Post: #1

Just wanted to share my enthusiasm for this cheap, accessible ''nutritional powerhouse''.



Look at the nutrition packed into these tasty little fuckers. Note that each pack is 2.5x portions so 2.5x those numbers:



I buy 12 packs from Amazon - About $2.50 a pack.

For brands, I recommend 'Wild Planet' in the US, and 'Fish4Life' in the UK. Both wild, sustainable caught.

I shovel them straight out the can (in Marinara or Olive Oil) and down my kneck. About 5 packs p/w.

Just sharing the wealth...

Post: #2

Sardines are an awesome low-carb meal on their own. Just make sure the ones you get are not swimming in hydrogenated vegetable oil=trans fat. Canola, sunflower or cotton oil is fine.

The best tasting for me are in tomato sauce.

Post: #3

Gonna pick some of these suckers up tomorrow. Just make sure you guys don't overdo it, Sardines can be loaded with arsenic levels that will mess with your body without moderation.

Post: #4

When I get sardines I order the crown prince bpa free cans. They cost more than regular cans though. I also get the sardines with skin and bones. They have more nutrition.

This last year I caught quite a bit of fish and hunted the rest of my food, so haven't had to purchase anything from a can. However, that lifestyle isn't available to most people, and in that case sardines are the way to go.

Post: #5

I have heard good things about them before. But how's the smell on your breath afterwards? Thanks.

Post: #6

Tim Ferris advocated for this recently (can of sardines + spoon of coconut oil for breakfast).

I do admit that I occasionally do this as well, but not really for the nutritional purposes. Sometimes I'm just super lazy in the morning or I just want to mix it up. Popping a can of sardines and inhaling it takes almost zero time and is actually quite filling and tasty.

But good to know there's some actual super benefits to this. I might have to try and work out some regular schedule of consumption (maybe twice a week?).

PS. Brush your teeth afterwards.

Post: #7

(12-28-2015 01:31 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  I have heard good things about them before. But how's the smell on your breath afterwards? Thanks.

You wouldn't dare leave the house without brushing your teeth, that's for sure.

Post: #8

Ferriss also recommended Wild Planet. I'll be ordering some of these bad boys once holiday travel finishes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BFJ8...PDKIKX0DER

Post: #9

Sardines indeed have high nutritional value, I eat them regularly. When you compare them with tuna, they're not as protein dense, but they contain much less mercury, which makes them safe for everyday consumption.

Here's a handy little recipe for a sardine spread, I find that canned sardines taste much better this way:

- take one can (~100g) of sardines in olive oil, remove tail and bones, put them all in a bowl
- add 100g of cottage cheese
- add some chopped onion and garlic
- spice it up: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley...
- add lemon juice made from squeezing one lemon

Take a spoon and squish everything together. Keep squishing and mixing everything in the bowl until you get a spread which you can put on bread or crackers. I personally prefer to eat this spread with rye crackers and tomatoes, but you can experiment and find some other combination that tastes good.

There you have it, a simple recipe for a healthy snack. Don't forget to wash your hands and brush your teeth afterwards, as the sardines+onions+garlic combination will make your breath smell like the pathology lab.

Post: #10

(12-28-2015 09:33 AM)Khan Wrote:  Sardines indeed have high nutritional value, I eat them regularly. When you compare them with tuna, they're not as protein dense, but they contain much less mercury, which makes them safe for everyday consumption.

Here's a handy little recipe for a sardine spread, I find that canned sardines taste much better this way:

- take one can (~100g) of sardines in olive oil, remove tail and bones, put them all in a bowl
- add 100g of cottage cheese
- add some chopped onion and garlic
- spice it up: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley...
- add lemon juice made from squeezing one lemon

Take a spoon and squish everything together. Keep squishing and mixing everything in the bowl until you get a spread which you can put on bread or crackers. I personally prefer to eat this spread with rye crackers and tomatoes, but you can experiment and find some other combination that tastes good.

There you have it, a simple recipe for a healthy snack. Don't forget to wash your hands and brush your teeth afterwards, as the sardines+onions+garlic combination will make your breath smell like the pathology lab.

That sounds amazing. I bet doing marinara sardines and basil on Ezekiel bread would be epic.

High fat or zero fat cottage cheese?

Post: #11

I love sardines. They are the nutritious lazy man's meal. Here are some fast alternatives to just eating them raw

1. Put on toast and broil in a toaster oven
2. add yellow mustard to the open can

The empty cans smell terrible though, I would wash them out with soap like I was doing my dishes.

