From the Wikipedia:
"Tuna are several species of ocean-dwelling fish. Unlike most ocean fish species, which have white flesh, the flesh of tuna is pink because the tuna's blood has a higher oxygen carrying ability than other fish species". Interesting.
Before you proceed, be warned that this post is not for the weak of heart. ;)
Protein Blend
Tuna has always been a favorite protein source for bodybuilders, dieters, and other athletes. Reasonably cheap, fast, portable, comes in convenient can sizes, low in fat and a great source of protein and omega-3 essential fats.
A regular can of tuna can contain up to about 30g protein, 1g carbs, 0 fats per 100gm. This means that consuming just 1 can of tuna a day can bump up your protein intake by 30g. You may also want to look for tuna in brine or spring water (the brand TC Boy has this). Stay away from tuna in oil or the fancy tuna such as chili tuna, tuna in mayo, curry tuna, tuna in crappy tasting sauce, etc as they not only contain less fish meat in a can, but are normally full of fat and added sugar (which is fine if you want to have a sandwich or something, but NOT FINE if you plan to consume 1 - 2 cans a day).
Though I hate tuna, I must admit that it is an easy way of increasing your daily protein intake without any messy cooking, extensive preparation, and wasting any brain cells. But like anything else - you WILL get a little sick of it after awhile. You'll get sick of the texture. Sick of the pale, pink flesh. Sick of the taste. Sick of the smell.
To add variety, you may want to alternate consuming tuna with something else every now and then (try eggs/chicken breasts/beef) to avoid getting sick of it. As for me, I'm just sometimes too lazy to bother to prepare my meals - so I end up just popping a can or two of tuna and bringing it to work. If you're wondering how I'm able to eat all that tuna even though I'm sick of it? It's easy.
Just scoop >> chew well >> sip some water >> SWALLOW. Repeat until there's none left.
Either that, or you could be like Arnold Schwarzenegger and actually blend tuna in a blender (with other ingredients for improved taste) and drink it like a protein shake. Unfortunately, that goes over my limit. No way can i ever drink liquid fish. He could - he's not human.
Now, for those of you considering to make tuna a regular part of your diet - here's a useful tip that could save you from getting into a stinking mess. If you're like me and pack meals at home and take them to work - be sure to squeeze out as much water as you can from the tuna and ensure that the container you pack it in is tight and will not let water seep through from the inside, or better still - put the whole container in a plastic bag. I've had incidents where I would just chuck one of my food containers (filled to the brim with tuna) only to discover at work that my laptop bag stinks of tuna as the juices have oozed onto the fabric. And thats one stench thats gonna stay there to haunt you for the months to come.