Think again – is Tuna in Water JUST Tuna in Water? Posted on April 3, 2015 Canned tuna is a great source of nutrition rich in protein and high in omega3’s. Canned – it’s shelf stable, generally affordable and a convenient pantry staple. For a quick lunch, I love tuna salad either on it’s own or in a lettuce wrap. Just pop the top – add a few chopped vegetables, some pickle juice and voila healthy living lunch is served! A few years ago, with a newly discovered sensitivity to soy products – I started noticing a few symptoms immediately after consuming canned tuna fish. In my head ~ “I’m eating TUNA in WATER – it says it right here on the front label – it should be alright?” What shocked me (when I read the back ingredient label) is that tuna in water doesn’t always mean those are the only ingredients – shockingly it may contain SOY one of BIG 8 known food allergens or Pyrophosphate. Just recently I did my own investigative shopping. I purchased one can of every single tuna fish offered from one manufacturer – Bumble Bee.

There are other brands I just happened to pick up the Bumble Bee. Bumble Bee costs about $2.99 per 5 oz can ($0.60/oz). All of the Bumble Bee products are canned in the USA and as you see below there is differing ingredients depending on the variety: Why use SOY in canned tuna fish? Food Manufacturers probably use vegetable broth made with cheap soy products to poach the tuna in the canning process. Is soy good for me? The soy beans used today in food products are not the same soy beans grown 20 years ago. More and more U.S. farmers are increasing their reliance on genetically engineered or genetically modified (GMO) soy bean varieties. I checked out the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website for some data. (Yes, I’ll admit – I’m a creative data nerd what can I say?) The data is pretty interesting. For all U.S. GMO soy beans planted (including herbicide tolerant varieties) in 2000 only 54% of the soy bean crops were genetically engineered – the subsequent years look like this – 2001 (68%); 2002 (75%); 2003 (81%); and 2007 (91%).

Just last year in 2014 – 94% of all U.S. soy bean crops were genetically engineered. Is there a correlation with the increase in soy bean allergies and the increased reliance upon GMO’s? The jury is still out however I’m hedging my bets that there is some sort of correlation.sushi grade fish fresno Now we know what the soy is. tupperware sushi maker indonesiaWhat the heck is Pyrophyosphate? jogo sushi magico zumaPyrophosphate is Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate. sushi grade fish springfield ma describes it as a “synthetic, edible phosphoric salt. sumo sushi menu kaart

It is a white mass or free-flowing powder that is used in self-rising and prepared baked goods to control the pH amounts in food”.   BE FOOD SMART also lists pyrophosphate’s possible health effects as “it is currently believed to be safe for uses in food at LOW levels. Excess phosphorus can lead to heart, bone and kidney problems. sushi delivery london sw7Overconsumption of phosphorus containing foods and additives can result in elevated blood phosphorus levels, which may contribute to osteoporosis.” Given that canned albacore contains GMO soy beans (although not listed as GMO soy beans they probably are given the data above)  and pyrophosphate – I’m gonna stay away from the big food company tuna fish brands. I’ll stick with my home team favorite – albacore tuna from ISLAND TROLLERS. Family owned since 1967, ISLAND TROLLERS of Whidbey Island, WA offers BPA free, dolphin-safe, sashimi grade albacore in a can.

Their fish is caught by American fishermen off the West Coast and canned right here in Washington State. Doesn’t get much better than this! The cherry on top is that their canned albacore boasts a clean and healthy ingredient list with simple ingredients like “ALBACORE TUNA, and A PINCH OF SEA SALT”. ISLAND TROLLERS offers a fine selection of varieties to include: alder smoked albacore, albacore with capers, albacore with garlic, albacore with habanero and their original troll caught albacore. Another bonus about this company is that ISLAND TROLLERS recently received a 2015 GOOD FOOD AWARD for their ORIGINAL TROLL CAUGHT ALBACORE in the Charcuterie Division. GOOD FOOD AWARDS recognizes U.S. food purveyors for offering tasty, authentic and sustainable food products. Out of 1,462 entrants, ISLAND TROLLERS was 1 of the 146 companies bestowed this honor in 2015. Yes, ISLAND TROLLERS canned albacore costs about $6.99 for a 7.5 oz can ($0.93/oz). /  Isn’t $0.33 an oz price difference worth it to your family to eat healthy and to continue to support a trend setting WA State Company?

