Is canned tuna a "good" fish??

[KLynn]

Like everyone else, I am making an effort to eat more fish in my diet - salmon, etc. Does canned tuna count? It would make it lots easier for me - I have a hard time eating salmon that often!

[sneezles]

Canned tuna that is packed in water would be better than the stuff in oil (that makes me gag!). And Starkist has white albacore that is packed in distilled water (no added sodium). I eat that about 3 times a week.

[SandyM]

I think any tuna is better than no tuna - especially if it's packed in water, as opposed to oil.

Better yet, look for the Starkist in the "bag" - very little (if any) water to worry about draining. It's next to the canned tuna.

I hate wet tuna!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[food girl]

Tuna is "good" fish. It doesn't have very many of those heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids because it is a warm water fish.

It is recommended that women trying to get pregnant shouldn't eat more than a can of tuna fish per week because of the mercury content.

Other high omega-3 fatty acid fishes are herring (blech) and sardines (gag).

Lisa

[SandyM]

ew ew ew Lisa - flashback. My parents used to eat pickled herring on buttered saltines. The smell..........<shudder>

[Gail]

Originally posted by SandyM:
ew ew ew Lisa - flashback. My parents used to eat pickled herring on buttered saltines. The smell..........<shudder>

You mean pickled herring wards off stalkers? In that event, I'm going to send my herring-eating Nordic husband over to breathe on you... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[SandyM]

Gail......bless you.......for that much needed belly laugh.

<looking for your next post ...... mwahhhhhahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa>

[JennieL]

I used to love pickled herring as a kid, especially to one in the cream sauce. I remember eating it right out of the jar! I haven't had it in years.

[AndreaU]

As long as you don't drown your tuna with mayonnaise, it's fine. I usually incorporate tuna into a pasta salad with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, cannellini beans, and black pepper. Grains, veggies, protein & fiber all in one dish!

[ama47369]

I agree with sneezles on the Starkist white albacore tuna packed it water.

[Jeanne G]

Ok, tuna fans, see if you can help me!

While in Mexico recently, at one lunch they served tuna salad. It was so simple, but the best tuna salad I had ever eaten! So, I asked the chef in that specific dining area why it was so wonderful and found out that it was YELLOWFIN TUNA, vs. what we get here in the states. Needless to say, I found a local market there and bought about 10 cans to bring home. And! When I made my tuna salad, it WAS better than regular (Starkist) tuna.

My questions... Has anyone else discovered this? And why is it not something readily available in the states? JUST CURIOUS! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Jeanne G (edited 05-15-2001).]

[aggie94]

Yellowfin tuna is also called ahi tuna. I'm not sure what kind of tuna is usually used in Starkist or other canned tuna, but I've never actually seen cans that were labeled yellowfin or ahi tuna.

Yellowfin is the only kind of tuna we buy for grilling. We get it very fresh at our local fisherman's market (usually runs somewhere between $12-15 per pound, but I've paid more at times). You could grill it up and then flake it for tuna salad -- do you think that might be what the restaurant did? That'd be a pretty expensive tuna salad (vs. the Starkist stuff) to have at home with any frequency.

[Gail]

You guys are really going to bum out ol' Charlie Tuna, who by the way is an albacore, I believe.

[aggie94]

Okay,

I just glanced at Starkist's website, and they say that their "Select Prime Light Fillets" are yellowfin tuna. So it seems that they do can yellowfin tuna here, but I've never tried it.

Makes me wonder what kind of tuna goes into the regular chunk light tuna that I usually buy. Any thoughts? I understand that "white tuna" is albacore, but what is "chunk light"?

[This message has been edited by aggie94 (edited 05-15-2001).]

[sneezles]

Did a bit of searching about this but didn't come up with much except for the fact that tuna has been over-fished off the coast of the US. Yellowfin is found in the Atlantic and the Pacific. Albacore is found in both as well. I remember when the net issue concerning the trapping of dolphins was a big issue and that albacore was not cuaght in those nets so we only eat that(besides which I like the taste of it better than chunk light or maybe it's the consistency of it). Anyway I did find this web site and for some strange reason yellowfin loin sells for $11.99/pound while albacore sells for $6/pound but here's the real kicker...it seems that all the yellowfin is caught by hook & line off Hawaii! Why not off California, Washington or Oregon? Here's a little more info:

AHI-YELLOWFIN TUNA
(Thunnus albacares)
"the other red meat." Ahi-Yellowfin Tuna is truly an amazing fish. Ahi possesses all of the rich color and flavor that beef-eaters love, and it is actually good for you! Sushi chefs around the world have been known to bid as high as $50,000 for a single Ahi. There are few fish in the sea with such an exquisite taste and texture as fresh Ahi.

Ahi contains less overall fat than any other form of animal protein!

Our boneless Ahi sections come in both five and ten pound boxes.

FISHING METHOD: Our Ahi are hand-caught using hook and line by a small fleet of Hawaiian fishermen called "ika shibi." The Ahi are landed, dressed, and flown to the mainland, where we pick and choose the finest specimens and deliver them to you.

