Start with a single tin of tuna in spring water if minimising fat is your priority, but compare fat per 100g on the current label and check how much tuna you intend to eat. Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water 145g lists 0.5g fat per 100g; a different tin size or a no-drain format may suit your meal better. If you have a prescribed daily fat limit, assess the portion against the advice you have been given rather than assuming any tuna tin automatically fits.
If a clinician or dietitian has set a daily fat limit, the tin's fat value per 100g is only the starting point: the amount eaten matters too. Oxford University Hospitals advises people following its medically prescribed minimal-fat diet to read individual product labels.
For a salad, sandwich or mixed meal, compare spring-water tins by their nutrition panels and usable quantity. A single tin is not necessarily the amount you will want for one meal.
A no-drain format can remove the draining step. Check its nutrition panel and pack count as well: the John West No Drain Tuna Chunks in Spring Water product described by the brand is a three-pack, rather than one individually sold tin.
Compare fat on a per-100g basis, then consider the usable quantity and the rest of the meal.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Read fat per 100g on the current label and consider the amount you will eat. Princes lists 0.5g per 100g for its 145g spring-water tin. | If I have a tight fat allowance, I need to know what the tuna contributes to my meal; about 50% of consumers put fat content first. |
| Usable quantity | Check whether it is one tin or a multipack, and compare net weight with any stated drained weight. Tesco lists 112g drained weight for its 160g spring-water tin. | I may use only part of a tin and need a plan for the remainder. For about 30% of consumers, portion practicality is the primary concern. |
| Salt and meal choices | Compare salt per 100g as well as fat, and check what you plan to add to the tuna. Princes lists 0.85g salt per 100g; Tesco lists 1.0g per 100g for the named tins. | If salt or the ingredients in my meal decide between otherwise suitable tins, fat alone will not settle the choice. About 20% of consumers put these wider meal considerations first. |
Princes lists 0.5g fat and 0.85g salt per 100g for its named tin, while Tesco lists 1.0g fat and 1.0g salt per 100g for its 160g tin. Packing liquid alone does not tell you the exact values.
Compare the current labels on the same per-100g basis, then consider your portion.
Net weight includes the packing liquid, and the quantity of drained tuna may be different. Tesco lists a 112g drained weight for its 160g tin.
Check the drained weight where stated. If you will leave some tuna, follow the tin's after-opening storage instructions.
The NHS says fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish under its general fish guidance.
If you are following that guidance, do not use tuna as the oily-fish portion.
Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water comes in a single 145g tin.
Tesco Tuna Chunks in Spring Water is a single 160g tin with a listed drained weight of 112g.
John West's No Drain Tuna Chunks in Spring Water is presented as ready to use without draining.
These single tins include spring-water tuna and an adobo-style alternative. Compare each tin's current label if fat content is your deciding factor.
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A single spring-water tin to consider when planning a tuna meal around the current fat label. Check the drained weight if the amount of tuna you will use matters, and follow the tin's directions for any leftovers.
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A single tin for shoppers considering flavoured tuna instead of spring-water chunks. Because it is packed in adobo-style sauce, check its current fat and salt labels and the quantity you intend to use rather than treating it as interchangeable with plain tuna.
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A single spring-water tin for comparison with other tuna chunks. Check its current on-pack fat figure and drained weight before working out how much the portion contributes to your meal.
Check the exact tin and the amount you plan to eat against your prescribed limit. Oxford University Hospitals includes tinned tuna in brine or spring water among the protein choices in its guidance for people advised to eat no more than 20g fat a day, while emphasising that values vary between products.
Follow the product's after-opening directions. Princes instructs shoppers using its 145g spring-water tin to put leftovers in a sealed container, refrigerate them and use them within two days.
Check the ingredients list for the declared allergen. GOV.UK identifies fish as one of the allergens that must be clearly labelled in the ingredients list of prepacked food containing it.
No. The NHS says canned tuna does not count as oily fish in its general guidance on fish portions, so a tuna tin does not fulfil that part of the guidance.