If a consumer is choosing canned sardines and specifically wants to keep fat and calories lower, what packing liquid should they select?
Answer
Water packing
The liquid in which canned sardines are packed heavily influences their final caloric and fat density. If the primary objective is to minimize fat and calories in the serving, selecting sardines packed in water is the recommended choice. Packing them in oil, even healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil, will increase the overall caloric density of the meal. The sodium level is also more controllable with water-packed options, provided no extra salt has been added during processing.

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