There's plenty of fish in the sea, and it's not always easy to decide which ones to eat
So what are the big differences between canned tuna and canned salmon
One of the most popular seafoods in the world, tuna, is a carnivorous fish that regularly
grows to weigh several hundred pounds. Tuna boasts a meaty texture that stands up particularly well to canning, which transforms
it into a fully cooked, easy-to-use pantry staple. Whether fresh or canned, tuna is low in fat and rich in protein
It also boasts quite a few essential nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids
These healthy fats are known for their nutritional benefits, notably contributing to improved
brain health. Oh, great Scott! Omega-3 fatty acids have also been known to reduce general inflammation and may even help
reduce the risk of heart disease and metabolic disease. While both canned and fresh tuna boast these health benefits, canned has quite a few advantages
over fresh. For example, canned tuna enjoys a much longer shelf life and is far less expensive than
its raw counterpart. Notably, mercury contamination is generally a concern in tuna, as high levels of mercury
can harm the development of the nervous system in unborn babies and young children
That said, since canned tuna is usually younger than the type preferred to sell fresh, it tends
to contain lower levels of mercury. Canned salmon might not be as commonplace as canned tuna, but at the end of the day
it's a fairly similar product that can be used in much the same way
Like canned tuna, canned salmon is a fully cooked, shelf-stable product that's rich in
protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and boasts a far longer shelf life and lower price point
than its fresher counterpart. Canned salmon, like fresh, may be wild-caught or farmed, with wild salmon being far denser
in key nutrients and containing up to three times less fat than farm-raised salmon
Given the price discrepancy between farmed and wild salmon, opting for canned, wild-caught
salmon can help make the most of the fish's higher nutritional properties without shelling
out quite so much money. And if the nutritional profile of the fish is your top concern, it's
interesting to note that canned salmon is even more nutritious than fresh. This stems from the
fact that the small pin bones in a salmon filet soften significantly during the canning process
essentially melting into the fish and suffusing it with added calcium. This mineral joined selenium and vitamin B12 in rendering canned salmon a superfood
truly worthy of the name. Scientists believe that the first human being who will live 150 years has already been born
I believe I am that human being. Perhaps the biggest difference between canned salmon and canned tuna comes down to their
nutritional profiles. While both are good sources of protein, tuna edges salmon out slightly
with 21 grams of protein per three portion as compared to just 17 grams for the same amount of salmon Salmon comes out on top nearly everywhere else however For example canned salmon contains a little more vitamin B12 and a whopping 14 times more vitamin D than canned tuna It also contains over 1 milligrams of healthy omega fatty
acids per 3-ounce portion, as opposed to somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams for tuna
depending on the species. But tuna isn't just a winner in the protein category
It's also lower in calories than salmon, with just 93 per 3-ounce portion as compared to 121
for salmon, a discrepancy that comes down to the higher healthy fat content found in salmon
Tuna also boasts over twice the selenium and just over twice the niacin of canned salmon
the former of which is beneficial for thyroid, metabolic, and cognitive function, and the latter
of which is known for improving blood fat levels, reducing blood pressure, and even improving skin
health. Raw, fresh tuna can be one of the most expensive fish out there, with bluefin tuna
specifically fetching in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But when it comes to the
canned stuff, there's no getting around it. Tuna is a far better deal than salmon. Canned tuna
usually costs somewhere around $1.60 to $1.80 per 5-ounce can, with lower-grade tunas fetching
as little as $0.80 or $0.90 per can. Canned salmon, meanwhile, starts at around $1.90 per
5-ounce can. And what's more, canned salmon prices can quickly skyrocket, with a better quality
salmon reaching $9 per 6-ounce can. Even imported Italian tuna packed in olive oil, some of the best
on the market, costs just around the $7 mark per 5.6-ounce can, a fraction of the cost of the
priciest salmon. Both canned tuna and canned salmon are available in different forms. They can
vary depending on the species of fish that's being canned, the liquid in which the fish is suspended
or even the size of the pieces in the can. When it comes to salmon, entry-level canned salmon is
usually basic pink salmon, while premium canned salmon may use sockeye or chinook. The best
quality canned salmon might even contain wild Alaskan salmon. Salmon is usually canned in water
though you can occasionally find it canned in oil. When it comes to canned tuna, you'll encounter
far more choices. Skipjack is perhaps the most common type of canned tuna, seeing as it's so
abundant in our oceans. This fish boasts a relatively soft texture, which means it's often
canned in chunks, rather than sold whole or solid. Yellowfin tuna boasts a rich flavor
particularly beloved by European brands, while white tuna, also known as albacore
is tasty and firm, with a mild flavor and a natural salinity. Tuna may easily be found
canned in anything from oil to water to broth, and you'll find tuna canned solid as one whole
