Canned fish

[Tinhead]

Can anyone tell me if canned tuna and salmon are actually good for you to eat?  Reason I am asking is that I am really anal about eating meat, fish or chicken out of a tin.  I just wont do it.  However, I have seen loads of recipes that use tinned tuna - esp kids recipes.  Can that be ok? Are they not full of preservatives and high in salt?  I always end up buying the fresh stuff, but the tinned stuff must be awfully convenient.

[Rocket science]

Read the label.  All preservatives (or not) will be listed.

[Fish Oil]

I was told by a nutritionist that tinned is not great as most of the beneficial fish oils have been removed.  Probably to put in the expensive omega supplements we buy to get them.

[yellowfin]

I'm like that with meat or chicken but for some reason I'll happily eat tuna or sardines from a tin!

I don't think it is bad for you - fresh is no doubt better but we get through about 3 tins of tuna per week, usually mixed with mayonnaise and put on a sandwich or a baked potato (baker with tuna & mayo is one of my favourite meals).

[Granada]

best thing is to buy tuna + sardinnes in "extra virgen olive oil", no preservatives, only olive oil.
We eat them a lot, although I woldn't buy meat from a tiny.

[Something's Fishy]

A scientific study was done last year and found that many fish, including tuna, contain quantities of mercury. They said the levels were significantly higher in white/albacore tuna, so just buy the regular ("light") kind. I think they also recommended eating it only a few times a week at most.

[beppi]

In terms of added chemicals, preservatives and other nasties, I would worry less about the fish than the mayonnaise you eat it with!
Mayonnaise is essentially raw egg white mixed with oil - and that cannot last without preservatives!
The abovementioned part about mercury (and other heavy metals) is definitely true and a reason to worry in all seafood (fresh or canned makes no difference here).
What's so bad about canned meat? Canning is a method of preservation without needing chemicals, so the only bad thing is that most nutrients disappear over time. But certainly a can of meat isn't worse in that respect than a curry that has simmered for hours.
I'd worry more about hams and other meat products that last longer than raw meat - without a can.

[Mercury]

Actually I have heard the mercury thing doesn't apply to canned fish, somehting to do with the size of the tuna/salmon used for canning being the smaller (younger) fish, therefore not subject to high levels of mercury. Do check this out yourself though as I cannot remember the source and not sure if it relates to all brands of canned fish.

[canned]

ok...tuna out of a can does not have the same benefits as fresh tuna - which you should only eat once or twice a week maximum (especially if pregnant) due to high levels of mercury.  canned salmon, sardines and the other oily fish, which i unfortunately can't stand, still have a high level of omega 3 and other nutrients so are pretty close to eating fresh.  can't remember how i know this but it has no doubt come from the excessive nutritional reading that i tend to do.