Good Versus Bad Protein: Consumer Food Issues

Unfortunately, all foods are not created equal. Each food group has foods that are healthy and will benefit the body and those that could be damaging to the body. In this paper, the consumer and health-related issues in relation to fresh tuna versus hot dogs will be examined. Food safety and comparison to the food-guide pyramid will be discussed in an effort to highlight the positive and negative aspects of each food.

The food I have chosen as a good protein is fresh tuna. The serving size examined was a 4 oz serving size, which is a normal serving size for any protein source. Fresh tuna is an excellent source of protein, helping to meet the RDA requirement by offering 27 grams of protein per 4 oz serving. Fresh tuna has a number of benefits that would help an individual to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Tuna is low in fat and calories, with only one gram of fat and 122 calories per serving size. Tuna is high in potassium (503 grams), yet low in cholesterol and sodium (51 grams and 42 grams respectively). A 4 oz serving of fresh tuna also offers more than half the RDA for niacin (56%) and vitamin B-6 (51%), along with high percentages for a host of other vitamins, including thiamin, phosphorus and magnesium.