Are canned fishes like sardines still considered healthy?

[hipumpkins]

One of my kids' friends was over here playing and his snack was sardines. My kids tasted it and LOVED them. His mom said it was brain food.
so I bought some oil packed sardines (The kind her kid was eating) and smoked oysters and mackerel. My kids LOVED each and every one.
Is this a good snack for them? Is it something I should be careful of how much they eat but it's till ok or are my kids eating super healthy brain food that they can enjoy as much of as they want to?

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by hipumpkins

One of my kids' friends was over here playing and his snack was sardines. My kids tasted it and LOVED them. His mom said it was brain food.
so I bought some oil packed sardines (The kind her kid was eating) and smoked oysters and mackerel. My kids LOVED each and every one.
Is this a good snack for them? Is it something I should be careful of how much they eat but it's till ok or are my kids eating super healthy brain food that they can enjoy as much of as they want to?

Super healthy!!! Great source of omega 3. You don't have to worry about mercury with tiny fish so that's not a concern. While I believe in everything in moderation, these are a fabulous choice for snacking!

[noobmom]

I'd be a little concerned about possible BPA in the cans. I'm not sure if those rectangle cans are made the same way as regular soup cans. I love smoked oysters too!

[tanyalynn]

Sardines look to be low in mercury, but mackerel appears to vary widely according to where it's from...

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/P.../ucm115644.htm

I've read some great threads about making dips, they sound way yummy, if you want options besides straight from the can.

eta: small fish like this are also often a great source of vitamin D, which is a bit harder to find food sources for.

[SophieAnn]

I've heard nothing but good things about little fish! Good source of Vitamin D, omegas and DHA (that'd be why she said it was brain food).

There isn't the concern about mercury because they are so low on the food-chain. Fish that are higher on the food chain (i.e. salmon, tuna) have some mercury because it accumulates from all the smaller fish they eat. (that wasn't very eloquent but hopefully you get the drift)

I wish I could stomach little fish... but I can't, so I take cod liver oil (lemon-flavoured) to get my Vitamin D, DHA, etc.

So neat to hear about your LO's being so excited about a healthy snack!

[MoonStarFalling]

I buy sardines but I get the ones packed in water with no salt added. A very healthy snack.

[noobmom]

Just wanted to note, salmon is low in mercury, tuna is high.