Tuna fish is an excellent source of many nutrients such as protein, selenium, Vitamin B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and Omega-3 essential fatty acids. These last ones are very important, because the human body does not produce them, so we have to take them from external sources. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for the health of the cardiovascular system, by preventing a series of conditions such as high blood pressure, arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, stroke, heart attacks or embolisms. Beware though when cooking for children, as tuna fish contains mercury, which is a toxin that can have a negative influence of children’s health. This is an article that gives more details and shows how to calculate how much mercury is ingested when eating tuna-based meals. This concerns only children, adults not being affected by the mercury levels found in tuna fish.

Greek salad can be served as a main dish or as a side dish for a meat-based meal and it’s very popular in the Greek cuisine. Based mainly on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, diced feta cheese, and olives, the Greek salad can also contain other ingredients such as bell peppers, pickles, capers or even beets in some areas of the world. The typical dressing is olive oil, but also vinegar, herbs and other seasonings are used in many Greek salad recipes.

In any of its variants, Greek salad is a healthy food, mainly because of the tomatoes. Tomatoes have a high Vitamin C content, as well as Vitamin A, Potassium and Iron, which are necessary elements in a well-balanced diet. Yet, the best part in tomatoes is the pigment that gives them the red color, which is called lycopene and which is an extremely powerful antioxidant. Another main ingredient in this healthy salad are the olives. Olives are extremely rich in Iron, Vitamin E and dietary fiber. They also have a high content of monounsaturated fats, which act as a protective shield for the human body cells, thus lowering the inflammation risk. When the monounsaturated fats combine themselves with Vitamin E, as in olives, the effect is an enhanced protection and a better action against free radicals, which are amongst our biggest enemies because they cause oxidation processes which are harmful for the body.