He noted a number of useful properties, as well as tuna is famous for its special remarkable taste. European gourmets call it "sea veal" or "sea chicken", because tuna is almost devoid of the characteristic sharp fishy smell, and even surpasses in nutritional properties. Another poetic name for tuna is the “rose of the seas”. So it is called because of the color of the pulp.

Let's see what is the use of hiding in tuna, why is it loved all over the world, and can there be any harm from this fish?

Nutritional value (per 100 g):

Essential vitamins (per 100 g):

Mineral substances (mg per 100 g):

How to apply for weight loss

Slimming can't  choose canned butter, it is better to stay on fresh tuna. Sometimes it is included in short, fast diets or fasting days. It is believed that the best options for slimming dishes are tuna salads.

Use in healthy and therapeutic nutrition

Tuna dishes are regularly included in sports dietsbecause, due to the high content of easily digestible proteins, tuna helps build muscle mass.

As already mentioned, the composition of the diets of patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertensive patients also necessarily include tuna dishes.

How to choose tuna products

Usually found in stores   four variants of tuna:

• fresh;
• frozen;

• canned in oil;
• canned in its own juice.

The benefits, harm and features of the choice of canned tuna

The least preferred tuna, preserved in butter, because it is too fat for a healthy diet. If you are buying fresh fish, then it is worth remembering that the best season for this is from May to August. You can not take pieces that have a brownish tint or discolored. The color of healthy fish is from pink to dark red.

When choosing canned tuna, check when it is produced and what date it is for food. There are also some ethical restrictions: it is recommended to buy canned foods that have the dolphinfriendly label. This means that the technology of catching was not violated, the fish were not caught by the poaching method, and the dolphins were not killed when the tuna were caught.

How to store tuna products

Tuna fish can be stored frozen. Fresh meat should be stored in the refrigerator, having previously wiped out excess moisture, and it is recommended to use it for   1-3 days. Canned tuna is stored in a dark cool room for a shelf life, which must be printed on the package.

How to use

It is often used as a main course, complementing vegetables as a side dish. When frying tuna, it is important to remember that it should be cooked for a very short time, approximately 1-2 minutes  on each side, otherwise the fish will become tough!

When cutting tuna, you need to carefully inspect the pulp and remove dark areas.

Harm and contraindications

Tuna is a fairly healthy product, and has few contraindications:

• doctors forbid tuna from eating patients with renal insufficiency;
• with caution you need to eat the meat of large individuals, because it can accumulate mercury;
• pregnant women should not eat tuna dishes (breastfeeding mothers, too);
• children can eat tuna no earlier than 3 years;
• there are cases of individual intolerance to the product.

It is also worth remembering that the excessive use of the product can be harmful. Do not forget about a balanced diet!

Tuna is a very tasty and healthy fish. It is almost impossible for him to find an equivalent equivalent - he alone replaces a whole grocery store. Let's discuss in the comments recipes for healthy dishes from fresh and canned tuna!

Tuna today has become one of the most beloved and sought after seafood delicacies. The meat of this fish, which has a beautiful red color, is valued for its delicate, pleasant taste, the complete absence of extraneous odors and high protein content. Sea fish has a huge range of useful properties, but not everyone knows how to properly prepare and store tuna, what is its use and harm.

Healing and beneficial properties

Due to the huge amount of vitamins, minerals and useful trace elements, tuna meat helps to enrich the body with enzymes and substances important for its work, and also serves to prevent various diseases.

• Due to the polyunsaturated fatty acids that make up it, tuna meat has a beneficial effect on the heart and vascular system. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce cholesterol levels, which prevents the development of heart attack and the possibility of thrombosis.
• With the help of this sea product, the immunity is strengthened, since its regular use in the body produces antibodies that prevent various manifestations of allergic reactions: dermatitis, skin rash, redness.
• Meat contains a very important trace element for the body - selenium. With it, accelerating the purification of the liver from toxins and other harmful substances, and, therefore, improves the work of the digestive and circulatory system.
• The benefits of tuna is that it can prevent cancer. The product contains enzymes that successfully cope with free radicals that activate the formation of tumors.
• Tuna activates brain activity, so people engaged in mental work should use this delicacy at least once a week.
• The chemical composition of meat completely lacks carbohydrates, which makes the seafood indispensable for people with diabetes.
• With osteoporosis and other changes in the bone system, especially for older people, it is necessary to include this marine delicacy in the diet.
• Due to the large amount of vitamin A, which prevents premature aging of the body, and vitamin B1, which normalizes metabolism, the product is indispensable for losing weight.
• Tasty and beautiful meat cheers up, therefore it is recommended to use it at nervous breakdowns and depression.
• Tuna normalizes the reproductive system in women and men.
• In tuna meat about 25% protein, which is quickly and completely absorbed by the body. This makes the product a favorite delicacy of athletes seeking to gain muscle mass.