Post: #12

(12-28-2015 09:40 AM)redbeard Wrote:  High fat or zero fat cottage cheese?

The one I'm using has 2% fat, I think that falls into the low-fat category.

But it depends on your preferences for taste, as well as the type of sardines you eat. I always use sardines in olive oil, so I don't need additional fat in the mixture. But if you use sardines in water, then you might consider using high-fat cottage cheese.

The key to this recipe is actually in the additional ingredients you put in (onions, garlic, spices etc). If you only mix cottage cheese and mashed sardines, then the spread will taste rather bland.

Post: #13

I thew some canned Sardines in oil and lemon juice (removing about half the oil) into some brown rice the other night. Very good.

Post: #14

(12-27-2015 11:51 PM)topdog Wrote:  Sardines are an awesome low-carb meal on their own. Just make sure the ones you get are not swimming in hydrogenated vegetable oil=trans fat. Canola, sunflower or cotton oil is fine.

While you're right about staying away from hydrogenated oils, vegetable/seed oils really aren't much better. They're mostly polyunsaturated fatty acids, which when oxidized (through exposure to heat, light, air, or even moisture) create free radicals that wreak havoc on everything from cell membranes, to DNA/RNA strands, to blood vessels and entire organs/systems.

If you're going to get them in oil, go for olive oil. It contains mostly monounsaturated fat, and includes a decent amount of vitamin E, which helps prevent oxidation in the first place. Most brands carry it, and the nicer ones even use extra virgin. My personal favorite is the King Oscar EVOO with cracked black pepper.

Post: #15

Nutritious as fuck...

Gross as fuck...

Post: #16

I always thought these looked gross, but am willing to try on the strength of this thread. Do they require any preparation from the tin, i.e. bones, tail, head etc.?

Post: #17

(12-27-2015 11:51 PM)topdog Wrote:  Sardines are an awesome low-carb meal on their own. Just make sure the ones you get are not swimming in hydrogenated vegetable oil=trans fat. Canola, sunflower or cotton oil is fine.

The best tasting for me are in tomato sauce.

Olive Oil. No cotton seed oil.

Canola oil isn't fit to eat. It is also a partially hydrogenated oil.

http://draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/

http://authoritynutrition.com/canola-oil-good-or-bad/

Post: #18

(12-29-2015 07:49 AM)churros Wrote:  I always thought these looked gross, but am willing to try on the strength of this thread. Do they require any preparation from the tin, i.e. bones, tail, head etc.?

No prep needed. Straight from the tin.

Post: #19

Squeeze some lemon juice on them.

Post: #20

(12-28-2015 09:33 AM)Khan Wrote:  Sardines indeed have high nutritional value, I eat them regularly. When you compare them with tuna, they're not as protein dense, but they contain much less mercury, which makes them safe for everyday consumption.

Here's a handy little recipe for a sardine spread, I find that canned sardines taste much better this way:

- take one can (~100g) of sardines in olive oil, remove tail and bones, put them all in a bowl
- add 100g of cottage cheese
- add some chopped onion and garlic
- spice it up: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley...
- add lemon juice made from squeezing one lemon

Take a spoon and squish everything together. Keep squishing and mixing everything in the bowl until you get a spread which you can put on bread or crackers. I personally prefer to eat this spread with rye crackers and tomatoes, but you can experiment and find some other combination that tastes good.

There you have it, a simple recipe for a healthy snack. Don't forget to wash your hands and brush your teeth afterwards, as the sardines+onions+garlic combination will make your breath smell like the pathology lab.

I've always eaten them straight from the tin but this is pure genius.

Post: #21

Just want to reiterate what @frozenace said about buying BPA-free sardines.

Most sardine tins are made with BPA lining which seeps into the product.

Most governments allow BPA content up to a pre-defined limit but I personally don't want ANY of that shit in my body.

The assault on the male endocrine system is bad enough as it is.

So I don't mind paying a little extra for BPA-free brands.

More on BPA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wXGrzDIcr8

Post: #22

I am in for a few. Let's see how it tastes.

Thank you for the info guys.

BPA free cans.

Post: #23

Tinned pilchards and Mackerel are also just as good for you!

Post: #24

Bought some yesterday. Sardines and tuna are going to be go-to protein sources during cutting season.

Post: #25

Funny, one memory I have of my dad from New Years' Eve is that he'd always bust out the sardines. He'd eat them on these rye crackers.

I'm going to the store today. Tonight I'll ring in the New Year with a good cigar and a can of these bad boys and toast his memory.