Do canned fish, such as tuna and salmon, count as oily fish?
Salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout and pilchards all count as oily fish when they’re canned and when they’re fresh. This is because the canning process doesn’t significantly reduce the fat content of the fish. Fresh tuna is an oily fish, high in fatty acids. But when it’s canned, these fatty acids are reduced to levels similar to white fish. This is because tuna is cooked before it’s canned and most of the oil is lost during this process. So, although canned tuna is a healthy choice for most people, it doesn’t count as oily fish. We should all eat at least two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish. A portion is 140g. Girls and women who might have a baby one day, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, shouldn’t eat more than two portions of oily fish a week. Other women, boys and men can eat up to four portions a week. People can eat as much tinned tuna as they like, except women who are pregnant or are planning to get pregnant in the next year. These women s
