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Tuna: calorie content, benefits and harms. Photo
Tuna is a fish that is low in calories, high in protein, rich in vitamins and minerals. It can be a valuable part of the diet, but tuna has a number of contraindications due to its mercury, which can cause serious health problems, and purines, which can lead to kidney stones.
Nutritional value and beneficial properties of tuna
A 156-gram serving of fried tuna contains 25,5 calories, of which 5 grams is protein and 109 grams is fat. A serving of the same size canned tuna in its own juice contains 20 calories, of which 2,2 grams is protein and 168 grams is fat. If you are trying to lose weight, diet, avoid tuna, canned in oil, one hundred gram jar of which contains 7 calories, of which XNUMX grams of fat.
Store large pieces of fresh tuna by burying them in ice, place fillets and steaks on top of the ice
Tuna is rich in vitamins. It provides over one hundred percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12, a nutrient that promotes proper metabolism, DNA synthesis and nervous system function. By consuming tuna, you get the vitamin A (retinol) you need and also meet half your daily niacin needs. A serving of this fish provides you with about one-fifth of your daily need for thiamine and riboflavin and about one-third of your recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. The high content of B vitamins in tuna helps the body use fats, proteins and carbohydrates from food more fully, making your metabolism more efficient. Vitamin B6 is essential for the methylation process. It, together with folic acid, reduces the level of homocysteine produced during the methylation cycle and is considered a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.
Although there are not many essential minerals in 40 grams of tuna, they are nevertheless a good source of phosphorus, a nutrient that plays an important role in bone health. A serving of tuna provides 1,1 percent of the daily value of this mineral, as well as one-sixth of magnesium, which is also needed for strong bones as well as nervous system health. It contains XNUMX mg of iron, which is just over a tenth of the daily value. Tuna is high in selenium. This mineral plays a key role in maintaining liver health as it is an essential component of one of the body’s most important antioxidants, glutathione peroxidase. Selenium also plays an important role in the prevention of cancer and heart disease.
The health benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids found in tuna have been known for a long time. They are especially beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health. Also, these acids are beneficial, prevent irregular heart rhythms, which leads to a decrease in the risk of blood clotting inside the arteries and helps to maintain a high level of “good”. Tuna is also very effective against the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis. DVT is considered a very serious condition during which blood clots form in the veins of the legs, thighs, or pelvis. This leads to severe pain and swelling. Embolism is another serious illness that can be avoided by consuming tuna on a regular basis. It is, in fact, a continuation of deep vein thrombosis. Emboli form when some or all of the blood clots in the deep veins “break” from where they formed and travel through the venous system to different parts of the body.
You can prepare tuna in a variety of ways, for example:
– cook;
– bake;
– grill.
A dietary dish is obtained from tuna canned in its own juice with vegetables, you can cook healthy tuna soup, the famous Nicoise salad recipe with pieces of this fish is very popular.
Recent studies have shown that consumption of tuna can help reduce the risk of strokes, in particular ischemic stroke
The omega-3 fatty acids present in tuna are beneficial for people suffering from type II diabetes. In addition, these fatty acids regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism by stimulating the secretion of the hormone leptin. An important beneficial effect of eating tuna is that it reduces the cognitive decline associated with age, and it is also beneficial in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dry eye.
Risks Associated with Consuming Tuna
One of the main hazards associated with the consumption of tuna is the high content of mercury in these fish, more specifically methylmercury, which causes serious health problems. Tuna accumulates mercury by absorbing it through the skin, as well as with the small fish that it eats. Doctors do not recommend eating tuna during pregnancy, breastfeeding mothers and children under 12 years old, or at least suggests that they limit their intake to 100 grams of this fish per week. It is difficult to predict how much mercury will enter the body with a specific portion, this heavy metal, moreover, tends to accumulate in the body. Mercury poisoning is asymptomatic in the early stages, and then can lead to neurological problems, speech, hearing, coordination and muscle weakness. Fetuses that form in the womb and nursing infants are particularly susceptible to mercury poisoning.
Also, tuna contains substances called purines. An excess of purines in food can cause urolithiasis and trigger the development of gout. Do not forget that tuna, like other types of fish, can cause food allergies. It can manifest as a rash, laryngeal edema, nasal congestion, trouble breathing, dizziness, and nausea.