What other brands of Albacore Tuna do you like that that’s just right for you? Would love to hear about other sustainable good albacore brands out there! Keep eating just the right things for your body!On San Pedro and Candelaria is a long-titled Pacific Paradise Tropical Grill and Sushi Bar, cooking up a mixed bag of Pacific offerings. Pacific Paradise serves up the diverse cuisine from all around the Ring of Fire, Asia and Hawaii.Inside, artificial palm trees and beach murals wrap around elevated booths that look over tables with wicker chairs. There’s even a tiki bar and walls paneled in bamboo. Owner Denny Deng grew up in China, spending time in his grandparents’ restaurant then heading off to culinary school. He ended up in Washington, D.C. and worked in restaurants to hone his skills. He found his way to Albuquerque and eventually opened this place. Drawing inspiration from the cuisine he was raised on as well as his own creativity, Deng has put together an extensive menu that runs the gamut from avocado rolls to wontons to tom yom goong soup.

Though packed with lemongrass, mushrooms and shrimp, the tom yom goong proved to be painfully spicy with a strong fish sauce presence, with very little of the promised lime flavor. But an order of dumplings was wonderfully simple and subtle. Filled with flavorful chicken and bright scallions that were enhanced with a hint of sesame oil, these were definite pleasers. Petite and delicate spring rolls also made a good impression. Snow peas spiked the usual shredded cabbage and added a green, vegetative element to the rolls. I just don’t get the rice pizza, but someone else might enjoy the homey weirdness of it all. It's dude food, through and through.A salad of giant iceberg leaves and one lone grape tomato left much to be desired. Drenching the wilted lettuce was dressing that looked and tasted like oily Sunkist orange soda. It pooled beneath the salad in a Day Glo puddle and only contributed tooth-shocking sweetness to the greens.PP’s entrées were a little hit and miss. On the outstanding side was beef teriyaki.

Sirloin, cooked to order, was served with a phenomenal teriyaki sauce with full-bodied soy notes.Hawaiian mahi-mahi was overcooked but had a fresh taste. It was topped with a confusing sauce of bell peppers and melon. While intriguing, the two flavors ultimately clashed and just refused to bond. I just don’t get the rice pizza. It’s basically jasmine rice (though it lacked the typical fragrance) mixed with scrambled egg, tomato, pineapple, mushrooms, onion and chicken or shrimp, then covered in melted cheese. I found it to be bland, but someone else might enjoy the homey weirdness of it all. From the sushi bar I tried a combo plate that had California, spicy tuna and Albuquerque rolls. The Albuquerque roll's tempura-fried strip of green chile was a tasty complement to avocado and cucumber, but their appearance was somewhat sloppy. The side of gari (pickled ginger) had an artificial saccharine taste that did little to cleanse the palate—in fact, it was hard to wash its aftertaste from my tongue.

For dessert I tried two ice creams. Mild and almost savory, the avocado ice cream was a calming end to a heavy meal. The plum wine ice cream was light and slightly tart with chewy pieces of plum. All of the staff was friendly and accommodating, but when it came down to simply waiting tables, things fell apart. I visited the restaurant twice, at peak and empty seatings. Both times the service was equally bad. My salad came out after the entrée, my drink came out after the appetizer, and my servers seemed to have conflicting ideas about what was included in my order. On both visits I ordered combo meals plus appetizers. One server gave me a choice between wine or dessert and the other offered both. Both visits left me sitting after dessert watching my leftover ice cream melt while I waited for my check.This restaurant has potential. Some dishes lack sophistication and common sense, and a little coordination between the kitchen and waitstaff would also go a long way. But this is one to keep your eye on.