I always think of Salmon when I am thinking of a healthy fish, but tuna is in the running as well. Whether you are getting fresh tuna or tuna in the can, there are many ways to prepare and many reasons to enjoy Tuna. The most common species of tuna in the U.S. is the Skipjack, or light tuna followed by the Albacore, or white tuna. You can easily add tuna to your diet in a salad, by marinading tuna steaks on the grill, or even just eating straight out of the can!
- Tuna is full of Vitamin B12. This essential vitamin is needed to make DNA and to form new red blood cells. Having good levels of Vitamin B12 can prevent the development of Anemia.
- Just like salmon, tuna contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which can help lower rates of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
- Tuna also supports weight loss since it is a lean meat, high in protein while low in calories. This will keep you full longer and stop you from eating more food!
Fun Fact: As you know, you should be careful with how much tuna you eat because of high mercury content, but, because they use a smaller sized fish for canning, canned tuna contains less mercury. Though they are so similar, and both tuna fish, Skipjack contains higher mercury levels than Albacore. FDA recommends only one serving a week of the white tuna when you can have up to 2-3 servings a week of light tuna.
Recipes:
Tuna Burgers (Tasteofhome.com)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 6.4 ounces light tuna in water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 hamburger buns
- Mix first 6 ingredients, fold in tuna. Shape into 4 patties
- In a large cast-iron skillet, heat butter over medium heat, cook patties until lightly browned: 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve on buns and top how you would like.
- Lighten it up by using reduced-fat mayo and brushing the patties with melted butter instead!
Lemon Garlic Tuna Cakes (Crunchycreamysweet.com)
- 2.5 ounce can of tuna in water, well drained
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Drain canned tuna from water
- Combine it with garlic, onion, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, and parmesan. Mix well.
- Combine 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons of Parmesan in shallow dish. Scoop 1/4 cup of tuna mixture, form into a patty and lightly coat with breading mixture.
- Fry cake in pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
Healthy Tuna Salad (Ifoodreal.com)
- 4 6 oz cans tuna packed in water
- 2 small dill pickles, diced
- 1 large celery rib, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt, 2% fat
- 1/4 cup mayo
- Drain cans with tuna well
- Transfer to a large bowl and separate into flakes with a fork
- Add pickles, celery, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, yogurt, and mayo
- Stir well with a fork and refrigerate. Serve cold in a sandwich or over lettuce leaves
