An Under-Appreciated Fish That Deserves More Attention

Sardines are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, they’re caught in the wild, and they’re still surprisingly cheap.

Just 100 grams of canned sardines provide 2 grams omega-3’s, the fatty acids EPA and DHA which have been found to lower triglycerides. They also have the lowest levels of mercury of any fish and more likely to be sustainably caught.

It doesn’t stop there, other than fortified products, there are few other food sources of Vitamin D. They are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 which promotes cardiovascular health since it is said to keep levels of homocysteine in balance, homocysteine can damage artery walls, with elevated levels being a risk factor for atherosclerosis.

With concern over the health of the seas, people are turning to sardines as they feed solely on plankton, and therefore do not concentrate heavy metals, such as mercury, and contaminants as do some other fish such as tuna. Sardines are abundant in the seas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean with Spain, France, Norway and Portugal being the leading producers of canned sardines.

Eager to learn more about the canning of sardines, I tracked down this short video visiting Conservas Pinhais, one of the oldest preserving factories in Portugal that has continued to use its artisan canning method since 1920.