Tuna is one of the popular fish eaten by man. Part of the Thunnini tribe, a sub-group of the mackerel family, tuna is usually serve as a steak, since it is known for its tough texture and thickness. The following are the health benefits of tuna, along with a sample recipe.
Health Benefits
Protein
One health benefit of tuna is protein. Protein is one of the three macronutrients, with fats and carbohydrates as the other two classes. Protein is responsible for cellular and tissue growth and repair. This means, increase in size for various tissues and repair after damage caused by internal and external factors like trauma, stress, and chemicals. That’s why body builders add tuna to their diet, its protein content help repair damaged muscle tissues during workout and grow them larger.
Cardiovascular Health
Another health benefit fish like tuna is known for is the promotion of the health of the heart and the blood vessels. According to Organic Facts, tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease low-density lipoproteins of bad cholesterol in the arteries and blood vessels. Also, it takes over high saturated fat food options, enabling it to reduce the risk of having heart diseases. Along with datty acids, tuna also contains potassium, which increases the diameter of the blood vessel lumen; this mechanism helps reduce high blood pressure, which prevents cardiac workload and stress to the cardiovascular system. Potassium also helps in the sodium-potassium pump and regular muscle contractility. With omega-3 fatty acids and potassium, tuna will b able to help a person reduce his risk for cardiovascular disorders like hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke.
Nerve Health
The brain also benefits from tuna. According to Dr. Health Benefits, tuna contains vitamins B6 and folic acid, two nutrients that contribute to the health of the brain. To add, folic acid promotes fetal brain development, preventing conditions like neural tube defects and neurodevelopmental delays. As per the publication, these nutrients also help reduce homocysteine levels; homocysteine is considered harmful to the arteries that they can cause cardiovascular diseases.
Anti-Cancer
Tuna also has its cancer-fighting abilities. According to Symptom Find, tuna has demonstrated its ability to reduce breast cancer risk in people who consume it often. As per the publication, tuna has also shown its powder to reduce kidney cancer risk in some clinical trials. With this benefit, adding tuna to the diet helps reduce the risk of cancer development.
Sample Recipe
One recipe that makes use of tuna as one of its ingredients includes Grilled Tuna with Fresh Horseradish. According to All Recipes, the ingredients include two eight-ounce fresh tuna steaks, one teaspoon vegetable oil, two tablespoons soy sauce, two tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, one tablespoon finely grated raw horseradish root, four cherry tomatoes (sliced), half teaspoon hot chile paste like sambal oelek, and a tablespoon minced green onion.
To prepare, as per the publication, an outdoor grill is preheated for high heat and the grate is lightly oiled. Next, the steaks are lightly oiled with vegetable oil. Then, the soy sauce, horseradish, rice vinegar, cherry tomatoes, and hot chili paste are stirred in a bowl until they are well-combined. Once done, they are allowed to sit for 20 minutes. After that, the steaks are placed over the hottest part of the grill and cooked for three minutes per side. They are transferred to a plate and the soy sauce mixture is spooned over the steaks and garnished with green onion.
Tuna is one of the nutritious food people have today, with its various health benefits. Thus, it can be added to different styles of dishes, from breakfast and lunch to snacks and dinner.
