Choose the Healthiest Canned Fish
Canned fish is rich in healthy nutrients, including calcium, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, and vitamins A and D. But nutrients and sodium levels can vary widely depending on how much processing was involved and whether you are buying seafood packed in water, oil, or mustard. Before you shop, take a look at our suggestions below.
Look for These Nutrients
“Anchovies and salmon are highest in omega-3 fatty acids, and also lowest in mercury levels,” says Morgan Dickison, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Comprehensive Weight Control Center. Season Brand skinless and boneless mackerel filets contain 1,200 milligrams (mg) of omega-3s. The fewer the ingredients and the less processing, the higher the omega-3 content.
Canned seafood is also a great source of protein. The brands in our chart range from 13 to 31 grams (g) of protein in a 2- to 3-ounce can. The recommended daily allowance for protein is 46 grams a day for adult women. But experts say general numbers should be adjusted for body weight. Adults should aim for 0.36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Canned seafood is also a significant source of vitamin D. Raincoast Trading’s Sockeye Salmon provides 80 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin D. Also note that fish with the bone in, such as sardines, are highest in calcium. Season Brand wild caught sardines with no salt added provides 28 percent of your daily calcium requirement.
Beware of Sodium
Look for a canned fish that has no salt added. Healthy options include American Tuna (with just 25 mg of sodium), Raincoast Trading, Bumble Bee, Wild Planet, Blue Harbor and Season Brand.
There are no anchovies in our list because the sodium count was higher than other types of fish. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat them. You just have to be cognizant of your daily sodium limit, which is 2,300 mg a day, or the equivalent of a full teaspoon. If you have or are at risk of high blood pressure, reduce your sodium to 1,500 mg a day.
Beware of Mercury
“The biggest concern when eating canned fish (or any fish) is mercury,” Dickison explains. And while this is mostly a concern for women of childbearing age, those who are pregnant and breastfeeding, and children, it’s also important for women over 50 to limit their mercury levels.
High doses can affect the lungs, kidneys, and digestive, immune, and nervous systems. “You can consume up to 0.46 micrograms (mcg) of mercury in one serving of fish per week,” says Dickison. “If you eat fish three times a week, limit your concentration of mercury to 0.15 mcg per serving.”
“Skipjack tuna has just 15 mcg of mercury in a 40-oz. portion, while albacore tuna has 40 mcg, nearly three times as much, so limit albacore to no more than one serving per week,” she says. “On the other hand, you could consume skipjack tuna three times a week.”
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