Harm tuna

Despite the undoubted benefits of marine fish, it can be fraught with danger. Use tuna with caution to people who are allergic to fillets of the mackerel family. In the presence of such a pathology, you should enter the sea delicacy into the diet in small portions, 20–25 grams each, and monitor the reaction.

When choosing a fish, you should not deceive yourself with its size. A large fish becomes at the end of life, and over the years many hazardous substances accumulate in its body, in particular mercury, which damages the human body. The ability to accumulate heavy metals has almost all the long-lived inhabitants of the deep sea. Together with algae, they absorb the smallest particles of methyl mercury, which do not dissolve in water and are not eliminated from the body of the individual.

The presence of tuna in the meat of mercury makes the use of this product dangerous for young children, pregnant and lactating women.

Usually fish canned in its own juice or with the addition of oil. In canned form, tuna retains all its beneficial properties, but still, a product that does not contain excess fat is more useful.

Canned tuna differs from fresh fish in calories. The nutritional value of fresh seafood is 134 kcal, for canned food in its own juice, this indicator is slightly lower - 96 kcal. Calorie canned with oil is 200 kcal. The amount of protein and fatty acids in canned food is slightly less than in a fresh product, but their quantity is enough to consider it useful for human health.

How to choose canned food

Tuna is one of those seafood products that, even after heat treatment, do not lose their beneficial properties. Salads and pates, sauces and snacks are made from canned tuna.

To choose really fresh and tasty canned food, you need to pay attention to the following nuances.

• The jar should be flat, without seams and dents. The appearance of the jar is very important, since the presence of seams indicates the possibility of rust inside the container and damage to canned goods, and dents indicate a change in pressure, which is also not desirable.
• When choosing canned food close attention should be paid to the date. It is squeezed out from inside the tin can at the time of filling the container with canned food. The presence of the date of manufacture in the form of a bar code should alert the buyer.
• Full conservation of tuna occurs three months after its immersion in tara. It is after this period that the fish is soaked with its juice and is completely ready to eat. So, the date of purchase of canned food should be three months more than the date of manufacture.
• The marking should be the letter "P". This means “fish”, otherwise anything can be in the bank.
• When shaking the jar, no splash of liquid should be heard. A conscientious manufacturer fills the cans with fish completely, adding only salt and pepper.
• The inscription "Albacore" on canned food indicates that they are made of white tuna, the most useful and tasty, which is caught off the coast of Italy, Spain and Japan. Canned foods made from tuna caught in Thailand or near the Seychelles may contain dark meat.
• The Russian manufacturer produces canned frozen food, so their quality leaves much to be desired.
• Tuna is a very large fish, so the manufacturer tries to put a whole piece in the jar. In high-quality canned food should be meat, consisting of large fibers without a large number of bones.

How to cook tuna

Tuna dishes are good for vessels, the heart and the nervous system, improve eyesight and improve immunity, but only if the fish are cooked properly. Tuna meat is very dense and layered, dries quickly, so you can store it in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days, and even better to use immediately after purchase.

Fresh fillet has a uniform, pleasant reddish color, without dark spots. If the whole bird is bought, it is better that its weight does not exceed 2 kg. The fish must have intact fins and exude the smell of seawater.

Before cooking the fillet, it is cut into not too thick slices, rubbed with salt and pepper, or immersed in the marinade. After half an hour, when the meat is soaked with spices, you can start cooking.

In a frying pan with red-hot vegetable or butter, fillet slices are placed and fried for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. To make sure that the food is ready, a piece of fillet should be pierced with a fork. The fish should be a little stratified, and from the inside you will see a light pink flesh. So, the dish is ready, you can start the meal.

Unique in its chemical composition, tuna fish is a natural pantry of quickly digestible protein, vitamins and minerals.

Tuna is a heat-loving ocean fish with very nutritious, wholesome and extremely nourishing meat. Most often, tuna fishing takes place in oceanic latitudes, but such fish can also be found in the seas - Black, Japanese or Azov.

As a rule, fresh tuna is difficult to find in the edges remote from the sea and ocean coasts, therefore it is most common in canned, chilled and frozen forms.

A variety of dishes, including tuna, the benefits and harms of which are sufficiently studied, loved by many, and this product is extremely popular all over the world. A special place tuna found in Japanese, Mediterranean and Italian cuisine.

