{"id":4292,"date":"2023-06-22T20:56:57","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T20:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=4292"},"modified":"2023-06-22T20:56:58","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T20:56:58","slug":"is-tuna-good-for-you-health-benefits-risks-how-to-consume-it-safely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=4292","title":{"rendered":"Is Tuna Good For You? Health Benefits, Risks &#038; How To Consume It Safely"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20370%20247'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load wp-image-4293\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196.png 900w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196-770x428.png 770w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196-293x163.png 293w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/image-196-390x217.png 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From tuna sushi rolls to tuna sandwiches, tuna is as versatile a protein as they come.\u00a0While all fish, including tuna, are a source of important nutrients, there are environmental and health-related concerns to consider when choosing tuna. Here&#8217;s what to know about tuna&#8217;s nutrition, health benefits, and how to safely consume it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-GbJpMBULb\">Types of tuna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuna is one of the most commonly consumed fish species in the world. In fact, canned tuna is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/aboutseafood.com\/tuna-council-3\/tuna-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">second most consumed seafood product in America<\/a>, topped only by shrimp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of the tuna found in canned products is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/species\/skipjack-tuna\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">skipjack tuna<\/a>, which is the smallest and most plentiful type of commercial tuna species. Skipjack prefer warmer waters and are concentrated in tropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/aboutseafood.com\/tuna-council-3\/tuna-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Albacore<\/a>, also known as white tuna, is another tuna species commonly found in canned tuna products that are slightly larger than skipjack tuna. Albacore can be found in all ocean waters and the Mediterranean Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skipjack has a richer, more fishy taste compared to albacore, which has a lighter, more mild flavor. Ahi and yellowfin tuna are other mild-tasting tuna species often served raw as sashimi and cooked in steak form.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-undefined\">Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skipjack tuna is the most plentiful and is often used in canned tuna. Known as white tuna, albacore is also a popular canned offering. Ahi and yellowfin are most commonly served as sashimi or steaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-B-a2-2Bri\">Nutrition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The nutrition of tuna products varies depending on the type. For example, tuna canned in oil is higher in calories and fat than fresh tuna and canned in water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/175158\/nutrients\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nutritional breakdown<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">1<\/a>&nbsp;of 1 can of albacore tuna canned in water:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" id=\"mbg-8FOQPeFQ81\">\n<li><strong>Calories:&nbsp;<\/strong>220<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protein:<\/strong>&nbsp;40.6 grams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fat:&nbsp;<\/strong>5.1 grams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Saturated fat:&nbsp;<\/strong>1.36 grams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Polyunsaturated fatty acids:<\/strong>&nbsp;1.91 grams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cholesterol:<\/strong>&nbsp;72.2 milligrams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sodium:<\/strong>&nbsp;648 milligrams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vitamin D:<\/strong>&nbsp;138 IU<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Tuna is high in protein but low in calories and saturated fat,&#8221; functional nutritionist&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/barbsobel.com\/about-barbara-sobel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barbara Sobel, M.S., CNS, LDN<\/a>, points out to mindbodygreen. In addition to being low in calories and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/how-to-eat-more-protein\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high in protein<\/a>, tuna is rich in several vitamins and minerals, including B12 and selenium.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">B12<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">2<\/a>&nbsp;is needed for vital processes such as neurological function, metabolism, and red blood cell formation, while&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/Selenium-HealthProfessional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">selenium<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">3<\/a>&nbsp;has antioxidant properties and is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Tuna also contains anti-inflammatory&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">omega-3 fats<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">4<\/a>, although not as much as some of the fattier fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring,&#8221; Sobel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, tuna is one of the few&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/vitamin-d-rich-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dietary sources of vitamin D<\/a>, a fat-soluble vitamin that plays critical roles in immune function, bone health, and other vital bodily processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-e4kJZhlvk\">Fresh vs. packed or canned<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All tuna products are rich in protein and relatively low in calories, but, because of its high fat content,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/175157\/nutrients\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tuna canned in oil is higher in total calories<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">5<\/a>&nbsp;compared to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/173706\/nutrients\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fresh tuna<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">6<\/a>&nbsp;and tuna canned in water.