Open a kitchen cupboard in Mzansi and you will most like find canned pilchards and sardines. For generations, busy bees from students to families have been relying on canned fish to make life simpler. They are not just perfect for a quick meal but they are packed with flavour and health benefits.
Sardines and pilchards are high in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, which are all critical minerals for bone health. Sardines, when included in a well-balanced diet, can improve blood vessel function, reduce inflammation, and other advantages.
Bones in or out?
Pilchards and other tinned fish were commonly accessible as primary meals at home when Lihle Ndulama, from Cala in the Eastern Cape, was younger. His mother used to instruct them that they needed to open up the fish and remove the tiniest eggs.
“We’d frequently hear similar stories from neighbouring households, where they’d even remove the smallest bones from the fish.”
Ndulama feels confused as to why certain components should be removed from canned fish.
Meanwhile, in Mfuleni, Cape Town, Nandipha Kantini learnt how to remove the bones from pilchards from her mother. She argues that there is no substantial rule as to why they’d be taken out.
“I am now aware that removing the bones from the pilchards may result in a loss of their nutritional value.”
Nandipha Kantini
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Packed with nutritional benefits
Jandri Barnard, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (Adsa), emphasises the significance of recognising the high calcium content in the bones of canned fish, such as pilchards and sardines. Therefore, she advises to refrain from disposing of them.
“The cook-in-the-can process used for canned fish results in soft fish bones, making them safe for even toddlers to consume,” Barnard says. And the calcium found in canned fish supports the development of strong teeth and bones.
She explains that protein is a source of nutrients that can be obtained at a reasonable cost and is more easily digestible compared to protein derived from meat.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that can be found in dark-fleshed oily fish, like canned pilchards and sardines. These fats have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, promoting better heart health.”
Dietitian Jandri Barnard
Babies born from moms who consume fewer omega-3 fatty acids are more likely to have delayed brain development.
Furthermore, they have been found to have short-term mood-stabilising effects on people with depression.
Barnard explains that canned fish is a rich source of iron, iodine, vitamins A and B12, and selenium:
- Iron: A rich source of iron necessary to form red blood cells and particularly important to menstruating women and to help prevent iron deficiency anaemia.
- Iodine: Helps to prevent goitre, mental retardation and stillborn babies
- Selenium: Essential mineral needed daily for contribution in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as an immune booster.
Canned fish safety precautions:
Barnard emphasises the importance of being attentive when selecting canned foods during grocery shopping. Buyers should consider the following factors:
- Buy labelled cans which give a full description of what is inside the can. Look out for a list of ingredients, producer’s name, best-before date.
- Store cans in a cool, dry place after purchasing.
- Don’t buy cans that are dented, damaged, rusted, bulging, blown or leaking.
- Remember to wipe or wash the top of the can before opening it.
- Wash your can opener after each use as bacteria can grow on it and spread to food unknowingly.
- Canned food has no preservatives once opened and should then be treated as fresh food.
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