Vitamin composition

Tuna is extremely rich in vitamins and various minerals rich in fatty acids and microelements. Those who have tasted this nutritious fish at least once in a salad or a delicious snack, know about the excellent taste qualities that the product is famous for. How is this ocean dweller useful? In addition to the fact that the nutritional value of tuna is only 100 kcal, it is rich in 95% of protein compounds. Protein, which is remarkable, is completely absorbed by the body, and this fish is deservedly considered a product of athletes.

This fish fell in love with nutritionists, because tuna, the chemical composition of which deserves special attention, effectively fights with extra centimeters and helps to achieve a beautiful and toned body. It is shown in the diet and is part of many dietary dishes.

Tuna is rich in the following vitamins and trace elements:

• Vitamins of group B. Significantly accelerate the metabolism, care about the beauty of the skin, regulate energy metabolism and care about the health of the digestive tract. In addition, B vitamins help reduce the body's susceptibility to stress, have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and stabilize sugar levels;
• Vitamin A. Helps maintain eye health, is responsible for the beauty of the hair, youthful skin and its elasticity.
    Calcium. Helps in the transmission of nerve impulses, affects protein synthesis and strengthens bone tissue. It acts as an excellent regulator for the nervous system and the heart;
• Iodine. It is responsible for the normal functioning of the endocrine system, regulates energy metabolism and contributes to the breakdown of cholesterol;
• Vitamin PP. Participates in protein metabolism, normalizes the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Extremely reduces pressure and cares about eye health;
• Magnesium. Provides a normal exchange of glucose, reduces the risk of heart disease, helps to increase the body's resistance to stress;
• Chromium. Promotes glucose uptake, lowers blood pressure and regulates glucose and protein metabolism;
• Omega-3/6. Useful fatty acids help to improve immunity, significantly prevent aging and stimulate collagen production;
• Vitamin E. Effectively prevents aging, improves the endocrine system, cares about the youth of the skin and its water balance.

Calorie content

Despite the fact that the calories in tuna a little, it is superbly nourished and prevents the appearance of hunger. Fresh tuna, whose caloric value is only 100 calories, greatly benefits the canned fish of the same species. It has a bju ratio of 23.3-4.6-0, which makes it ideal for lunch, a snack or a hearty dinner.

But tuna canned tuna in its own juice is a bit different: 21-1,2-0. Canned fish has less fat, since the least fatty parts of the fish are chosen for this purpose. It is also possible to preserve fish in oil. Tuna in oil, whose caloric content reaches 197 kcal, has an individual ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates: 29.1-8.2-0. This option is the most advantageous in the protein ratio, but also much fatter fresh and canned in its own juice.

You may be interested to learn how useful and harmful cod liver. Read the details

Is canned tuna useful?

Most often in the store you can find exactly a variety of tuna in a can, the use of which is not at all different from fresh fish. And how is canned tuna useful? This type has all the same vitamins and trace elements, like fresh-frozen fish, only has a high percentage of fats and amino acids, if we talk about canned food in oil. It is not only useful, but also perfectly suited as a quick snack. Just mix a can of tuna with green lettuce and tomatoes - and a tasty snack is ready! But it is worth considering whether it is possible for nursing mothers or pregnant women such a fish, because tuna can accumulate mercury in its fibers.

What tips to follow to choose a quality canned tuna - see the video:

Beneficial features

This fish has rich beneficial properties, due to a store of vitamins and minerals.

In particular, tuna has the following therapeutic properties:

• has a strong anti-inflammatory effect;
• reduces the risk of heart complications and diseases;
• improves eye performance;
• stabilizes pressure;
• improves metabolism;
• cancer prevention;
• prevents aging;
• strengthens the immune system;
• removes toxins from the liver;
• fights depression;
• eliminates rashes and rashes;
• improves brain function.

Why pregnant tuna can not?

Is it worth it to include this fish in the menu for women in position, and is it possible for pregnant tuna, or can this product be harmful? Such fish is not recommended at all to expectant mothers and is undesirable in their diet, despite all the benefits of this wonderful product. The great storehouse of good cannot hide the fact that tuna contains mercury. In large fish, such a substance is much smaller than in small fish.

For a normal body, such a fish is excellently suitable, especially for weight loss, as it will become a good and useful source of protein and acids. But when breastfeeding tuna is also undesirable. For the mother's body, mercury compounds are not dangerous, because they are in minimal amounts, but the baby can be harmed. Therefore, it is not necessary to include in the diet of tuna with guv and pregnancy.

