Sodium and canned tuna
indianwin2001
Posts: 296 Member
I love canned tuna-(has to be bumble bee) 
.My question is will rinsing the tuna with water before eating get rid of some of the sodium?
.My question is will rinsing the tuna with water before eating get rid of some of the sodium? 0
Replies
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Do you have a medical reason to be concerned with your sodium intake? Unless you have high blood pressure, then there's not reason to worry about it.0
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Can't you just buy the stuff in springwater?0
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Alatariel75 wrote: »Can't you just buy the stuff in springwater?
I do buy it in water--still high in sodium0 -
I have HBP and there are very good ultra low sodium tuna out there. I buy Starkist selects very low sodium ( gold can) 35mg/serving. 2 servings per can. Very very good stuff available at all grocery stores.....0
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Thanks--I will try itmbailey423 wrote: »I have HBP and there are very good ultra low sodium tuna out there. I buy Starkist selects very low sodium ( gold can) 35mg/serving. 2 servings per can. Very very good stuff available at all grocery stores.....
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No. Screw the sodium. It's the mercury you should be worried about. http://seaturtles.org/programs/mercury/?list=type&type=750
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I do buy it in water--still high in sodium
Oh, well, no rinsing it won't help - the stuff in springwater has already been water treated. To get lower sodium you'll have to source actual low sodium tuna as suggested above. It will have been processed to remove extra sodium. Fact is, tuna has sodium in it naturally, comes from being contained in a salt-water environment all it's life.
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Read the CDC report on mercury in canned tuna. Cliff notes version is that a 200 lb man can safely eat 3 to 5 cans of chunk light tuna per week .0
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mbailey423 wrote: »Read the CDC report on mercury in canned tuna. Cliff notes version is that a 200 lb man can safely eat 3 to 5 cans of chunk light tuna per week .
I eat between 5 and 10 cans a week. Have been doing that for over 40 years. I'm still here,so I don't think I'll lose sleep over my mercury levels tonite0 -
-Oh and I only eat white ,not lightindianwin2001 wrote: »mbailey423 wrote: »Read the CDC report on mercury in canned tuna. Cliff notes version is that a 200 lb man can safely eat 3 to 5 cans of chunk light tuna per week .
I eat between 5 and 10 cans a week. Have been doing that for over 40 years. I'm still here,so I don't think I'll lose sleep over my mercury levels tonite
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I'm an avid saltwater fisherman and I try to keep up with things like this. What I can tell you is that the highest amounts methyl mercury is found in bay type fish, think flounder, seaBass stripes bass etc due to fresh water runoff from streams and rivers. Most ocean fish have lower amounts, but still contain it.
Id be more worried about breathing the air than the mercury in tuna.0 -
8 replys, 1 actually answers OP's question. Interesting, but soaking the tuna in more water should remove more sodium in theory. How long it takes and how much sodium is removed per water volume is another question.0
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indianwin2001 wrote: »
-Oh and I only eat white ,not lightindianwin2001 wrote: »mbailey423 wrote: »Read the CDC report on mercury in canned tuna. Cliff notes version is that a 200 lb man can safely eat 3 to 5 cans of chunk light tuna per week .
I eat between 5 and 10 cans a week. Have been doing that for over 40 years. I'm still here,so I don't think I'll lose sleep over my mercury levels tonite
White (Albacore) tuna has higher mercury levels than chunk light. IMHO, canned salmon (the skinless / boneless stuff in the little tuna cans) tastes about the same as chunk light (and has about the same sodium content, but a bit higher fat) but quite a bit lower in mercury.
Personally, my favorite canned fish is the salmon in the big cans that still has the bones and skin -- it's not nearly as dry as boneless / skinless, and has far better flavor. But I digress...0 -
I know you said tuna and brand bumblebee...but if you like canned salmon, they have no salt added canned salmon at Trader Joes...I believe the sodium is 60mg and Chicken of the Sea canned tuna has a reduced sodium I believe 90 mg...as I am watching my sodium also?0
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Can you lower the sodium in other areas to make room for the tuna?
If your blood pressure is under control with your regular diet, then it's probably not worth worrying too much about.0 -
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NatashaP1997 wrote: »I know you said tuna and brand bumblebee...but if you like canned salmon, they have no salt added canned salmon at Trader Joes...I believe the sodium is 60mg and Chicken of the Sea canned tuna has a reduced sodium I believe 90 mg...as I am watching my sodium also?
Thanks Natasha0 -
Some_Watery_Tart wrote: »Can you lower the sodium in other areas to make room for the tuna?
If your blood pressure is under control with your regular diet, then it's probably not worth worrying too much about.
Thanks--My BP is good but I take 3 meds for it so I do get concerned and it seems the foods I eat are all high in sodium which I never realized until I started logging. At least MFP made me aware of it0 -
shifterbrainz wrote: »8 replys, 1 actually answers OP's question. Interesting, but soaking the tuna in more water should remove more sodium in theory. How long it takes and how much sodium is removed per water volume is another question.
