Sardines?

gottagetitoff11
gottagetitoff11 Posts: 122 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just started eating sardines and I actually like them very much. I eat 4 cans a week. Now i know that fish has mercury and read not to eat more then 2 cans of tuna a week but the smaller the fish that theres less chance for mercury.

Am i ok eating the 4 cans or should i eat a bit less.

Thanks

Replies

  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    edited March 2017
    I love sardines and all the benefits that come with eating them. I would be more wary of eating tuna, than sardines.

    I love my sardines in olive oil, skinless (courtesy of Costco).
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
    You are good. Munch away.
  • rsipock
    rsipock Posts: 12 Member
    can't go wrong with skinless sardines. I love old fashioned sardines as well. But people who don't like fish have even liked the skinless sardines once I turned them on to them.

    As for sardines as a food choice. I like to ask myself "if I wasn't eating this, what would I be eating?" Often times, the alternatives are worse than the original choice. So just ask yourself that question and if sardines are the best thing for you and your goals at that moment, go for it.
  • slider728
    slider728 Posts: 1,494 Member
    There is an online calculator that kind of gives you an idea of how much of certain fish you can eat given your weight, sex, and age. Sardines are better choice than tuna:

    http://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-s-consumer-guide-seafood/seafood-calculator
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Sardines are awesome...
  • Kimblesnbits13
    Kimblesnbits13 Posts: 369 Member
    Soooo how do you all eat your sardines? just straight from the can? or with rice? crackers? do you warm them, cook them?
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I'm curious, too. I eat a lot of salmon and tuna packets. Would love to have another thing to rotate in that is low calorie protein.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Kimblesnbits13 wrote: »
    Soooo how do you all eat your sardines? just straight from the can? or with rice? crackers? do you warm them, cook them?

    Pour the olive oil (from the sardines) in the wok, stir in 65/100 grams of slice red onions, sweet peppers, garlic cook for 2-4 minute, not too soft, stir in sardines a little hot sauce and some lemon juice - fantastic.

    Can be eaten with rice, crackers, toast etc.
  • yellingkimber
    yellingkimber Posts: 229 Member
    socajam wrote: »
    Pour the olive oil (from the sardines) in the wok, stir in 65/100 grams of slice red onions, sweet peppers, garlic cook for 2-4 minute, not too soft, stir in sardines a little hot sauce and some lemon juice - fantastic.

    Can be eaten with rice, crackers, toast etc.

    Sooo, question. I buy anchovies in a jar to mix into things like homemade Caesar style dressing and the bases of sauces. I recently tried to eat one straight out of the jar and cringed. Partially at the flavor, partly because the texture felt kinda furry? Like cat's tongue-y? Either way, I wasn't that into it. However, I really love the vast majority of fish. What are the chances I'd like sardines based on this info and do you have a brand recommendation?
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    The fish and mercury thing is based on the the fish's position in the food chain. Tuna are a top predator, consuming many other fish. Sardines are low on the food chain. Tuna concentrate the mercury from many small fish, which sardines are just one small fish. That's why you're good to eat a lot of sardines, Charlie.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    gottagetitoff11 wrote: »
    I just started eating sardines and I actually like them very much. I eat 4 cans a week. Now i know that fish has mercury and read not to eat more then 2 cans of tuna a week but the smaller the fish that theres less chance for mercury.

    Am i ok eating the 4 cans or should i eat a bit less.

    Thanks
    I've picked up some too, but I haven't opened them..... but as others have said, they are a low Mercury fish.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    yellingkimber wrote: »
    socajam wrote: »
    Pour the olive oil (from the sardines) in the wok, stir in 65/100 grams of slice red onions, sweet peppers, garlic cook for 2-4 minute, not too soft, stir in sardines a little hot sauce and some lemon juice - fantastic.

    Can be eaten with rice, crackers, toast etc.

    Sooo, question. I buy anchovies in a jar to mix into things like homemade Caesar style dressing and the bases of sauces. I recently tried to eat one straight out of the jar and cringed. Partially at the flavor, partly because the texture felt kinda furry? Like cat's tongue-y? Either way, I wasn't that into it. However, I really love the vast majority of fish. What are the chances I'd like sardines based on this info and do you have a brand recommendation?
    A friend who likes anchovies, dislikes sardines, so I don't think they are similar.

    I like anchovies, but my family used them a lot when I was a kid.
  • TX_Bluebonnet
    TX_Bluebonnet Posts: 244 Member
    cmtigger wrote: »
    I've picked up some too, but I haven't opened them..... but as others have said, they are a low Mercury fish.

    I've picked up some, too, and still unopened months later. I've never eaten sardines before. I've had them offered to me... but the smell! However, I'm hoping I can acquire a taste for them. To test the waters I chose sardines in marinara sauce. Still working up the nerve to try them out. They're scale-free, not skinless, though. Are the skins bad?



  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    I usually go for the ones in tomato sauce (I'm in the UK), they have the skin and bones but due to the cooking the bones are soft and edible. I just whack them on some toast.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Oh and my cats love them as a treat too!
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Oh and my cats love them as a treat too!

    I figure if they aren't good the cats and chickens can have them.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Sardines and kippered herring rock. I love plopping them on a simple salad, and using the oil to "dress" the salad. Try for sustainable brands.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    My favorite. I love the king Oscar with jalapeños!
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I'm curious, too. I eat a lot of salmon and tuna packets. Would love to have another thing to rotate in that is low calorie protein.

    Sardines aren't really a low calorie protein source, as they are quite oily, even if you get them in water. Consequently, they are a great source of w-3 PUFAs.
  • mystic_elegance
    mystic_elegance Posts: 258 Member
    Love sardines especially in hot sauce, high in sodium but other than that I do not worry about the mercury.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    mystic_elegance wrote: »
    Love sardines especially in hot sauce, high in sodium but other than that I do not worry about the mercury.
    Trader Joe's has sardines in water with no salt added, and I've found a large can in tomato juice that has a similar sodium content per serving. (Serving size is similar)

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    You should try fresh (not canned) sardines. They're delicious grilled.
  • macybean
    macybean Posts: 258 Member
    @yellingkimber I had the exact reaction to anchovies (and I too was afraid sardines would make me cringe)...just tried brisling sardines yesterday and really liked them. Wanted to try kippers, but they were out of them.

    Came in here looking for more serving ideas. Really like the idea of using them on a salad with the olive oil as dressing!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    yellingkimber wrote: »
    Partially at the flavor, partly because the texture felt kinda furry? Like cat's tongue-y? Either way, I wasn't that into it. However, I really love the vast majority of fish. What are the chances I'd like sardines based on this info and do you have a brand recommendation?

    i'm strange. i love anchovies straight out of the can, partly because of the texture and partially because SALT. but the truth is they have that bristly cat-tongue feeling because they're lousy with tiny little bristly bones.

    sardines taste very different. they're not solid with salt for one thing. they're also boiled so any bones are soft like what you get with salmon.

  • hensue11
    hensue11 Posts: 64 Member
    They are nice on top of a baked potato and some other veggies...such as onions
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I add mine to a tomato-based pasta sauce (home made or jar).
  • Andrea4456
    Andrea4456 Posts: 39 Member
    Sardines are so nutritious and good for you. I'm trying to find recipes on them.. but for now, just enjoying atop of a parmesan crisp. Small fish like sardines are less likely to have mercury, so wouldn't worry about that.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Sardines typically contain less mercury than tuna, but importantly they also contain much more selenium, which when present at higher levels than mercury counteracts the adverse effects of mercury exposure.

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