I’ve seen some posts from well meaning people, celebrating finding a ‘healthy tuna’ option.
Their healthy is that the tuna is in 100% Olive oil which is certainly a plus.
For some that it comes in a glass jar is also a win. I agree.
An added win is the tuna being ‘pole caught’ which is a very blurry claim in my book, ‘wild’ can also be blurry…
The major downfall of all the brands posted as ‘healthy’ is the country of origin. Every one of them has fish from warm water Asian countries, mainly Thailand. In these countries the water quality is of concern and the fish is often farmed which brings into question both the water quality and what the fish are being fed. The sustainability practices even with the claims of wild caught are questionable.
Tuna is often touted as a great source of omega 3 fats however it is living in cold water that produces this layer of protective fat. Most tinned fish is from countries where the water temperature is tepid to warm.
The only brands of tinned fish, I am aware of, that would be better choices are Good Fish (Spain, Portugal, Canary Islands), Fish4Ever (Portugal, Calabria) and East Coast Tuna Co (Queensland).
The water is not cold in any of those places however most other boxes are ticked; they pride themselves on sustainable fishing practices, the fish is wild caught not farmed and from what I can tell sourced from unpolluted waters. Having said that, microplastics are now a serious concern in all our water ways and have been found in most seafood to some degree.
These brands are expensive (you pay for what you get) and availability may be an issue in that they aren’t available at most supermarkets though can be bought online.
For me tinned fish is not a food I eat often. When I do, it’s because I feel like it - for enjoyment or convenience.
In my book, tinned tuna and salmon don’t rate highly nutritionally, they are mainly a source of protein.
Sardines and mackerel rate considerably higher nutritionally, due to being smaller and that you eat the skin and bones.
My first choice is sardines. You eat the whole fish so get the benefits of eating the skin and bones which are the most nutrient dense part of fish.
My preference is fresh which I find quite easy to get at most seafood shops and reasonably priced. You can buy a tray of filleted sardines which is probably the best way if you are starting out with fresh sardines. They are yummy just baked with some garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and finely chopped tomato and parsley. Or you can crumb them and pan fry them - super delicious and crunchy.
Then move on to the whole sardines. There’s loads of ways of cooking them. They can be baked the same ways as the filleted ones or use some other seasonings - Asian, Greek, Middle eastern flavours. Whole sardines are also delicious when barbecued.
With tinned sardines, Brisling sardines (Brunswick brand) are my pick for most economical and easily available at supermarkets. As always read the label for where they are from and what liquid they are in eg spring water, olive oil, other oil, flavouring etc. Of course the brands already mentioned are good choices if they are available to you. I usually smash them up with some avocado, lemon or pickle juice and salt. If I have more time I add garlic, chopped tomato, cucumber, pickles, parsley or coriander. To give it more depth I like to add a dollop of mayo, sour cream, yoghurt or kefir. I will eat the mix on crackers, in a wrap, on slices of cucumber, in a sandwich, on toast, wrapped in a lettuce leaf or as a dip. The basic version is a fabulous nutrient dense first food for babies.
Lastly and definitely not least, while I have kept referring to ‘tinned’ fish, my preference is fish in glass jars. Fish and most food in tins pose numerous health concerns around what the tin is made from and possible interactions between the ingredients in the tin and the tin itself.
As always my goal and suggestion is to concentrate on consuming a variety of fresh, locally and sustainably produced single ingredient food as is possible. In Australia we are fortunate to have such food produced and available for most people.
Yes for some there are challenges in having access to such food.
You are most welcome to book in a chat so I can assist you with work arounds and accessibly.
More on farmed salmon here
More on first foods for baby here