Here’s What You Should Know About the Tinned Fish Trend

Tinned fish safety and benefits: an RD breaks down sodium, mercury, and BPA concerns and shares how to choose low-mercury, omega-3-rich cans.

The post Here’s What You Should Know About the Tinned Fish Trend appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

If you’ve recently been online, you’ve probably heard of or seen the “fisherman aesthetic” or “sardine girl summer” memes. And if you haven’t, think: vacation in Italy, blocky artwork, soft color palettes, and—of course—tinned fish. 

Tinned (or canned) fish is a budget-friendly protein that is making an online comeback. With pics of high design tins stuffed with sardines going viral, it’s only natural that people will want to try incorporating tinned fish into their diets.

But along with the hype of tinned fish also comes some criticism. Some worry that tinned fish is too high in sodium, preservatives, mercury, and BPA. If you’ve seen both the hype and the anxiety online, you might be wondering if tinned fish is really safe to eat. We’ve got answers.

Nutritional Benefits of Tinned Fish

Tinned fish is a shelf stable protein that can provide a host of beneficial nutrients. The most common types of tinned fish include:

• Tuna
• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Salmon
• Mackerel

Tinned fish is full of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fats that your body does not produce enough of on its own, making it an essential nutrient (1). According to MyFitnessPal dietitian Katherine Basbaum, omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation and support brain health.

Tinned fish is also a good source of protein. 100 g of canned salmon contains 23 g of protein (2), which is comparable to most other meats. Protein is important for a number of different bodily functions, with its main role being to provide the body’s building blocks (3). 

Aside from omega-3s and protein, tinned fish provides useful vitamins and minerals. 

It is high in calcium, a nutrient that is critical for bone health (4). Tinned fish also has high potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin D, and more (2).

About the Expert

Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD is Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal.