Sardines provide a variety of health benefits include heart-healthy omega-3, lowest levels of mercury, calcium, and vitamin D, and a healthy diet options for pregnant women.
Sardines taste best when they are freshly caught from the wild. Following are some of the best ways to eat them:
- Grilled sardines sprinkled with lemon juice and olive oil
- Grilled sardines on whole-grain crackers
- Grilled sardines with chopped tomatoes and basil
- Grilled sardines with chopped tomatoes and oregano
- Grilled sardines with tomato sauce
- Grilled sardines with mustard sauce
- Sardine curry
- Grilled sardines
- Sardine sandwich
If you cannot eat them fresh, you can have sardines that are packed in water, tomato juice, or olive oil for health reasons.
The way you eat fish is also important to get the maximum health benefits. Look for options like grilling or broiling fish instead of deep-frying.
How to identify and select fresh sardines?
If you want to buy fresh sardine fish, there are certain things that you should check. They are:
- Smell: Fresh sardine fish will smell like the sea. A rotten fish will give a pungent odor.
- Eyes: For sardine fish to be fresh, it should have bulging, clear, and shiny eyes. Eyes that are cloudy or sunken into the head means the fish is stale.
- Gills: The gills must be wet and bright pink or reddish. They should not be slimy or dry.
- Skin: The skin should be intact, smooth, and shiny. Flaky skin is a sign of stale fish.
What are the health benefits of sardines?
Sardines provide a variety of health benefits.
- They are a rich source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids
- They contain the lowest levels of mercury than any other fish
- They are a great source of calcium and Vitamin D (for better bone health)
- They are a safe and healthy option for pregnant and breastfeeding women
How are omega-3 fatty acids healthy for your heart?
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acids that are found plenty in fishes, such as sardines. They are good for your heart because they help to
- Decrease cholesterol levels.
- Lower the blood pressure.
- Prevent blood clotting.
- Reduce arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats).
If you want to cut down your risk of heart disease, you should consume at least two servings of omega-3 fatty acids in a week.
How much fish should you eat?
Adults should eat at least 8 ounces or two servings of omega-3-rich fish a week.
Pregnant or nursing women should eat up to 12 ounces of sardine per week.
Children younger than 2 years of age should also eat 1 ounce of sardine fish once or twice a week. The serving size will increase with age.