Future and young mothers will be more useful to use flounder

Contraindications and harm

What is harmful tuna and what contraindications can be to use this fish?
  In particular, it is undesirable:

• children under 3 years;
• asthmatics;
• pregnant women;
• people with kidney problems;
• lactating mothers;
• allergy sufferers.

It is worth remembering that every day such fish is not worth eating, but three times a week you can.

With daily use, mercury can accumulate, which in excess leads to:

• dizziness;
• sensory disturbances;
• laryngeal edema;
• rash;
• nasal congestion.

Usage features

There is a fish of this kind is not more than 2-3 times a week and, best of all, at lunch or at a second breakfast. This is due to its caloric and susceptibility of the body to the absorption of protein. You can also eat tuna in the evening, but only canned in its own juice or chilled and then thermally processed later.
  It combines with many components, in particular, with other seafood, fresh vegetables, and citrus fruits.

From this fish you can cook:

• steak;
• canned fish burgers;
• salty cake;
• couscous with tomatoes;
• pasta;
• salads with vegetables;
• rolls;
• marinated fish;
• rolls.

Such a useful fish is definitely included in the weekly menu. Choosing fresh fish, you should pay attention to the color and smell of the product. But in the case of a canned variety, it is worth exploring the date and choosing meat by pieces made in Spain, Japan or Italy. Store ready-made tuna dishes for no more than two days.

Related materials

Tuna fish has specific benefits. But there is a special harm. So seafood is difficult and requires careful analysis.

Composition

Tuna fish is called the whole group of fish of the mackerel family.

The composition may differ slightly depending on which species the fish belongs to, whether it is raw or canned. Most people often buy canned tuna in their own juice. This product has approximately the same composition (per one jar - 185 grams).

Calorie tuna from canned in its own juice is 191 kcal. This quantity of product is present:

• 42.1 grams of pure protein (for most people, this corresponds to 84% of the daily requirement);
• 190% daily dose of selenium;
• 110% niacin;
• 82% vitamin B12;
• 29% of vitamin B6;
• 27% phosphorus;
• 14% iron;
• on 11% of magnesium and potassium;
• 8% zinc;
• 7% vitamin B2.

Also in the tuna are:

• vitamins - B1, E, A, folate, pantothenic acid;
• trace elements - copper, calcium, manganese.

The presence of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants in the product is very important for health.

Beneficial features

Free radical damage

The benefits of tuna for the human body associated with the presence of substances in it, which has antioxidant activity. As with any other seafood red or pink, in this fish there. True, it is present only in wild fish. Farmer boast of his presence can not.

Another substance that is useful for the destruction of free radicals and which is abundant in tuna is selenium. By itself, this microelement does not show antioxidative activity, but it is necessary for the biosynthesis of powerful internal antioxidants of the human body.

Since the basis of the majority of severe ills is the negative impact on the cells of free radicals, tuna as a product rich in antioxidants, protects against many diseases.

Anti-inflammatory activity

Antioxidant not only destroy free radicals. They exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. Chronic inflammatory processes in the body are the second cause of many serious illnesses from cancer to obesity. So the benefits of tuna, both in canned food and fresh - this is again protection from a variety of ailments.

In addition to selenium and astaxanthin, another class of compounds is present in fish, which is important for reducing the intensity of inflammatory processes. These are omega-3 fatty acids.

Some other useful properties of tuna are shown in the table.

How does weight loss work?

Positively.

The benefits of eating tuna while losing weight are explained by the fact that it is a low-calorie protein food product with a high content of pure protein (42.1 grams per tin can). All protein products are useful for weight loss, because:

• slow down the process of digestion and reduce the level of hunger hormone ghrelin (this makes it possible to reduce the appetite and hide the total number of calories consumed during the day);
• accelerate metabolism.

The extra weight-healing properties of this fish are associated with its antioxidant activity, which helps fight chronic inflammation in the body. It is sluggish inflammatory processes that usually go unnoticed, and are, according to current scientific information, one of the main causes of weight gain.

What is the possible harm?

It is widely known that tuna, fresh or canned, is not only good, but also harmful. And this harm is not connected with the fish, as such, but with the characteristics of the environment in which it lives.

Many people are frightened and polluted by a multitude of toxic compounds. But to the wild fish people are often more supportive.

But the sad truth is that nowadays the world's oceans are polluted with heavy metals, primarily mercury. A special feature of tuna is the ability to accumulate toxins of heavy metals. Mercury is present in wild fish. It is a fact.

The only question is how much of this substance, how much is it dangerous.

It is impossible to answer these questions unequivocally, since everything depends on the type of tuna, the place of its catch, and even on the age of the fish itself.

