Canned Sardines' Health Risks While dietary cholesterol doesn't affect blood cholesterol levels as significantly as we once thought, it's still best to limit high-cholesterol foods and stick to eating sardines about twice a week rather than every day. Both fresh and canned sardines provide similar nutritional benefits.
Sardines are high in protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids (associated with heart health benefits), and filled with certain important vitamins (especially D and B12) and minerals (such as calcium). However, sardines packed in oil are high in sodium and cholesterol, so daily consumption of them is not advisable.
As whole sardines also have the cofactors of healthy fats, calcium, vitamin D, and more, they're a far healthier option than something like protein powder for getting a protein boost. Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful for our heart health, as well as supporting our bodies ability to naturally anti-inflame.
Canned fish is healthy all the way! With canned fish brimming with nutrients and the lining of the can being update by the canned food industry, there is no reason not to include this healthy food into your diet.
Can you eat sardines every day? You should eat at least one portion (140 grams or 4½ ounces) of fish every week, and sardines are a good choice because of their plentiful nutrients. But oily fish generally collect higher levels of contaminants than other types of seafood.
Canned sardines come packed in water, oil, tomato juice, and other liquids in a tin can. You can eat them right out of the can, top them with onions or peppers, or add condiments such as mustard, mayo, or hot sauce. Usually, the heads have been removed, but you'll be eating the skin and bones.
Water-packed sardines just won't have the same rich flavor and can taste a bit water-logged. Oil, however, locks in the fish's flavor and keeps each sardine super-moist. Opt for olive oil, rather than other oils, as its savory characteristics really complement the sardines.
Still, tuna is high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamins B and A. This fish is also a good source of iron, phosphorous, and selenium. Sardines do not have a lot of mercury in them, so they're healthier in that regard.
The FDA recommends a weekly intake of two to three servings of sardines, or 8 to 12 ounces for adults and 4 to 6 ounces for children age 4 to 7. The FDA recognizes the health benefits of eating fish, especially for pregnant people and young children. Pregnant people can eat up to 12 ounces per week.
The tiny, inexpensive sardine is making it onto many lists of superfoods and for good reason. It packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg!) per 3-ounce serving than salmon, tuna, or just about any other food; it's also one of the very, very few foods that's naturally high in vitamin D.
The best in terms of lowering cholesterol are tuna, salmon, and swordfish. Sardines and halibut are good options, too.
Entrepreneur and VC Craig Cooper swears by eating 5 cans of sardines a day. (And loves a 22-minute power nap.) Being an entrepreneur means doing things differently: Creating new products and services. Finding new ways to solve old problems.
The fact that a serving of sardines serves up a whopping 136% the RDV certainly helps its case as a superfood.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that to consume those higher amounts, children should only be fed fish from the “Best Choices” list that are even lower in mercury – these fish are anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, mullet, oysters, plaice, pollock, salmon, ...
Sardines are a wonderful source of high-quality omega-3 fatty acids. Research is showing that omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA may help to support the tolerance of probiotic strains within your gut microbiome; making sardines an excellent gut health superfood.
While they are both excellent sources of protein and add to your nutrient profile, the benefits of fish tend to be slightly higher than chicken, especially when it comes to the Omega-3 content in it.
Drain the oil out of the can.
Sometimes a recipe will tell you to use the oil straight from the sardine can– and I regularly use the canned oil in my cooking. However, keep in mind that the oil from the can will taste fishier than fresh oil.
Sadly, due to the high mercury levels in most fish, it may be wiser to space out your fish intake to two or three days a week. Additionally, for some people, the high sodium levels or the fat content of sardines packed in olive oil may make daily consumption inadvisable.
To preserve their full quality, sardines in brine and in vegetable oil should be consumed up to 1 day after opening, while sardines in tomato sauce were stable for up to 3 days, although none were considered nonedible up to the 7th day.