This is what happened when I ate sardines every day for a week.

To start, let’s be clear: Sardines aren’t the most visually appealing dish in the world. Still, it’s worthwhile to attempt to avoid making snap judgments here. When high-nutrition meals that maximize immunity also needed to have a considerable shelf-life for extended periods between supermarket visits, buying fish in a tin became popular again, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On all of the aforementioned points, these little fish excel. According to the BBC, sardines actually earned their name because they used to be so common in the waters of Sardinia, which is one of the five blue zones in the world with the greatest rates of human longevity.

Sardines are loaded with nutrients, such as omega-3 fats, calcium equivalent to a glass of milk, magnesium, and a healthy amount of vitamin D—the vitamin hungry wintertime diet. Additionally, they are cooked before being sealed in the tin, allaying certain worries about food safety. Translation: You should taste sardines.

I persuaded myself that, at the very least, for a week, along with the fact that “adding a serving of sardines to my day fits right into my current diet.” It did, in a way. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been trying to cut back on carbohydrates and increase my intake of vitamin D naturally during the dark winter months.

I have to admit that I was apprehensive when I went near those small silver cans. Why? I’m not sure. I have no problem eating almost anything, including crickets, but something about these tiny creatures has always grossed me out.

The first thing that worried me about eating sardines on a daily basis was the presence of mercury, which can be found in some fish at levels that should raise awareness. Mercury, for example, can be an issue with canned tuna (it’s normally suggested to limit tuna to a weekly meal).

According to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of the best seafood options, sardines might be less concerning. Sardines were also found to have “very low mercury” levels by Consumer Lab, in contrast to albacore tuna, which had levels that were 10-20 times higher. However, they point out that eating more than one can of sardines a day is not advised due to the high quantities of arsenic in them.

Sardines health benefits

Sardines are incredibly healthy, I discovered when I started to think about eating them every day for a week. Sardines have been shown to provide potential benefits in preventing type 2 diabetes in adults over 65 who have increased fasting glucose levels. This was investigated in a 2021 study that was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. Participants in the study were divided into two groups, each of which maintained a diabetes-friendly diet with the exception of one group’s weekly addition of 200 grams, or around two four-ounce cans, of sardines in olive oil. Both the diastolic and systolic blood pressure reductions were higher in the sardine-eating group.

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers of Nutrition in April 2023, sardines may occasionally even take the place of fish oil supplements as a more nutrient-dense, heart-healthy substitute. Researchers speculated that this fish’s anti-inflammatory properties might be somewhat to blame. According to the study, sardines have elements that “together modulate mild inflammation and exacerbated oxidative stress,” which are linked to blood pressure dysregulation and cardiovascular disease.

Sardines are packed with health advantages, according to the same research team: “calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, taurine, arginine and other nutrients.” That is an amazing amount of nutrition for such an inexpensive fish.

How to prepare sardines for eating

If you decide to go on a sardine-eating expedition, be advised that there will be a variety to choose from. Sardines can be packaged in either water or oil, just like tuna and anchovies.

Beyond that, there are a plethora of flavoring and type options available. Sardines without skins and bones, prepared with flavorings, and packaged in various oils are available for purchase. Sardines, in my opinion, taste better when flavored with a little lemon, mustard, tomato sauce, or even hot sauce. If the flavor of the olive oil or extra oil wasn’t too noticeable, my favorite way to prepare them was to mash them like tuna salad and add a little mayo.

If you’re fascinated about sardines but still a little apprehensive, I recommend trying a few different kinds before concluding you don’t like them.

Unexpected consequences of daily sardine consumption

Enhanced fullness

I didn’t see any instant benefits from eating sardines every day, but I did eventually notice that I would eat my next meal or snack considerably later than normal. Every day, I consumed a serving of sardines around 10 a.m., delaying my need for lunch until long after 1 p.m. I would almost never forget to eat, although on occasion I would.

The 2023 study’s researchers noted that eating sardines may lead to a beneficial decrease in appetite—a benefit that taking fish oil supplements wouldn’t offer. In my experience, a modest serving of sardines produced a persistent feeling of fullness.

I was consuming barely two ounces, or half of a can, at a time! I attribute that to the presence of significant 20 grams of protein, eight grams of good fat per meal, and other nutrients. My own experience suggests that sardines can be a great way to stave off hunger for extended periods of time.

Enhanced vitality and attentiveness

On the third day, I became more aware of my surroundings. I guess the reason for this increased vigor could have been that the Northeast’s string of dreary, cloudy days suddenly broke to reveal sunshine.
Sardines contain a significant amount of vitamin D (about 70% of the daily required value in three ounces), thus it is possible that these tiny fish were involved. It has been demonstrated that taking an additional vitamin D dose improves mood and lowers depression.

I grew to enjoy them.

I started to adjust to the fish’s funkiness during the fourth day. The recipe, which was mildly smoked and tasted better with a touch of lemon, was to my liking. I could even just eat them with a fork, very little mashed, but many sardine lovers swear by using them over avocado toast, according to what I read online.

Two days in, I never would have thought to include sardines in my daily diet, but after learning about all the health benefits and finding the perfect flavor, I will give it some thought. Because salmon may be expensive and other vitamin D-rich foods, like eggs, are high in cholesterol, a small portion of this tiny fish a few times a week could reasonably bridge the dietary gap.

I Ate Sardines Every Day for a Week—Here’s What Happened (msn.com)