In todays world of mass food production, it’s not enough to simply be aware of “quality” vs non-quality foods. Given that the word “quality” has been heavily tarnished over the past couple of years, it now takes a little more than blind faith to verify whether companies are truly being authentic. Thankfully today, a few clicks and scrolls can get you closer to the truth – if you care enough, that is.
That being said, when was the last time you honesty investigated the quality of your canned tuna fish? If not, you may want to start now.
What if I told you that in order to consume just one can of “quality” tuna fish, it would come at the expense of killing millions of birds, turtles, whales, dolphins and sharks (some of which are endangered) in the process. Would that can of $1.09 tuna truly signify quality tuna?
Well, if you’re going with popular household brands like Bumblebee, Chicken of the Sea or Starkist; “quality” is nothing but a word used to market cheap, unsustainable fish.
| American Tuna ($5.99 per can) | VS | Commercial Canned Tuna like Bumblebee, Chicken of the Sea, Starkist Albacore Tuna (.99 cents per can) |
| Pole & Troll Caught | Longline Fisheries | |
| United States Pacific – Caught & Canned | Unknown country of origin | |
| Cooked once | Cooked up to 3 times | |
| Natural Tuna Fish Oils | GMO Soybean Oil, Vegetable broth & Pyrophosphate | |
| 2,600 mg Omega 3 per serving | 110 mg of Omega 3 per serving | |
| 0.24ppm Mercury Tested | Mercury level not provided; meets FDA limit of 1.0ppm |
Longline VS Pole Caught
Longline fishing is the most commonly used method to capture fish, including tuna fish. This method extends a reel 50+ miles from a ship containing hundreds of thousands of hooks. The problem? It “accidentally” captures hundreds of thousands of by-catch (aka unintended species ranging from turtles to sharks). This method is not only tragically “convenient” but also highly unsustainable, causing a mass disturbance in the ecosystem.
Pole Caught fishing is a traditional method of fishing aimed at capturing the intended species. This method is done using a pole and line by fishermen. What is so amazing about this? This method is highly sustainable, traceable and ethical.
When going with a brand like American Tuna, you can be sure they live up to their pole caught standards through third-party certifications from organizations like the Marine Stewardship Council ensuring that the seafood sold as “sustainable” truly meets the highest global standards of sustainability.
Your Choice
Despite the whirlwind of factors contributing to the decline of food today, one thing is certain; you have the ability to choose between an option that is both beneficial to your health & the environment or one that is detrimental to both.
And while it is true that this choice may come at a higher price, paying for true quality tuna means rethinking food and rejecting questionable business practices that not only tarnish the quality of the Earth around us, but also ourselves.
Check out my easy American Tuna inspired recipe below:
Tuna Stuffed Avocado Recipe
1 Avocado
1 Can of American Tuna
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/3 Chopped Tomato
Fresh Chives TT
Fresh Dill TT
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