[BosunsWife]

I just adore fresh ahi. I wasn't a "dark" fish eater until we moved here. Now it seems like I can't get enough of it. $6.00 and upwards a pound. Better quality costs more (read sushi grade here). I haven't managed to have it raw yet, but I'm sure I will before we move back to the mainland.

As for canned tuna, we eat white albacore packed in water. Very little mayonnaise added. Unfortunately I can't seem to get my DD to eat it. Mothers out there, is it an aquired taste for the toddler set?

[Gail]

Originally posted by BosunsWife:


...As for canned tuna, we eat white albacore packed in water. Very little mayonnaise added. Unfortunately I can't seem to get my DD to eat it. Mothers out there, is it an aquired taste for the toddler set?

I was going to jump right in there and say, my kid LOVED canned tuna as a toddler, but then again, my kid liked fish before he learned to like meats... So let's say this: his extremely finicky best friend won't eat much of anything, but if you have a can of tuna around, he's the happiest kid on earth!

Hang on in there and keep trying every once in a while, reinforcing the idea that tastes keep changing and what she hates today, she may LOVE in six months.


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 05-15-2001).]

[Ralph]

Just a quick FYI:

The current issue of Consumer Reports has a good review of canned/packaged tuna. They seem to suggest that tuna in oil isn't that much worse for you than tuna in oil.

The top rated tuna was Progresso light tuna in olive oil. Their second choice was Safeway Select Tongol Chunk Light tuna in water.

[Alisa]

I remember reading somewhere that "good" canned tuna was yellowfin or albacore and "bad" was called flipjack. I'm not sure if this referred to taste or health.

[aggie94]

Alisa,

Did you maybe mean skipjack? I suspected that was what "chunk light" tuna was, but wanted to see if anyone knew for sure.

As for tuna packed in oil, I'm surprised to hear that it's not that bad for you, but I still don't think I'd eat it. I just don't like taste of it -- too greasy and HEAVY. Maybe because I've only ever eaten the tuna in water.

I have to say, though, that I really don't eat much canned tuna. Even though it's so much more expensive, I love fresh tuna. During the summers, when we do a lot of grilling, we'll throw on an extra tuna steak just to have leftovers, which make a great tuna salad.

[sneezles]

aggie94,
Had to check your profile with a name like that and only grilling in the summer! A transplanted aggie! What a shame that we have only really started eating fresh tuna in the past few years! I love the stuff and can't believe that I grew up thinking tuna only came in a can (and I was raised on the oil packed but even back in the 60's my mom drained and rinsed it). I would rather eat anything from the ocean (with the exception of squid...been there done that) than anything raised on a farm (except for catfish) and we raise cattle! And my guys complain I serve chicken way too much!

[Jeanne G]

Originally posted by aggie94:
Okay,

I just glanced at Starkist's website, and they say that their "Select Prime Light Fillets" are yellowfin tuna. So it seems that they do can yellowfin tuna here, but I've never tried it.

Thank you for this info! I have never seen their "Select Prime Light Fillets". And the chef specifically told me to look for the large CANS of it, so it was definitely canned.

Sneezles & aggie94, thank you for the interesting info & education!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[HUNGRY!]

A woman that I do some work with occasionally made me the best tuna salad lately. She mixed the tuna (from a can) with apples, celery, paprica, and pepper. Then she dizzled it with a light vinnegrette. It was so good! And I am not normally a tuna eater, but now I make this all the time. Before I had only had it with mayo...yuck!!!

[Alisa]

Sorry Aggie94 - it must be skipjack.

[BarbaraL]

Sneezles, your post reminded me of something . . . I, too, remember years ago when the dolphins being caught in the tuna nets was a big issue. I was eating lunch with friends at work and had brought a salad and a little can of meat (was dieting at the time). Someone asked me if my tuna was "dolphin safe." I replied that, since it was CHICKEN, I was pretty sure it was dolphin safe. Everyone cracked up. THanks for reminding me!

[aggie94]

Originally posted by sneezles:
aggie94,
Had to check your profile with a name like that and only grilling in the summer! A transplanted aggie!

Sneezles --

I am most definitely a transplanted Aggie. DH & I moved to Oregon almost 5 years ago. We still try to grill on our covered patio year-round, but it's much harder. We miss Texas, but the long dreary winters here make us really appreciate the beautiful summers.

We've decided that no matter where we end up permanently, it's got to be near the coast, where fresh seafood is easy to come by. I miss Gulf coast flounder, but I love being able to get cheap, fresh salmon anytime. We have friends from the NW who moved to the midwest a few years ago, and all they can get is catfish. Blech!

[SusanT]

Unfortunately it seems that the fishes high in Omega3's also cause concern for mercury levels. Tuna is a mercury bearing fish which can cause birth defects or other nervous system problems. There's a really excellent article in this month's Consumer Reports that outlines the safe amounts of each type of tuna for women and small children.