The One, Two, Omega Three punch of Tuna and Salmon

In the final 15 minutes of yesterday’s edition of Today, the show’s diet and nutrition expert, Joy Bauer, appeared in a segment that examined the five foods kids should be eating. The question is getting a lot of attention these days thanks to all the reporting about childhood obesity and First Lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to address it by encouraging healthy eating and exercise.

Right off the bat, Bauer rattled off a number of facts concerning the health benefits of seafood. Most prominently of all, she took the time to talk about omega-3 fatty acids and how including them in your diet can optimize brain performance.

That’s all great information, and something that we talk about all the time over at HealthyTuna. But what had us concerned was when Bauer also advocated swapping out a tuna fish sandwich or tuna topped salad made with white albacore tuna and replacing it with a salmon filet.

That’s a shame, because tuna, especially albacore tuna, is one of the richest and most affordable sources of omega-3 fatty acids. And as we’ve said so many times before, only a small percentage of the U.S. population eats enough fish — two servings per week — in order to enjoy the full health benefit from omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients. So when you substitute one fish serving for another, you’re not getting any closer to a worthy health goal that’s been endorsed by the American Heart Association, among others.

So, instead of swapping out tuna for salmon, why not keep both on the menu? Besides improving your health, your taste buds will thank you too.