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many canned tuna brands use less expensive&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-vegetable-oil-bad-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vegetable oils<\/a>&nbsp;like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-soybean-oil-bad-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">soybean oil<\/a>&nbsp;in their canned tuna products. However,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/are-seed-oils-bad-for-you\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">it&#8217;s best to limit your intake of vegetable oils<\/a>, like soybean and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-corn-oil-healthy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">corn oil<\/a>, and opt for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/healthiest-cooking-oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">healthier oils<\/a>&nbsp;instead. If you&#8217;re shopping for tuna canned in oil, look for brands that use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/the-health-benefits-of-olive-oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">extra-virgin olive oil<\/a>, which is more nutritious and less highly processed than cheaper alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, canned tuna, including tuna canned in water and tuna canned in oil, is much higher in sodium compared to fresh tuna due to the addition of salt during the canning process. If you&#8217;re sodium-sensitive, you may want to choose canned tuna with no added salt, which can help cut back on your added salt intake.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-OvAR0Dw9A\">Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eating seafood in general is linked to\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/healthiest-fish-to-eat\" target=\"_blank\">several health benefits<\/a>, including improved cardiovascular health and protection against certain cancers. Plus, tuna provides a number of important nutrients, many of which are lacking in the average American diet. Here are a few potential health benefits linked to eating tuna:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-JNZCu0mK0\">1. It may improve heart health.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuna is high in heart-protective nutrients, including anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. These fatty acids boost heart health by promoting healthy blood vessel function, protecting against cellular damage, and encouraging healthy blood fat levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A review that included 34 meta-analyses<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32207773\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">7<\/a>found that each 100-gram-per-day increment in fish consumption was\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32207773\/\" target=\"_blank\">associated with a 12% lower risk of coronary heart\u00a0disease<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">7<\/a>, a 25% lower risk of heart attack, and a 20% reduced risk of heart failure, on average.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-8FPAAoYbC\">2. It may protect against certain cancers.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Studies show that people who follow healthy diets high in seafood have a lower risk of certain cancers. For example, the review mentioned above found that every 100-gram-per-day increase in fish consumption was associated with a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32207773\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">35% reduced risk of liver cancer<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">7<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another review found that compared to people who ate the least fish,\u00a0people in the highest category of fish consumption had a significant\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8833371\/\" target=\"_blank\">6% reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">8<\/a>. In addition to the cancer-protective nutrients concentrated in seafood, the researchers postulated that this protective effect might be because people who eat more fish tend to eat less red and processed meat, which are strongly\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21674008\/\" target=\"_blank\">linked to colorectal cancer<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">9<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-IomhEeTNZ\">3. It&#8217;s a source of vital nutrients.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seafood is the main dietary source of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA. Although your body can make DHA and EPA from ALA, which is found in plant-based foods like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/chia-seeds-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chia seeds<\/a>, the conversion rate is poor. In fact, studies show that the conversion rate of ALA to EPA and DHA is between&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3921\/10\/10\/1627\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7 and 21% and 0.01 and 1%<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you#citations\">10<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because of this, the most effective way to\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/epa-and-dha-health-benefits-and-differences\" target=\"_blank\">maintain optimal levels of DHA and EPA<\/a>\u00a0is to eat foods rich in these fats, like seafood, or\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/best-omega-3-supplements\" target=\"_blank\">supplement with fish oil, krill oil, or algal oil<\/a>,\u00a0which is a plant-based source of DHA and EPA. In addition to omega-3s, tuna also provides nutrients like B12, iron, vitamin D, and selenium, which are lacking in many people&#8217;s diets.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Continue reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you\">https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/is-tuna-good-for-you<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/wc\/jillian-kubala-ms-rd\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/wc\/jillian-kubala-ms-rd\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From tuna sushi rolls to tuna sandwiches, tuna is as versatile a protein as they come.\u00a0While all fish, including tuna, are a source of important nutrients, there are environmental and health-related concerns to consider when choosing tuna. Here&#8217;s what to know about tuna&#8217;s nutrition, health benefits, and how to safely consume it. Types of tuna Tuna is one of the most commonly consumed fish species in the world. In fact, canned tuna is the&nbsp;second most consumed seafood product in America, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4292"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4294,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4292\/revisions\/4294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}