Keto Means
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Which canned tuna is healthiest?

Canned light tuna is the better, lower-mercury choice, according to the FDA and EPA. Canned white and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury, but still okay to eat. Bigeye tuna should be avoided completely, but that species isn't used for canned tuna anyway.

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My recent experience in the canned tuna aisle at the store went something like this: me, immobile, studying the cans and pouches with their shiny labels, wondering which kind of tuna I should be eating again. Albacore? Yellowfin? Does it matter?

Actually, it matters a lot, seafood experts say, given how much canned tuna we eat (2.2 pounds a person annually, according to the National Fisheries Institute). It's one of the three most popular types of seafood in the United States and has been for a decade now (because really, who's to argue with a well-made tuna sandwich)?

But all that demand takes its toll, resulting in overfished populations, a tremendous amount of bycatch—that is, other marine life caught with the tuna—and labor violations against those working in the industry. Combined with the controversial issue of mercury levels in tuna, it's no wonder I blanked out. "The U.S. is the largest market in the world for canned tuna, so we have a lot of influence in how these fisheries operate," says marine biologist John Hocevar, ocean campaign director for Greenpeace USA, which recently released a canned tuna shopping guide. The good news, he says: "We're really happy to see that at this point you can walk into most big supermarkets and find at least one pretty decent canned tuna option, and that wasn't the case even two years ago."

Here's how to tell the decent from the not-so-decent:

Bycatch is a big problem

Most supermarket canned tuna is caught using the purse seine method—basically giant nets cast over schools of fish. The "worst-case scenario" is when the nets are used with floating fish aggregating devices, or FADs, which attract all sorts of sea life, not just tuna, says Carrie Brownstein, global seafood quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market. According to Hocevar, tuna fishing kills millions of sharks and hundreds of thousands of sea turtles every year.

There's no one best tuna type

Skipjack (aka light), albacore (aka white), and yellowfin are the most common types of canned tuna. But bycatch and overfishing happen regardless of tuna species, so it's hard to say that one is better, ecologically speaking, than the rest, says Brownstein. Skipjack stocks are generally doing better than albacore in terms of abundance, but albacore populations in some parts of the world are better managed and healthier than others. It just depends. And don't assume that that expensive can of oil-packed tuna means anything other than, well, it's packed in oil rather than water.

So what should I look for?

The easiest thing is to look for "pole-and-line caught" or "troll caught" on the label. This means the tuna was caught one fish at a time, not swept up en masse with other marine life. Another good indicator is the MSC-certified seal. The Marine Stewardship Council assesses specific fish populations and catch methods and how well fisheries are managed, and is considered the most reputable in terms of certification, says Brownstein.

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Is it better to use oil or butter when making pancakes?

Butter tastes great, but it browns too quickly on the high heat of your skillet to be useful for making pancakes. A good pancake requires a fat with a higher smoke point—such as canola oil, shortening, coconut oil or even ghee or clarified butter.

Speaking of patience, resist the urge to flip your pancakes before you see bubbles all over the surface. Watch for them to pop—that’s when you’ll want to turn them, and not a moment later.

10 / 10

Not paying attention to the heat as you go

If you don’t have an electric skillet, you’ll need to pay attention to the heat as you go. The general rule of thumb is to use medium heat. Too hot means you’ll burn the outside before cooking the inside. Too low means you won’t get crispy edges. If while you’re cooking, the skillet starts to smoke, the heat has become too high—turn off the burner and wait a few minutes before continuing.

Think you’ve gotten a handle on hotcakes? How about moving on to mastering the art of making French Toast?

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