It’s one of the easiest proteins to keep on hand for a quick meal. Get the scoop on buying the best varieties, then get ready to cook these deliciously healthy canned-tuna recipes.
Choosing the Right Can
Both water and oil-packed tuna can be used create a healthy recipe. At the market, the most common water-packed varieties are albacore and chunk light. Albacore comes from a larger species and has a milder flavor, while chunk light comes from a smaller fish and tends to have a stronger flavor. Three ounces of tuna canned in water has around 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 22 grams of protein.
Oil-packed varieties have more calories and fat than water-packed tuna, and the price is usually higher than water-packed. Three ounces has about 170 calories, 7 grams of fat and 25 grams of protein. Splurge on oil-packed on a special occasion and drain to help remove some of the fat.
Tuna is even more convenient than ever — you don’t even need can opener to enjoy it; you can now find tuna in pouches. The pouches are available in the same oil and water-packed varieties with similar nutritional content to canned. Some companies like Starkist also pack their tuna in extra-virgin olive oil or sunflower oil and have low-sodium options available.
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Most folks are hip to the fact that they need more omega-3 fats in their diet, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually eating enough. Here’s a refresher on why omega-3s do the body good and some delish recipes to boost your intake.
Health Benefits
There are 3 main types of omega-3 fats that are typically referred to by their abbreviated names DHA, EPA and ALA. The DHA and EPA types are plentiful in fish and help fight inflammation. They also contribute to heart health, brain function and immunity. If that’s not enough, they also help with healthy joints, skin, eyes and skin. The ALA type of omega-3 is found mostly in plant-based foods. Once eaten, the body converts ALA to a small amount of DHA and EPA. ALA-rich foods are good for you for a variety of reasons but to really reap the benefits of omega-3, you want to make sure to get most of them from EPA and DHA.
Foods
Experts recommend getting about 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s per day, mostly from DHA and EPA.
Salmon
Salmon is one of the best fish choices for healthy fats. A 4-ounce (raw) portion will serve up more than 1600 milligrams of DHA and EPA.
Recipe: Blackened Salmon With Mango Salsa
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We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.
Healthy Eats’ Brown-Bag Challenge has folks from around the country packing their lunches this month. Two popular brown bag items have been tuna salad sandwich and turkey sandwiches. These bad boys are going head-to-head for the title of healthiest sandwich.
Tuna Salad Sandwich
Pros:
Three ounces of canned tuna in water contains 108 calories and 20 grams of protein. It provides 5 percent of your daily iron needs, a multitude of energy boosting B-vitamins and 80% of your daily recommended amount of selenium. Tuna is also plentiful in omega-3 fat, which is important for heart health, growth and brain function. For the sandwich, using whole grain bread can up your daily dose of fiber as can piling up on the veggies.
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- Rolled oats will cost you just 20 cents per 1/2 cup portion.
Our original top 10 list was so popular, Healthy Eats readers asked for more. Here are 10 more healthy foods that won’t break the bank.
#1: Carrots
Cost: $0.89 per 1 pound bag (about 9 carrots)
Even my kids tout the benefits of carrots, “They give you healthy eyes, mom” they always tell me. But beta-carotene has more benefits than meets the eyes. It also helps promote healthy bones, skin and hair. Make carrot soup, add to a stir-fry, or slice into strips for an easy kids snack.
#2: Low fat cottage cheese
Cost: $2.75 per 16-ounce container
This perfect combo of protein, carbs and fat will help keep you satisfied. It’ll also give you a boost of calcium with 10% of your daily recommended dosage in every ½ cup serving. If you’ve been passing this underappreciated food in your dairy aisle, check out more reasons why we love it.
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- Ellie's Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole
A one-stop meal, casseroles make an easy weeknight dinner (and next day lunch). But many recipes call for cups (yes, cups!) of mayo, cans of creamy soup or lots of heavy cream — if you eat these on a regular basis, you may as well have “911” on redial for the after-dinner coronary. Here are our top 5 lighter casseroles that’ll keep your waist slim and your heart in tip-top shape.
See all 5 lightened-up casseroles »
What you eat affects every part of your body — even your hair. When it comes to keeping your locks lovely, some nutrients play an extra important role. Here are 10 foods to keep on your plate.
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We talked tuna this week, and you all chimed in with some delicious recipe ideas and swaps. Also on the menu: sweet and savory pumpkin, grilling with pomegranates, plus snacks to keep your appetite satisfied. Read on for more, then join the conversation!
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We’ve featured lots of tuna recipes this week, but now we want to go back to basics: choosing between the different types. There are so many options — water or oil-packed? Canned or fresh? Chunk light or albacore?
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I’m always looking for new ways to take advantage of the healthy protein and omega-3 fats in tuna. My mom would bring home a tuna pasta salad from the deli when I was a kid, but it was loaded with fatty mayo. Here’s my lightened-up version made with five simple ingredients.
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Tuna salad is one of my go-to foods for a party or casual luncheon, but I never drench my mix in mayonnaise or oils. Besides upping the calories, adding gobs of mayonnaise drowns out the tuna flavor. Next time you plan on making tuna salad, try these variations.
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