Is Tuna a Heart-Healthy Food?
by Lisa Nelson RD
Tuna is a fatty fish providing high quality protein, B-vitamins, and selenium. These nutrients help the body produce red blood cells, reduce heart disease risk and macular degeneration, and promote brain growth. The protein provides essential amino acids used for body growth and maintenance, while the fat provides a rich source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
How much tuna is good?
It’s recommended by the American Heart Association that anyone over the age of two years consume at least two servings of fish weekly. A serving of tuna is three ounces for an adult.
Tuna Packaging:
How the tuna is processed and canned impacts the nutritional value of the meat. If you select tuna canned in oil it will be higher in calories and fat than tuna canned in water. Also, when you drain the oil from a can of oil-packed tuna, you are also draining away some of the omega 3 fatty acids. This fatty acid loss does not occur with water-packed tuna.
Warnings:
The mercury content of tuna is a concern. Eating a diet high in mercury can cause mercury to accumulate in the blood stream. Mercury is removed by the body naturally but it can be a slow process. High mercury levels can harm unborn babies and compromise the development of young children. This is why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends women planning to become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing women, and young children limit the amount of fish they eat—even fish varieties that contain low levels of mercury.
The Take Away:
Tuna is a great addition to a heart-healthy diet; it provides high levels of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. However, how you prepare the tuna will impact the nutritional quality. If you mix the tuna with high fat mayonnaise in a tuna salad, you will be canceling out some of the benefits.
Be sure to sign up for the free e-course How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps provided by dietitian Lisa Nelson at
http://lowercholesterolwithlisa.com.
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