When thinking of sardines or anchovies, you’re likely to picture small fish packed in a can or bottle. It’s said that sardines were the first type of fish to be canned. This happened in France during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. It was also during this period that the canning process was first developed as a food security solution for both the military and the general populace.
But these types of fish have long been part of the human diet. During the time of the Roman Empire, for example, citizens enjoyed a kind of fermented fish sauce made from anchovies called garum. This is not really surprising as fish in general are a good source of protein. Plus they have the advantage of not having the riskier types of fatty acids and high amounts of cholesterol, unlike the meat of domesticated land animals.
Read on and learn about the health benefits of sardines, anchovies or haddock and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid strongly recommends you add this source of protein in your diet.
Sardines, Anchovies or Haddock Benefits:
You are sure to receive high amounts of protein with any of these three types of fish. A 1 ounce serving of sardines (around 2-3 small pieces) provides almost 7 grams of protein. This is actually comparable to a similar serving of beef steak but without the disadvantage of saturated fats. Tryptophan is one of the more abundant essential amino acids found in sardines. The body needs this substance to synthesize serotonin, the neurotransmitter substance that regulates sleep and mood.
The same serving amount of anchovies contains a little more. It provides 8 grams of protein or 16% of your body’s daily need. Besides also having lots of tryptophan, anchovies are also an excellent supply of glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid. The body uses this to create what are known as glutamates. This class of compounds is a neurotransmitter that plays a very crucial role in cognitive functions such as learning and memory.
Haddock gives a little less compared to sardines and anchovies, with only 5 grams of protein per ounce. But that’s still significantly 11% of the recommended daily intake. Lysine is one of the more abundant essential amino acids this fish provides. Some experts believe that taking adequate amounts of lysine may help prevent osteoporosis, because one of its more crucial roles is to aid in the absorption of calcium.
Sardines and anchovies are commonly canned or bottled. Haddock is also packaged as such but far less frequently. For most people then, it would likely be impractical to search for wet markets that sell these fish raw. The next best thing is to look for bottled products with only water or olive oil as the preserving liquid. The point is to avoid eating food that is contaminated with bisphenol A (BPA) which is present in all canned goods as it is one of the compounds used to make the inner resin lining of cans. You would also want to avoid the added sodium and other artificial preservatives that come with such products that use brine or tomato sauce.
Sardines, Anchovies or Haddock Practical Uses:
If you need to fix a quick nutritious meal that you can take to work or a training session, you won’t go wrong with some slices of bread made from whole wheat organic flour and sardines bottled in water or olive oil. Just like the canned variety, bottled sardines, anchovies or haddock are pre-cooked and ready to eat.
This also makes them an easy ingredient for salads as well as pasta sauces. For salads, just add and toss the fish along with the fresh vegetables and spices. Vinaigrette is probably one of the more compatible dressings you can use for such a salad dish. For pastas, you can ground the sardines or anchovies into the sauce while it’s simmering on the stove or add them afterwards whole.
Making your own bottled sardines or anchovies is not too difficult if you’re the do-it-yourself type. Of course you’re going to need to purchase the freshest available from the local fish market. You can have the staff there remove the head and viscera. Then you’ll also need to have some canning jars and a pressure canner. The basic procedure is:
- Sanitize the canning jars.
- Pack the fish into the canning jars.
- Fill the packed jars with olive oil (some vinegar or a minimum amount of salt is also possible).
- Be sure to leave about an inch of space from the lid.
- Place the filled jars in the pressure canner and start cooking.
- There are various settings depending on the canner. For example, 100 minutes at 11 PSI is what the USDA recommends for anchovies in a dial-pressure type of canner.
In the next post, I’ll tell you the benefits of wild salmon, trout, tilapia or flounder that will help you in your quest to Become Superhuman.
In the meantime, if you care to jump ahead, here is a complete listing of the protein sources on Superhuman Food Pyramid:
Eat:
• Grass-Fed Beef, Bison or Buffalo or Lamb
• Pasture-Raised, Organic Pork
• Sardines, Anchovies or Haddock in Water or Olive Oil
• Wild Salmon, Trout, Tilapia or Flounder
• Organic Whey/Casein Protein Powder
• Organic Rice/Pea Protein Powder
• Organic Yogurt (Full-Fat)
Moderate:
• Raw Cheese from Grass Fed Cows
• Naturally preserved or dried meats
• Miso, tempeh, tamari or natto
• Soaked or sprouted beans and legumes
• Raw seeds and nuts
Avoid:
• Non-Organic, Commercially Processed Meat
• Chemically Preserved or Dried Meats
• Protein Powders with Artificial Sweeteners
• Tofu
• Roasted Seeds and Nuts
• Regular or Canned Beans and Legumes
If you have questions, comments or feedback about the benefits of sardines, anchovies or haddock, the Superhuman Food Pyramid, this website, or other aspects of Becoming Superhuman, then leave your thoughts below, as well as any tips you have on the benefits of sardines, anchovies or haddock.
Author Bio: Ben Greenfield
His credentials include:
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology
Personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN)
Advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta, the “Harvard” of bicycle fitting schools
Over 10 years experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports
Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition and wellness website at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which features blogs, podcasts, and product reviews from Ben. He is a frequent contributor to Triathlete magazine and LAVA magazine, Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com), the outdoor sports magazine OutThere Monthly and has been featured in WebMD, the Spokesman-Review, Inlander magazine, In-Health magazine, Fit-Pro magazine, PTontheNet, Prevention magazine, Women’s Running magazine, and Inside Triathlon magazine.
As a public speaker on fitness, nutrition, and training, Ben hosts one of the top ranked fitness podcasts in iTunes, the Get-Fit Guy (http://www.GetFitGuy.com), and has been a keynote lecturer at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships Medical Conference, the Coeur D’ Alene Ironman Medical Conference, USAT Art & Science of Coaching Symposium, Can-Fit-Pro Conference, Pilgrim’s Wellness Center Education Series, Fleet Feet Sports Endurance Sports Clinic and REI Nutrition Clinic. He sits on the board of directors for Tri-Fusion triathlon team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and is the official coach for the YoungTri. As a triathlon coach and competitor, Ben competes at Ironman and Half-Ironman World Championships, holds a ranking as of USAT’s top ranked age grouper triathletes, and competes in 15-20 triathlons each year, both nationally and internationally.
But they taste horrendous!