Tuna may be a comfort food for many people, but it may provide some important health benefits, too. Tuna is versatile, and you can have canned tuna in sandwiches, salads and casseroles, or fresh tuna on the grill with marinades. Tuna is one component of an overall balanced diet for heart health.
Omega-3 Fats
Tuna provides heart-healthy, long-chain, omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce your risk for heart disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. These fats work to lower your blood pressure, decrease triglyceride levels in your blood and help regulate your heart rate. Stick with canned light tuna if you are pregnant, since it is lower in mercury, an environmental contaminant, than fresh tuna, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Saturated Fat
Tuna may support heart health because it provides high-quality protein without much saturated fat, which raises levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol in your blood. A 100-g portion of canned light tuna in water has less than 1 gram of saturated fat. Fresh bluefin tuna also has about 1 g, compared to steak with as much as 7 g saturated fat. High blood levels of total and LDL cholesterol may increase your risk for heart disease.
Weight Control
Tuna may be healthy for your heart because it helps you control your weight. Obesity increases your risk for heart disease, and as a low-calorie source of protein, tuna may be able to help you reduce your calorie intake. Canned light tuna in water has about 116 calories and 25 g protein in 100 g, and fresh bluefin tuna has 144 calories and 23 g protein. Protein is a filling nutrient that helps decrease your hunger.
Sodium Concerns
Canned tuna with salt may be harmful for your heart because of its sodium content, with more than 300 mg in a 100-g serving. Sodium may raise your blood pressure and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Better choices are canned tuna without salt or fresh tuna, with no more than 50 mg sodium in a 100-g serving.
