found in plentiful amounts with most of our meals.
Eating fish just 3 times per week helps you to improve your defense mechanisms, assists in blood clot formation and hormone production, balances your levels of cholesterol, prevents cardiovascular disease, reduces joint and muscle pain, supports healthy brain and nerve function, fights depression and decelerates the aging process to help keep your body youthful. Based on many researches, fish-eaters are hot only happier, however they tend to have more pleasant personalities than individuals who don’t eat seafood.
Fish Fats
The main reason is the unique chemical nature of fish fats which work on the cellular level. Every cell in our is encompassed by a cell membrane composed mainly of fatty acids. This membrane checks that the proper levels of necessary nutrients enter the cells and ensures efficient excretion of harmful toxins and byproducts of metabolism. Comprised of fat, cell membranes rely on the kind of fat we eat.
To maintain integrity and fluidity, cells require a healthy membrane. This ensures good communication with other cells and efficient ability to hold water and vital nutrients. All of the fats you consume get integrated into cell membranes, and the kind of fatty acids dictate the way your cells respond and grow. Fatty foods are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats stay liquid even just in the refrigerator. Researchers believe that diets containing large amounts of saturated or hydrogenated fats produce cell membranes that are hard and lack fluidity, while diets full of Omega-3 fats promote membrane fluidity.
Omega-3 fats will also be famous for remarkable ability to improve blood circulation, prevent cardiovascular disease, prevent arrhythmia, lower the quantity of lipids within the blood, and prevent extreme blood clotting.
Did you will know you may be in a position to shed extra kilos almost effortlessly if you eat your Omega-3s? The reason is found in the wonderful ability of its constituents – the Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) – to utilize the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin released out of your fat cells. When leptin rises, you put down the fork down sooner because you feel satisfied and full. So, when you eat your fish, your hunger disappears because of the team work of EPA and leptin. Since all hormones work synergistically, your insulin also stays in check regulating the foods you eat, body weight and metabolism.
Researchers discovered that Omega-3 fatty acids affect cell growth by activating an enzyme called sphingomyelinase, which ultimately causes cancer cell death. Additionally, fish is filled with other anti-inflammatory compounds known as resolvins which, unlike drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and the COX-2 inhibitors, do not have negative side effects on our gastrointestinal or cardiovascular systems.
Nutritious Tuna
To remain healthy and safe from premature aging or onset of chronic disease, eating tuna twice a week is a great option. This truly nutrient-dense food provides you with top quality protein, no carbohydrates, minerals selenium, magnesium, and potassium; the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6; and perhaps most significant, the beneficial Omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Besides the healthy fats, fish has more digestible complete protein than most foods, high amounts of vitamins A, B, D, and K, as well as calcium, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. Tuna is another excellent supply of Vitamin B6 which, together with Folate lowers levels of artery-damaging homocysteine and prevents atherosclerosis.
With all the fabulous benefits tuna has to offer, moderation is still the key to success. Take into account that overdoses of nourishing fish nutrients, just like underdoses, may also impair immune function, elevate LDL cholesterol, alter blood lipids and blood clotting, and worsen Type II diabetes. Moreover, fish oil naturally contains high quantity of a two potentially toxic vitamins, A and D.
Canned Tuna
Should you established that fresh tuna fish is excellent to improve your health, can exactly the same be attributed to canned tuna? If you are think canned foods are less nutritious than fresh options, you aren't far from the truth. But canning may not be badly while you think.
Canning foods is an extremely effective method of preservation. The procedure protects from the growth of micro-organisms and kills parasites, however the high heats used for canning rob foods of vast amounts of nutrients, especially ascorbic acid, Thiamin and Riboflavin that are sensitive to light. You still take advantage of the mineral supply of the canned foods, and also the macro-nutrient nourishment may even be better than you find in fresh products.
So, canned food is not necessarily worse than fresh or frozen. When the food’s overall quality is high, it's best in all forms – canned, frozen, or fresh.
Canned tuna could be a good supply of Omega-3 fats, however the specific amounts depend on the merchandise you select. You’ll find a number of different terms accustomed to describe tuna on canning labels. The marketplace name “light” tuna may refer to a variety of types of tuna, including Skipjack, Bluefin, Yellowfin, and Tongol, however the specific name”albacore” or ”white tuna’ develops from a biological species of tuna Thunnus alalunga, including Longfin, Tombo, Ahi, and Ahi Palanacanas tuna.
Nutritionally, these different types of tuna are very similar-except for their fat content, which can vary by as much as 10 grams per cup with respect to the chosen species, additional ingredients used in canning, brand name, and season and water temperature in which the fish was caught.
Choosing Canned Tuna
To get the most Omega-3 fats from your canned tuna, choose water-packed over oil-packed. The oil mixes with some from the tuna’s natural fat, then when you drain oil-packed tuna, a number of its Omega-3 essential fatty acids also drop the drain. Since oil and water don’t mix, water-packed tuna won’t leach any of its precious Omega-3s.
Some manufacturers first bake tuna for easy de-boning, but it causes a loss of natural beneficial oils. Then your fish is mixed with additives and flavorings and set in to the can – all you really get from these products are nutrient-lacking calories. When tuna comes complete into the can raw and cooked just once, all of the natural juices and fats remain.
Tuna in Oil vs. Tuna in Brine
Attempting to tingle your tastebuds with canned tuna might be as challenging as choosing the right flavor, texture and nutrient profile from the product. The initial question on the menu is: What's the best health insurance and diet boosting canned fish, could it be tuna in oil or tuna in brine?
Nutrients (per 1 cup serving) | \”Light Tuna\” in Oil | \”Albacore\” in Olive Oil | \”Light Tuna\” in Water | \”Albacore\” in Water |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calories | 289 | 331 | 179 | 220 |
Calories from Fat | 108 | 129 | 11.4 | 46.1 |
Total Fat (g) | 12 | 14 | 1 | 5 |
Saturated Fat | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Monounsaturated Fat | 4.3 | N/A | 0.2 | 1.3 |
Polyunsaturated Fat | 4.5 | N/A | 0.5 | 1.9 |
Omega 3 (g) | 0.34 | 8.1 | 0.46 | 1.35 |
Omega 6 (g) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Cholesterol (mg) | 26 | 55 | 46 | 72 |
Protein (g) | 42.5 | 47 | 39 | 41 |
Carbohydrates (g) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Vitamins | ||||
Vitamin D (iu) | 345 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Vitamin K (mg) | 64.2 | N/A | 0.3 | 4.3 |
Niacin (mg) | 18.1 | N/A | 20.5 | 10 |
Vitamin B12 (mcg) | 3.2 | N/A | 4.5 | 2 |
Minerals | ||||
Selenium | 111 | N/A | 124 | 113 |
Phosphorus | 454 | N/A | 251 | 373 |
Sodium | 517 | N/A | 521 | 648 |
So, if you're ready to provide your body a healthy boost of nourishing gifts from the sea, get the knowledge ready to explore the “Canned Food” isle of the supermarket. After all, sometimes we all require a “food break”, and simple grabs, such as canned tuna, become handy.