One thing is clear - you should not get too carried away with this fish. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the amount of tuna consumed per week should not exceed 300-350 grams, or 2 cans. The same restriction exists on the inclusion of fish in the diet of a child.

Can I eat tuna raw?

Tuna is clean in this respect. But this does not mean that it cannot be infected by pathogenic bacteria. It may even be. Raw fish, including fish of this variety, is much easier to poison than the one that was heat treated.

Moreover, during the infection of the meat of this fish with pathogenic bacteria, a special type of toxin accumulates in it, which is extremely dangerous for humans.

Useful properties of tuna and contraindications for its use: conclusions

This fish is a low-calorie product with a high content of protein, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and trace elements.

Due to this composition, tuna helps to prevent many serious illnesses (cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease), strengthens the immune system and helps to lose weight.

Unfortunately, today you cannot eat a lot of this fish. Since it is caught in the ocean, it contains mercury. Farm analogs are generally devoid of any health benefits, but also can cause harm.

You should be especially careful when eating raw fish - severe, life-threatening, poisoning are possible.

Tuna - fish is very healthy and tasty, if properly cooked. We'll talk about fresh tuna a little lower, now the question of whether canned tuna is useful, since most of this fish consumes it in canned food.
  Regarding canned tuna opinions are commonplace, people argue about its benefits, they talk about harm, let's learn more about its pros and cons. This information will help determine whether to eat this product, and in what quantities. And to whom, perhaps, he is absolutely contraindicated. By the way, a very tasty recipe for how to cook tuna in just 15 minutes - tasty and fast!

For many years, people looked at tuna as the most healthy fish for feeding. It is an excellent source of many beneficial substances, such as potassium, magnesium and selenium. Tuna contains high-quality low-fat protein, omega-3 most beneficial fatty acids for us, Vit.Gr.V.

Recently, some studies have argued that many types of canned tuna can be harmful because of its high mercury content, which (in large quantities!) Brings destructive effects on the body. Excess mercury can lead to inhibition of mental development and damage to the nervous system.

This contributes to air pollution due to emissions from factories and plants. In turn, all this rubbish falls into the ocean, and there are disappointing assumptions that by 2050 the level of pollution will be 50/50.

However, there is no need to panic, and exclude this useful fish from your diet, you only need to carefully consider the information received and draw the appropriate conclusions. For example, it is not recommended to use tuna to children and pregnant women. But in general, there is still no scientific evidence that tuna is bad for us, so just use common sense in its use, and everything will be fine.

Doctors say that the danger of increased mercury content in tuna is not great at all, and if you eat it 1-2 times a week, then it will bring much more benefit than harm. And, as you know, reducing the number of fish in their diet, people are more likely to suffer from heart disease and die. Once a week you can eat canned tuna without harm to health, especially if it is in its own juice, and not in oil.

Fresh tuna benefit and harm

Adults who eat tuna every day may experience the following symptoms:

• imbalance;
• sensory disturbances;
• deterioration of the cardiovascular system;
• increased risk of heart attack.
• But, these symptoms almost immediately go away when you stop eating fish so often.
• In general, studies have shown that, although a high level of mercury in fish is harmful, its use exceeds harm, and if it is used in moderation, everything will be fine with health. However, this concerns not only tuna, many fish are now defeated by this problem, these are our civilization flaws.

In general, of course, it is better to use fresh tuna in stew, boiled, as sandwiches, salads, grilled, with teriyaki sauce or citrus, baked, or fried with a small processing.

Tuna good

Omega-3 reduces the risk of heart diseases, heart attacks and strokes, promotes brain development.
  Tuna, chosen to eat instead of fatty meat, will help you control your weight.
  It lowers blood pressure because it contains a lot of potassium.

How to strengthen the beneficial properties of tuna

Tuna is useful for older persons, since the presence of the most beneficial Omega-3 in it is much greater than the harm from mercury. Salads are especially useful where tuna is combined with other useful products in the form of vegetables, greens and various sauces. Spinach, celery, cabbage, beans will benefit in this salad. Instead of mayonnaise, season the salad with olive oil, soy sauce, sour cream, add fresh dill, pepper, carrot. As a basis for sandwiches, use not white, but dark, bran-bran bread, and you will thereby get excellent wholesome and tasty food. Instead of pasta, serve tomatoes, olives, parsley, onions, basil, chopped garlic, broccoli, parmesan, and you will increase the benefit of the fish many times.

Useful and tasty will be cooking tuna on the grill, poured with olive oil and lemon juice. It retains all its wonderful properties. By the way, it is more useful to eat small fish than large individuals that live longer and, accordingly, accumulate more harmful substances.