Is A Tin Of Tuna Slimming World Friendly? Does It Have Syns?

If you're after a quick and easy lunch, a tin of tuna is your best friend, whether you make a tuna sweetcorn salad or top it on a jacket potato, it's a good source of protein and simple to prepare, but does have it syns on slimming world?

A tin of tuna is syn free in slimming world as long as it is only in brine or spring water, tuna with other mix-ins or kept in oil will have to be synned due to the added fat and calories inside.

To find out more about which kind of tuna is syn free, some syn values, low syn alternatives and a few SW tuna recipes, we've put together a guide with everything you need to know below.

Which Kind Of Tuna Is Syn Free?

As we mentioned above tinned tuna is syn free in the slimming world which means you technically eat as much of it as you want without tracking, this makes it an excellent source of protein or useful for a quick meal rather than cooking up chicken or another meat.

Only tinned tuna that is stored in brine or spring water is syn free, when stored in olive oil or sunflower oil, you will need to add up syns due to the extra calories, also be cautious of tinned tuna which has mix-ins like sun-dried tomatoes since these will also need to be synned.

Tinned Tuna Syn Values

To help you stay on track with your diet, we've listed some syn free brands of tinned tuna down below, as well as tinned options which have syns.

Syn Free Tinned Tuna

• Princes Tuna Chunks in Spring Water 160g - Syn free.
• Princes Tuna Chunks in Brine 160g - Syn free.
• John West No Drain Tuna Steak with a Little Spring Water 120g - Syn free.
• Aldi The Fishmonger Tinned Tuna Steaks in Spring Water 120g - Syn free.
• Essential Waitrose Tuna Steak in Spring Water 200g - Syn free.
• Sainsbury's Tuna Chunks in Brine 160g - Syn free.
• Sainsbury's Tuna Chunks in Spring Water 340g - Syn free.
• Asda Tuna Steak in Brine 200g - Syn free.

Synned Tinned Tuna

• Sainsbury's Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil 160g - 4.5 syns.
• Essential Waitrose Tuna Steak in Olive Oil 200g - 8 syns.
• Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Ventresca Tuna Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil 115g - 12 syns for the tin.
• John West Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil 3 x 80g - 5 syns.
• Princes Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil 185g - 10 syns for 100g.
• Asda Chosen by You Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil 185g - 8 syns for 100g.
• The Reel Fish Co Maldives Pole & Line Tuna Chunks in Sunflower Oil 185g - 9.5 syns.
• Vivatuna Tuna Steak in Sunflower Oil 200g - 6.5 syns for half.

Low Syn Alternatives To Tinned Tuna

If you are bored of tinned tuna and you are looking for another easy low syn/syn free tinned food to add to your lunches, we've got you covered with a few low syn alternatives below.

• John West Wild Pacific Pink Salmon 213g - Syn free.
• John West Skinless & Boneless Wild Pacific Red Salmon 105g - Syn free.
• John West Boneless Sardines in Tomato Sauce 95g - Syn free.
• John West Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil 95g - 7.5 syns.
• Sainsbury's Sardines in Spring Water 120g - Syn free.
• Princes Sardines in Rich Tomato Sauce 120g - Syn free.
• Tinned chickpeas - Syn free.
• Sainsbury's Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil with Garlic & Herbs 50g - 0.5 syns.
• Princes Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil 50g - 1.5 syns.
• Anchovies in brine/spring water - Syn free.

Slimming World Tinned Tuna Recipes

Now we know tinned tuna is mostly syn free on slimming world, you can create some great low syn recipes out of them too. We've listed three of our favourite tinned tuna recipes below for some cooking inspiration.

Slimming World Tuna Salad

This SW tuna fish salad is super easy to make for a quick lunch or meal prep and only has 2.5 syns a serving.

Ingredients

• A can of tuna in brine or spring water.
• Half a pepper and onion diced.
• One cup of canned sweetcorn.
• 150g of pasta.
• One tsp of mustard.
• A teaspoon of sweetener.
• Three spring onions chopped.
• 1.5 tablespoons of reduced-fat mayo.
• One cup of fat-free plain yoghurt.
• Seasoning.

Method

1. To start, cook your pasta then take a bowl and combine the tuna, sweetcorn, pepper and onion then season.
2. Next mix your sweetener, yoghurt, mustard and mayo, add the pasta and tuna mix then stir.
3. Serve with the spring onion.

SW Tuna Patties

For a quick lunch or easy dinner, these tuna patties are super easy to make, costing you only 3 syns a pattie.

Ingredients

• Two sweet potatoes.
• One onion chopped.
• One grated zucchini squeezed.
• One and a half cans of tuna.
• Seasoning.
• Three eggs.

Method

1. Take your sweet potatoes and give them a spin in the microwave for about ten minutes, remove and spoon out the inside in a bowl while your oven is heating to gas mark 7.
2. Next fry off your onion and courgette in some low cal cooking spray then add to the spooned mashed potato and combine. Mix in the tuna, eggs and some seasoning.
3. Bake for around 30 minutes in the oven till golden brown.

Three Syn Tuna Pasta Bake

For a weeknight family favourite, why not try a three syn pasta bake? This recipe serves 4 and leftovers can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Ingredients

• Large handful of spinach (can be frozen).
• 100g of frozen sweetcorn.
• One sliced leek.
• 70g of reduced-fat cheese.
• 350g of pasta.
• 225g of quark.
• 180g of fat free fromage frais.
• 400g of tinned tuna in brine or spring water.

Method

1. First of all, cook your pasta in boiling water till tender then heat your grill. When the pasta is 70% cooked add in the leeks, sweetcorn and spinach then cook for another couple of minutes. Drain.
2. Take your quark, fromage frais, half of the cheddar and some tuna then stir into the pasta, place into a dish, grate the rest of the cheese on top and allow it to crisp up under the grill.

Final Words

Overall, tinned tuna is syn free on the slimming world plan as long as the tuna is stored in brine or spring water. Tuna that is stored in oil will have syns due to the added fat and calorie content.

For some easy meals we suggest stocking up on tinned fish like salmon and tuna in brine, these can be great syn free sandwiches or roll fillers when mixed with quark and sweetcorn.