Food hack of the day: tuna salad where mayo is the swap.

In short. The lighter version (per serving: one sandwich) comes to about 331 kcal with 41 g of protein and 4 g of fat, against about 616 kcal, 36 g and 39 g for the classic. That is 285 fewer kcal, 5 g more protein and 35 g less fat. Figures are fitness estimates built from USDA FoodData Central entries.

Food photographs are illustrative; they do not show the exact lighter recipes or portions used for the nutrition figures below.

Why the classic is heavy

Tuna packed in water is almost pure protein. Mayonnaise is about 75 g of fat per 100 g, and oil-packed tuna carries more fat than the water-packed kind.

The swaps, per serving

Classic tuna mayo sandwich: 100 g of tuna packed in oil, 40 g of mayonnaise, white bread and celery.

Greek yogurt tuna sandwich: 140 g of tuna packed in water, 45 g of Greek yogurt, lemon, whole-wheat bread and extra celery.

Weights are raw for meat, fish, eggs and vegetables, and cooked for pasta and rice. Fat that cooks out into the pan is not subtracted from either version, and brands and portions change real numbers. These are fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice.

1. Tuna in water, drained well

Light tuna in water has about 19 g of protein and under 1 g of fat per 100 g drained. Squeeze out the water so the salad is not loose.

2. Greek yogurt as the binder

Nonfat Greek yogurt binds like mayonnaise with a tang, and brings protein. A spoon of mustard rounds it.

3. Celery and lemon for crunch and lift

Finely diced celery, red onion and a squeeze of lemon replace some of the richness with freshness.

4. Whole-wheat bread, toasted

Toasting stops the bread from going soggy, and whole wheat adds fibre.

How to make it

1. Drain the tuna very well and flake it.
2. Stir in the yogurt, mustard, celery, onion and lemon.
3. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt.
4. Pile onto toasted bread with lettuce.

Log it so the numbers hold

Weigh the tuna drained, which is how the database describes it. Add food has a Create a recipe option: enter each ingredient in grams, set the servings, and the per-serving calories and macros are saved with it.

Quick answers

• What about mercury? Tuna varies in mercury. Health agencies publish guidance on how often to eat which kinds, so check it for your situation.
• Does the salad keep? Two days in the fridge, covered.
• Can I use canned chicken? Yes, with similar results.
• Where do the numbers come from? Each ingredient is a USDA FoodData Central entry, the same library the app searches.

More food hacks

• Healthy beef and broccoli: the takeout swap
• High-protein fruit smoothie: swap the juice for yogurt and milk
• Every post on the blog

Where One Fitness Hub helps

• Nutrition tracking logs calories, protein, carbs and fat by day and week, with barcodes and your own saved recipes.
• Recipe builder adds up a home-cooked dish by weight once, so you can log a serving in a tap.
• Protein and water calculator gives a daily protein estimate to aim at.

This post is general information, not medical or dietary advice. Calorie and macro figures are fitness estimates for adults 18 and over. Talk to a doctor or a dietitian before you change how you eat, especially if you have a health condition.

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