Why I Don't Eat Canned Tuna Anymore

10:53 AM Posted by jo

I have always liked tuna and when I was younger I didn't think about things like if it was safe or healthy for me to eat. Back home in Sweden growing up I ate tuna plain on sandwiches, and it wasn't until I came to the US that I tried a tuna and egg salad sandwich or casserole. It tastes good, that's for sure. Nowadays I occasionally enjoy tuna in Sushi, yes, I know what you are thinking, MERCURY, right? Yes, tuna should preferably not be eaten due to it's mercury content, and that's why I am extremely thankful that I know about mercury antidotes that hopefully may protect me during those rare occasions that I eat tuna. Certain nutrients act as antidotes to heavy metals as I described in my post, Do You Suffer From Heavy Metal Toxicity?


Of course, then there is the parasite and other contamination issues of eating raw fish, and that's one reason ginger and Wasabi are added. I'm covered pretty well through the kind of supplements I am taking, but to be on the safe side we do a couple of bigger cleanses a couple of times a year  in our family. 


So, now when we got the mercury issue out of the way, let's focus on the other reasons that I don't eat canned tuna anymore. The tuna is cooked in high temperatures and then sealed in a can containing water, vegetable oil, and salt. Sometimes all three are used in combination. The high temperatures destroys vital nutrients, and the protein is now denatured. I really don't want to eat tuna soaked in inferior vegetable oils, or with added salt either.


For example, the canning process:
  • removes 99% of the vitamin A found in fresh tuna, 97% of vitamin B1, 86% of the vitamin B2, 45% of the niacin, and 59% of vitamin B6.
  • increases the level of oxidized cholesterol, especially the molecule 25-hydroxycholesterol, that is extremely destructive to the linings of the arterial blood vessels.
  • Uses omega 6 - the vegetable oils the tuna is packed in, are usually high in omega 6 fatty acids. We often get too much of it. A balance is needed between omega 3 and 6.Too much omega 6 may lead to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. I know what you are thinking, isn't canned tuna a good source of omega 3? No, it is not due to the way it is cooked, it is cooked whole, de-boned, and placed in cans and cooked again. A lot of the fat is not preserved.
Canned tuna may still taste good, but it doesn't have many nutritional benefits. As a rule, I also avoid canned products due to many cans  contain BPA, and heavy metals. Most of the tuna is also processed overseas and don't meet the same quality requirements as here.

As always, this information is for educational purposes only, and is not meant to diagnose or prescribe.  




Thanks for visiting!


 

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