I know-I never said nor am I concerned with mercury.0 -
SweatLikeDog wrote: »No. Screw the sodium. It's the mercury you should be worried about. http://seaturtles.org/programs/mercury/?list=type&type=75
Right? I always say this on people's "I love tuna I eat it every day" posts and am always ignored. I don't think most people care I guess.0 -
arditarose wrote: »SweatLikeDog wrote: »No. Screw the sodium. It's the mercury you should be worried about. http://seaturtles.org/programs/mercury/?list=type&type=75
Right? I always say this on people's "I love tuna I eat it every day" posts and am always ignored. I don't think most people care I guess.
once again-I eat between 5 and 10 cans a week. Have been doing that for over 40 years. I'm still here,so I don't think I'll lose sleep over my mercury levels tonite--Although I appreciate everyones help and concern,I asked about sodium NOT mercury0 -
Rinsing won't help; especially since it's had time to sit and absorb some of the liquid in which it was packed in. Either look for brands with lower sodium (and you can buy more if you use a coupon! I've stocked up on a bunch lately since my dad loves the Starkist tuna in pouches), or enjoy your regular canned/pouch tuna in moderation if you don't have any medical need to reduce sodium. 0
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indianwin2001 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »SweatLikeDog wrote: »No. Screw the sodium. It's the mercury you should be worried about. http://seaturtles.org/programs/mercury/?list=type&type=75
Right? I always say this on people's "I love tuna I eat it every day" posts and am always ignored. I don't think most people care I guess.
once again-I eat between 5 and 10 cans a week. Have been doing that for over 40 years. I'm still here,so I don't think I'll lose sleep over my mercury levels tonite--Although I appreciate everyones help and concern,I asked about sodium NOT mercury
Okay...Let me just say in response to that "Holy Cow!" because I've actually never heard of eating that much canned tuna in a week. Now I will leave you alone about mercury poisoning. And you can worry about...salt, all ya want! Good luck!0 -
Theoretically, you'd think soaking it in water would remove some sodium. I don't know! No way to test that. It would be interesting to learn, though.
Many people are encouraged by their doctors to stick to 1500 in order to prevent cardiovascular problems.Do you have a medical reason to be concerned with your sodium intake? Unless you have high blood pressure, then there's not reason to worry about it.
Waiting until you have one is an option, but many doctors are giving different advice than you are.
It's not easy, that's for sure.
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No offense to my fellow MFP'ers, or to the original poster, but these forums seem a terrible place to obtain factual information. Lots of sidetracking, lots of opinionated debate, but seldom succint and to the point. Or constructive.
I did a google search. Within the first results was a research paper journal summary... from 1983.
"Effect of water rinsing on sodium content of selected foods.
Vermeulen RT, Sedor FA, Kimm SY.
Abstract
The sodium content of water-rinsed canned green beans, tuna, and cottage cheese was analyzed. A 3-minute rinse of tuna and cottage cheese resulted in sodium reductions of 80% and 63%, respectively, with no significant effect on iron content. Calcium was reduced by approximately 50%. Although rinsing had a minimal effect on the sodium in canned beans, replacing the canning brine with water before heating lowered salt content by 33%. This study shows that the simple and economical methods of water rinsing of tuna and cottage cheese and of heating green beans in tap water markedly lowered salt content."
From my own suggestions (and sidetracking, again): low-sodium tuna is available. Starkist contains 100 mg Na per 2 oz drained weight - so 200 mg per can.0 -
Well, from one site I just googled; yes, rinsing can reduce the sodium.
A study from the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" tested the effects of three minutes of water rinsing on several high-sodium foods. The results indicated that the sodium content of canned tuna was lowered by 80 percent after the rinse. Iron content was not affected, but calcium content decreased by 50 percent. Researchers concluded that rinsing canned tuna in water clearly reduced salt levels.0 -
No offense to my fellow MFP'ers, or to the original poster, but these forums seem a terrible place to obtain factual information. Lots of sidetracking, lots of opinionated debate, but seldom succint and to the point. Or constructive.
I did a google search. Within the first results was a research paper journal summary... from 1983.
"Effect of water rinsing on sodium content of selected foods.
Vermeulen RT, Sedor FA, Kimm SY.
Abstract
The sodium content of water-rinsed canned green beans, tuna, and cottage cheese was analyzed. A 3-minute rinse of tuna and cottage cheese resulted in sodium reductions of 80% and 63%, respectively, with no significant effect on iron content. Calcium was reduced by approximately 50%. Although rinsing had a minimal effect on the sodium in canned beans, replacing the canning brine with water before heating lowered salt content by 33%. This study shows that the simple and economical methods of water rinsing of tuna and cottage cheese and of heating green beans in tap water markedly lowered salt content."
From my own suggestions (and sidetracking, again): low-sodium tuna is available. Starkist contains 100 mg Na per 2 oz drained weight - so 200 mg per can.
That's true, but being 1983, I'm willing to bet that study was pre-spring water canned tuna and used tuna in brine, so rinsing would certianly get rid of the residual brine (which contains a large amount of the sodium in canned tuna). Saltwater canned tuna has already been rinsed prior to canning, hence my skepticism that further rinsing would result in even lower sodium.
This seems to be bourne out by tuna being categorised in the studies referred to as a high sodium food, when tuna in springwater isn't generally classified as high sodium.0 -
If you have been eating 5 to 10 cans a week and are fine the sodium is probably okay too? I dunno, but, a decent alternative may be tilapia if you can't solve the tuna dilemma - same kind of flavor profile and maybe less sodium. 0
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Alatariel75 wrote: »
That's true, but being 1983, I'm willing to bet that study was pre-spring water canned tuna and used tuna in brine, so rinsing would certianly get rid of the residual brine (which contains a large amount of the sodium in canned tuna). Saltwater canned tuna has already been rinsed prior to canning, hence my skepticism that further rinsing would result in even lower sodium.
This seems to be bourne out by tuna being categorised in the studies referred to as a high sodium food, when tuna in springwater isn't generally classified as high sodium.
Suit yourself. Beyond the lack of understanding of physics (dilution is a physical phenomenon), it's incredible to me that people actually think their beliefs can debunk actual scientific research.
My last contribution here: where there is a solute and a solvent, you can ALWAYS reduce the concentration of the latter. It's just a matter of equilibrium. In this case, the key parameter in the experiment is time - in only 3 minutes you achieve that reduction.
Which is the basis of making edible food from salted preserves, like cod - you simply soak the salted rigid slab of fish and rinse for days until the salt levels are acceptable.
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