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Saturday 28 April 2012

Health Benefits of Tuna


Tuna

When discussing super foods it is often broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables and seeds that get mentioned. However, tuna fish is a food that should genuinely be considered up there with other super foods. Tuna fish is a truly nutrient dense food that is packed with goodness, with many health benefits.

The Nutrition of Tuna – A True Health Food

The health benefits of tuna stem from the macro and micro nutrients that they contain. Tuna is an excellent source of high quality protein (for the importance of protein click here), which is why it is so often eaten by weight trainers and other athletes. Tuna is also rich in a variety of important vitamins and minerals. The vitamins that tuna contains includes; niacin, B1 and B6. The minerals contained in tuna include; selenium, magnesium and potassium. One of the most important and beneficial elements of tuna is the fact that it contains the omega-3 essential fatty acids (and for more information on why these are so important click here).

The Health Benefits of Tuna

With all this being said with regards to the nutrients contained in tuna, what does it all do for us?

Well the high levels of protein can have numerous positive effects. The benefits of protein include; help with weight loss, promoting healthy muscle growth, repairing of tissue and injuries, building of skin, nails and cartilage and help with circulation. 

Tuna contains a very high level of selenium. Selenium is essential in flushing toxins from the liver, which in turn will promote good health overall. Some research also suggests that selenium deficiency is linked to many diseases including; some forms of cancer, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and diabetes.  

As mentioned previously, tuna contains great levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids. The importance of essential fatty acids can be found on my previous blog entry Essential Fatty Acids. However, a quick look shows that omega-3s promote heart health and reduce the risks of heart attacks and blood clots. It also appears that omega-3s can protect against rheumatoid arthritis, cardiac arrhythmias, depression, and anxiety and may have anti-cancer affects.

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