Sardines?

gottagetitoff11

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

socajam

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

You are good. Munch away.

rsipock

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.

rosebarnalice

Because they feed solely on plankton, sardines are accumulate virtually no heavy metals and thus are considered among the safest and healthiest fish on the planet. In addition, because sardines themselves are very low on the food chain and are prolific breeders (unlike predatory fish such as tuna or cod), eating them does not contribute as significantly to ocean exploitation. See more at http://www.seafoodwatch.org/

slider728

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

Sardines are awesome...

Kimblesnbits13

Soooo how do you all eat your sardines? just straight from the can? or with rice? crackers? do you warm them, cook them?

fitoverfortymom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oh and my cats love them as a treat too!

cmtigger

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

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

My favorite. I love the king Oscar with jalapeños!

Gallowmere1984

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

Love sardines especially in hot sauce, high in sodium but other than that I do not worry about the mercury.

cmtigger

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

You should try fresh (not canned) sardines. They're delicious grilled.

macybean

@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

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

They are nice on top of a baked potato and some other veggies...such as onions

mazdauk

I add mine to a tomato-based pasta sauce (home made or jar).

Andrea4456

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

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.