No, generally tuna's darker muscle tissue has slightly more mercury than its lighter muscle, but the biggest factor is the species and size: smaller, shorter-lived skipjack tuna (often labeled "chunk light") has much less mercury than larger albacore ("white tuna") or bigeye tuna, regardless of muscle color. So, choosing skipjack or light tuna over albacore is the best way to reduce mercury intake, not focusing on dark vs. white muscle within the same can.
If you're concerned about limiting the amount of mercury you consume, and if you've eaten no other fish during the week, Consumer Reports says up to 12 ounces a week of Bumble Bee Chunk Light, Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light, Safe Catch Wild Elite, and StarKist Chunk Light tunas are the safer choices among the products ...
Tuna's dark red meat is also rich in an organic compound called selenoneine, which appears to not only be effective in preventing lifestyle diseases, but also in reducing stress and slowing the aging process.
Buy skipjack and yellowfin tunas labeled pole-caught, pole-and-line, troll-caught, or FAD-free from the Atlantic or Pacific. Avoid all bluefin tuna, except if you confirm it's Pacific bluefin tuna from a yellow-rated source (scroll down for more information).
For tuna varieties, skipjack earns the Best Choice label from the FDA, while yellowfin and albacore receive the Good Choice label. The FDA suggests avoiding bigeye tuna, which has the highest levels of mercury. Before consuming canned tuna, it is best to consult with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
The healthiest canned fish are small, oily varieties like sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and herring (SMASH), packed with omega-3s, protein, vitamin D, calcium (especially with bones), and lower mercury, with anchovies and sardines often topping the list for overall nutrition and lower cost; salmon is also excellent but choose smaller species like canned sockeye or chum.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology have come up with a novel approach to packaging canned tuna infused in the water-based solution of amino acid cysteine. It was shown to remove up to 35 percent of the accumulated mercury in canned tuna, significantly reducing human exposure to mercury via food.
Choose fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury such as salmon, trout, tilapia, cod, sole, sardines, shrimp, oysters, and other shellfish. For the most health benefits, choose fatty fish such as salmon, trout, herring, chub mackerel, and sardines. o These fish have healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Tuna has 21.7 grams of protein per 3.0-ounce serving and is lower in mercury if you choose canned light tuna. Salmon provides 17.7 grams of protein per serving and is rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Snapper delivers 17.4 grams of protein per 3.0-ounce serving, as well as heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The choice comes down to personal preference: If you like a less “fishy” tuna experience, go for white tuna; if you want stronger flavor, light tuna is a better choice. Nutritionally, all three of these fish are pretty similar.
Some tuna cans that say do not drain because they don't add oil, water, fillers, preservatives, and GMO soy broth. Cans that say do not drain contain only tuna or sometimes salmon. They only have natural occurring fish oils and juices and those are rich in omega threes.
The fish-killing method also helps preserve the freshness and safety of the fish. When they are frozen with extreme temperatures up to -40°C, it causes their pathogenic cells (which makes it rot/goes bad) to explode and die. Aside from fish, Japanese people love eating raw eggs.
You would have to eat around 25 tins (at 95g a tin) of it a week before you hit the maximum tolerable intake of mercury. For pregnant people (or people trying to get pregnant), the limit would be around 12 tins (at 95g a tin) a week. It is unlikely many consumers will reach these limits.
The unhealthiest fish to eat are typically large, predatory species high in mercury like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and imported tilefish, plus bluefin tuna, which are dangerous for brain/nerve health, especially for pregnant women and children; also, farmed salmon and some imported tilapia/catfish raise concerns for contaminants and antibiotics, while orange roughy and Atlantic cod are often cited for high mercury and overfishing/sustainability issues.
Safe Catch Elite Tuna, simply the lowest mercury tuna of any brand.
Levels of contamination
The danger level from consuming fish depends on species and size. Size is the best predictor of increased levels of accumulated mercury. Sharks, such as the mako shark, have very high levels of mercury.
Initial signs and symptoms, such as fever, chills, shortness of breath, metallic taste, and pleuritic chest pain, may be confused with metal-fume fever, which is caused by cadmium exposure. Other possible symptoms include stomatitis, lethargy, confusion, and vomiting.
To limit mercury intake from tuna, here are the guidelines: Best choice: Eat 2 to 3 servings per week of canned light skipjack tuna. Good choice: Eat 1 serving per week of yellowfin tuna or white albacore tuna. Choice to avoid: Don't eat bigeye tuna.
Pre-cooked pasta in sauce is one of the unhealthiest canned foods. While they might be tasty meals, the reason they have that addictive flavour is due to high levels of sugar and salt. For example, a can of Heinz Alphaghetti contains 1,490 mg of sodium and 18 g of sugar.
Many fish have low mercury levels
Yes, sardines are generally considered healthier than tuna because they are significantly lower in mercury, higher in omega-3s (EPA/DHA), and packed with calcium, vitamin D, and B12, though tuna offers more protein per serving, making sardines the more nutrient-dense choice overall with fewer contaminants.
Which one should I choose?
No albacore tuna products tested by our lab would be considered “safe” for pregnant women and children. All 10 albacore products were above 46 ppb of mercury. 22% of skipjack tuna products tested by our lab would be considered “safe” for pregnant women and children.