Sea fish known worldwide, have many nutrient value for children growth. Consumption sea fish regularly make fulfilled our daily nutrition. One of sea fish is white albacore tuna, which has scientific name Thunnus alalunga, that classified into tuna family.
Except fulfill the daily nutrition, there health benefits of white albacore tuna, as likely health benefits of squid ink foods.
Introduction of White Albacore Tuna
Albacore is one of the smallest member of tuna family. It’s highly migratory fish where roams around the world with tropical and temperate oceans. They have torpedo-shaped bodies that adapted their moves and continuously swimming, with a dark-blue back and lighter blue-gray side and belly. The fish has long pectoral fins and streamlined.
Albacore tuna have live span for around 12 years, and reaches reproductive maturity around five to six years. Then, spawning time occurs usually from March to July, but some evidence shown albacore spawn multiple times a year. Based on recent studies, in the western pacific oceans found that spawning occurs during summer months with multiple batch spawning occurring at intervals around two days apart. While spawning, female ones produce 160.000 to 1,6 million eggs each time, spread them out near sea surface. The eggs will hatch within 24 to 48 hours. The young albacore tuna still remain in the spawning grounds till second years, during spring, they will begin migration up to North American coast.
More than 95% production of albacore tuna is made in for canned or pouched tuna in the market. So, it’s easy for us to consume the fish in daily needs.
Nutrient of White Albacore Tuna
Albacore is the type of tuna, which is labeled as white meat tuna. Albacore is used to chopped into small pieces and canned, it’s called chunk tuna. It’s also known to have high-fat contained than skipjack tuna or another tuna species. This fish is the most expensive of tuna species. Its flesh and flake is tight, that make the fish containing a lot of nutrition and to give health benefits to us.
In 3-ounce serving of canned albacore tuna packed in water has 109 calories and 3 grams of total fat. When packed in oil, same portion has 158 calories and 7 grams of total fat. They have very abundant of omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin A, B, C, D also contained in it.
Here the nutrient value of albacore tuna:
- Protein
Protein has an important role in life. From building and repairing the body tissues till producing of some enzymes and making muscles mass. Albacore tuna has high protein levels, as same amount as fresh meat and poultry.
But when it’s packed in water, the nutrient value has half of calories and one-fourth the total fat, as average amount in beef and chicken. In 3-ounces of serving albacore tuna gives 20 to 23 grams of protein, about 44% of women’s and 36% of men’s recommended dietary. On the carribean pink bean also shows the same nutrient value. Â
- Fatty acid (omega-3)
Fatty acid, mainly omega-3, has key role of life for risk of heart disease. Although albacore tuna less fat than meat and poultry, it’s rich source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. The fish contains two type of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which has benefit for lowering triglycerides, inhibiting the occurrence of atherosclerosis plaque, and preventing arrhythmia. Around 0,7 grams of combined EPA and DHA in 3-ounces serving of albacore tuna packed in water. The total to 0,2 grams when packed in oil.
- Selenium
Combination with proteins is generating a substances that act as antioxidants and regulate thyroid hormones. Our immune system depend on selenium too, because it regulate the immune response.
The daily needs of selenium is around 55 micrograms, From 3-ounces of serving albacore tuna packed in water, we’ll get 56 micrograms of selenium and 51 micrograms of selenium in packed oil. Toxicity report is rare, but consumption of it over than 400 micrograms, it can induce side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
- Potassium
Albacore tuna has high potassium levels than other fish. It has benefit for improving of cognitive abilities. Also on benefits banana have this for human
- Vitamin B12
As it said before, albacore tuna have vitamin B contents which one of them is vitamin B12. As we know, vitamin B has many benefit for human body, especially vitamin B12. It useful to improve immunity system, to help breaking down process of body cells, and to help nucleic acid production.
- Phosphor
This element has benefits of bone and teeth growth for children, prevent of osteoporosis, maintain and increase of health bone and teeth. Based on research, element phosphor helps absorbance of calcium on our body. So, it’s surely very useful for children’s growth.
Benefits of White Albacore Tuna
With such as nutrient inside of it, we know that albacore tuna can give many benefits for our health. High protein, omega-3 fatty acid, and etc is an important part of nutrition that make our body healthier. We can see the benefits of albacore tuna below
- Helping on detoxification process
- As an antioxidant agent, which fight for free radical
- It can prevent of cancer disease (skin cancer, mouth cancer, even leukemia)
- To prevent atherosclerotic plaque, stroke, arrhythmia, and risk of heart disease
- Improve the immune system of body
- Lowering alopecia symptoms
- Maintaining health eyes
- Maintaining and caring health skins
- Strengthen of brain memory and prevent of Alzheimer disease
- Improve of cognitive abilities of the brain
- Strengthen children’s bone and teeth
- Prevent obesity / overweight
Indeed, that’s all the health benefits of white albacore tuna.
Cautions of of White Albacore Tuna
Although the taste of albacore tuna great, some health authorities in most part of northern hemisphere suggest limiting intake of albacore tuna due to health concern. Because on this species tends to accumulate higher levels of mercury than another tuna species.
In fact, the test indicates that about near 80% of albacore in northern hemisphere exceed from food safety guidelines for human consumption due to high levels of mercury in the flesh. Consumption limitations have not been established for most adults, but in pregnant women, or may become pregnant, should consume less than 6-ounces weekly.
Another potential concern about is amount of sodium added during processing. As much as 22% of our recommended daily intake in 3-ounces serving.