piece or in chunks. Both tuna and salmon are carnivorous fish which means that mercury could be a concern in either Fish can absorb mercury naturally via bacteria in waterways And the larger and more predatory a fish is the more mercury it is likely to contain
This is because fish also absorb the mercury of the fish they consume
Eating too much fish, the tie in mercury can have negative effects on brain development and
can even be toxic — which is why pregnant and nursing women must be particularly wary of it
But while many fish contain mercury, tuna is one of the most contaminated out there
with some species of tuna containing nearly 60 micrograms of mercury per 3-ounce serving
Luckily, canned tuna contains far less mercury than fish, in large part due to the fact that
it's usually the smaller, younger tuna that are processed in this way. Canned albacore contains
about 29.75 micrograms of mercury, or 0.350 parts per million, per 3 ounces, while canned light
Tuna contains just 10.71 micrograms, or 0.126 parts per million. That said, if mercury is a concern, you're much better off opting for salmon
Canned salmon contains an average of just 0.014 parts per million of mercury
a fraction of the load of even light tuna. Tuna can be canned in anything from water to brine to oil
but the latter is perhaps the unsung hero of the grocery store shelf
While oil-packed tuna may not be the most traditional ingredient in tuna salad, once
you give it a try, you'll see why so many swear by it. Not only does that added oil give canned
tuna loads more flavor, but when you opt for olive oil-packed tuna, the resulting product
is even richer in healthy monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, and vitamin D. The oil from a can
of tuna boasts loads of flavor, too. So rather than throwing it away, cooks can save it and use
it elsewhere in the kitchen. For example, it can be used to add flavor to vinaigrettes for a salad
niçoise, deliver more moisture to pan-seared tuna patties, or offer an alternative to a mayo-based
dressing for a classic tuna salad sandwich. While you can also find salmon canned in oil
it's not nearly as widespread as oil-packed tuna. And even when you can find it, salmon is frequently
canned in vegetable oil rather than olive oil. Since this more processed oil is higher in saturated
fat, oil-packed canned salmon is no healthier than water-packed salmon, and can even be
considered a worse choice from a nutritional standpoint. Rampant overfishing and rising ocean temperatures mean that it's more important than ever to source
our seafood sustainably. Unfortunately, over half of the tuna sold in the U.S. is considered
unsustainable by industry experts. Tuna is often fished by pers-sane, which can trap dolphins and
other sea mammals, contributing to rampant bycatch. And while smaller, more sustainable
tuna species are often preferred for canning buying truly sustainable canned tuna requires a bit of extra work on the part of the consumer Shoppers must be vigilant in reading labels seeking out terms such as pole or troll to make sure they not contributing to the problem with their purchases
Salmon fisheries, however, are much better managed than tuna, in large part thanks to
salmon's natural inclination to return to the same place to spawn each year
which renders data collection a whole lot easier. And while salmon, like tuna
is a carnivorous predator, it eats further down the food chain than tuna, rendering it a slightly
more sustainable choice. Compounded with the widespread use of sustainable fishing methods
in salmon fisheries, salmon is hands down the more sustainable choice. If you prefer your fish on the less, well, fishy side, tuna might be the choice for you
Despite its famous odor rendering it a trope of unpleasant co-worker-packed lunches, canned tuna actually has a relatively mild flavor, especially compared to other canned
fish such as sardines or mackerel. This holds especially true if you pick white albacore tuna
which boasts a firmer texture and perhaps the mildest flavor of any type of canned tuna
Once it's seasoned with mayonnaise, onion, and celery in a classic tuna salad
tuna becomes so mild and fishy flavor that you might even mistake it for chicken
Canned salmon, on the other hand, has a slightly more robust flavor
which will come as no surprise to anyone who's sampled fresh tuna and fresh salmon side by side
While canned salmon is a bit less richly flavored than fresh, it nevertheless boasts more fishiness
than canned tuna. And it also proves slightly brinier than fresh salmon. Pink salmon is certainly
the mildest of the lot, but it's still fairly assertive when compared to canned tuna. And as
you move into more upmarket canned salmons like sockeye, the flavor will become even more robust
and pronounced. For some, this is a benefit, but for those who don't like particularly fishy fish
it can certainly be a deterrent. Set a plate of fresh-seared ahi tuna next to a plate of tuna salad
and it would be hard to believe they each use the same main ingredient
But this difference is not quite as polarizing when it comes to salmon, which boasts the same rich pink color and flaky texture whether cooked fresh or enjoyed out of the
can. Of course, nobody saying a can of salmon could stand in for a poached salmon filet
but in some cases, it can be hard to tell the difference between fresh and canned
Such is the case of the viral Emily Mariko Fishbowl, which one TikTok user said is so
good they couldn't even tell the salmon in it was canned. This holds even more true for dishes like
croquettes or salmon patties, where salmon is flaked and bound with other ingredients
such as breadcrumbs, for an even less flagrant distinction. While canned salmon is certainly more expensive than canned tuna
using canned salmon in place afresh is a budget-friendly choice that's just as delicious and nutritious