In general, it is safe for all population groups, including pregnant women, to consume 2-3 serves of any type of tuna per week (canned or fresh).
Canned light tuna is in the “Best Choices” category and it is fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week. We recommend that you eat a variety of fish. You may wish to try other affordable fish in the “Best Choices” category such as canned salmon or sardines, frozen fish, or fresh fish that are at a reduced price.
Canned light, the safer choice (0.12 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to three 3-ounce portions per month. Older children and adults can safely eat it once a week.
But how many tins a week? Lab tests we did for the ABC TV science program Catalyst in 2015 suggest — depending on your body weight and the exact brand of tuna you buy — you could eat anywhere between 25 and 35 small tins (95g each) of tuna a week before you hit maximum mercury limits.
Canned light tuna is low in mercury and is considered one of the best choices for individuals that need to limit their exposure to mercury. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding can consume 2–3 servings of canned light tuna per week and children can consume 2 servings per week.
Tuna: if you are trying for a baby or are pregnant, you should have no more than 4 cans of tuna a week or no more than 2 tuna steaks a week. This is because tuna contains higher levels of mercury than other fish. If you are breastfeeding, there is no limit on how much tuna you can eat.
In general, it is safe for all population groups, including pregnant women, to consume 2-3 serves of any type of tuna per week (canned or fresh). Canned tuna generally has lower levels of mercury than other tuna because the tuna used for canning are smaller species that are generally caught when less than 1 year old.
Those aged 4-7 can safely have four ounces, children 8-10 can have six ounces, and those 11 and up can have up to eight ounces. Pregnant people (or those that may become pregnant) and anyone breastfeeding can safely consume two to three servings of canned light tuna per week.
Canned light tuna contains the least amount of mercury, and the FDA suggests limiting yourself to no more than 12 ounces a week, or no more than three 5-ounce cans.
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.
The FDA recommends consuming fish lower in mercury. 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.
If you're a 180-pound guy eating light tuna, you could safely eat 9.5 five-ounce cans according to the CDC, or 3.2 five-ounce cans according to the EPA.
Most of the metallic mercury absorbed into the body eventually leaves in the urine and feces, while smaller amounts leave the body in the exhaled breath.
The FDA and EPA recommend no more than about 2 cans per week of chunk light tuna, or 1 of the albacore. (The larger and longer-lived the predator, the more mercury it accumulates.) There is no safe or easy way to reduce the effects of the mercury in your system.
"All fish have some level of mercury, but that level varies widely; canned tuna has relatively high levels of mercury so its consumption could potentially become harmful above three or so servings a week," says Andrea Paul, MD, medical advisor to Illuminate Labs.
The benefits of eating canned tuna every day outweigh the risks. Because canned tuna provides omega-3 fatty acids and is a lean source of protein, there's no harm in adding it to your daily diet. "Mercury levels are very low, and canned tuna is the most economical and accessible way to consume omega-3s," Miller says.
Inorganic mercury can damage kidneys and cause blood loss. Organic mercury can damage your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Large amounts of mercury or long-term exposure can lead to death if not treated.
However, other sources say that you would need to eat at least three cans of tuna a day for 6 months to risk mercury toxicity. The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping the consumption of albacore (white) tuna to under 4 ounces per week and skipjack (light) tuna to under 12 ounces per week.
Yes. It is safe for everyone (including pregnant women) to consume canned tuna as part of their fish intake. Canned tuna generally has lower levels of mercury than tuna fillets because smaller tuna species are used and the tuna are generally younger when caught.
Commercially sold fish that may contain high levels of mercury include shark (flake), ray, swordfish, barramundi, gemfish, orange roughy, ling and southern bluefin tuna. In freshwater environments containing mercury, some species of fish may contain high levels of mercury.
The average person can safely eat up to 12 ounces of light tuna—or up to five ounces of albacore tuna—a week, Gans says. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, though, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends consuming between eight and 12 ounces of a “variety of seafood” per week.
Is canned tuna fish good for you? Yes, canned tuna is a healthful food rich in protein and contains many vitamins and minerals such as B-Complex vitamins, Vitamins A and D as well as iron, selenium and phosphorus. Tuna also contains healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Summary. Fish that contain high levels of mercury include shark, ray, swordfish, barramundi, gemfish, orange roughy, ling and southern bluefin tuna. Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and food.