Is there any canned tuna without mercury?
Because of its lower mercury levels (no more than 0.1 parts per million in a can), Safe Catch's skipjack tuna (often referred to as "chunk light") will be the only product on the market, once available, to meet Consumer Reports' criteria for "low mercury," a standard pure enough for pregnant women and small children.
Which canned tuna has least mercury?
(The joint recommendations came with plenty of criticism and are still a hot-button issue.) Canned light tuna is the better, lower-mercury choice, according to the FDA and EPA. Canned white and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury, but still okay to eat.
Is all tuna tested for mercury?
EVERY FISH IS MERCURY TESTED – We are the only brand to test each and every tuna fish for mercury to a strict limit of 0.1 ppm. Our Elite Wild Tuna tests as pure as wild salmon, averaging just 0.04 ppm.
Is StarKist tuna low in mercury?
All StarKist Tuna is well below FDA's 1ppm. We follow a robust testing policy in all of our plants and can assure you that StarKist Tuna is safe to eat and falls well below FDA's stringent requirements.
Is chunk light tuna lower in mercury?
Chunk light tuna: “This is typically from yellowfin tuna or skipjack, meaning it's lower in calories and fat and therefore lower in omegas and lower in mercury,” Rissetto said.
Which brand of tuna is best?
Best Overall: Ortiz Bonito del Norte. ... Best Budget: Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna. ... Best No Draining: American Tuna No Salt Added Wild Albacore Tuna. ... Best Pouched: Sea Fare Pacific Wild Albacore Tuna. ... Best Oil-Packed in Jars: Tonnino Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil. ... Best Locally Sourced: CS Fishery Line-Caught Albacore.More items...•
Why is canned tuna not healthy?
The tuna sandwich is a lunchbox staple. But several species of tuna — like other large ocean fish — contain higher-than-average amounts of mercury, a highly toxic metal that can cause severe health effects.
How many cans of tuna can I eat a 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 four 3-ounce cans.
Aim for flavor and sustainability
Jennifer is an Oregon-based writer, food educator, and author specializing in food content. She is known for her lively talks and workshops on seafood, culinary history, and DIY skills, both on land and on board river cruises in the Pacific Northwest. Her first book, 25 Culinary Adventures on Oregon’s North Coast, is forthcoming in 2020.
Best Overall: Ortiz Bonito del Norte
Considered the Cadillac of tuna fish, Spain-based Ortiz's signature Bonito del Norte albacore garners rave reviews by tuna lovers. It's widely praised for being carefully arranged in modernistic oval cans in bright primary colors.
Best Budget: Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna
Widely available in grocery chains, this skipjack tuna 4 is a smaller species that often is the unnamed “chunk light tuna” in cheaper brands. Sustainable and delicious, its healthy population is good for the pocketbook, especially when you buy cans by the dozen online.
Best No Draining: American Tuna No Salt Added Wild Albacore Tuna
Albacore not only contains a healthy serving of protein, but it is also an excellent source of vitamin D, 7 several B vitamins, minerals, 8 and omega-3 fatty acids. 9 In fact, the American Diabetes Association includes albacore tuna in its list of "superfoods" (which it defines as "good for overall health and may also help prevent disease").
Best Pouched: Sea Fare Pacific Wild Albacore Tuna
Silver retort pouches are a great option for shelf-stable cooked fish since they take up less space and are lighter than cans or jars. Unopened pouches have a longer shelf-life, so they’re great in emergency kits and easier to carry on the road or in the backwoods than a can.
Best Oil-Packed in Jars: Tonnino Tuna Ventresca in Olive Oil
Tuna packed in oil, arranged attractively in little fingers standing upright in a glass jar, is a traditional European hand-packing technique to show off premium fish. Tonnino, based in Costa Rica, follows suit with its award-winning wild yellowfin.
Best Locally Sourced: CS Fishery Line-Caught Albacore
This line-caught albacore is landed by small-boat fishermen in Garibaldi, Oregon, one of several small canneries that process the catch in facilities along the Oregon coast. CS Fishery (the CS stands for “community-supported”) aims to utilize its fleet to support the local economy and ensure only the freshest albacore end up in the canner.
Fish Q & A
Q: What’s gained by eating fish? A: Fish are rich in protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The omega-3s might also elevate mood and help prevent certain cancers, cognitive decline, and certain eye diseases.
Lower-mercury choices in seafood
Federal agencies advise children and women of childbearing age to avoid four high-mercury fish: king mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tilefish.
How much tuna is safe?
The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency say that women of childbearing age and young children may eat up to 12 ounces a week of light tuna or other “low in mercury” seafood, including, within that limit, up to 6 ounces per week of white tuna.
Where does mercury come from?
Mercury comes from both natural sources — like volcanoes — as well as man-made sources like air pollution from power plants and other industrial sources that burn fossil fuels. Once it enters the atmosphere, mercury rains down on rivers, lakes and oceans, where it then enters the food web.
Keep an eye on lunch served at school
A study by the Mercury Policy Project found a wide range of mercury levels in both light and white tuna from government-sponsored school lunch programs. Some of the canned albacore/white tuna tested had mercury levels almost four times the average level reported by the Food and Drug Administration.
Light tuna vs. white tuna
Albacore is America's favorite tuna, and it's the only species of fish that can be labeled as "white". Its meat is lighter in color and less flavorful than "light" tuna, which typically comes from skipjack and yellowfin. The "light" tuna meat is slightly darker and more pink, and is considered more flavorful.
Oil packed vs. water packed
Some brands carry both oil- and water-packed tuna, and sometimes just tuna and salt. It's really up to you to decide your preference. From a nutrition perspective, beware of tuna packed in soybean oil. If you're going to go for oil-packed tuna, olive oil packs more nutrients and is a better option.
What about mercury?
You should always be aware of mercury in seafood, especially if you're pregnant. Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. Mercury is a natural element in the environment but because of human activity, it ends up in our waterways.
How is the tuna caught?
The method of catching tuna is a big deal in the sustainability field. Pole and line fishing and trolling are two highly rated methods that make sure other species don't get caught in the mix. Poll and line means exactly what you think fishing means: one person with a pole. Trolling uses a boat with a few poles.
How to pick the best canned tuna
Tuna is an inexpensive protein that's shelf stable. It's a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA, which are important for heart, brain, and eye health. Albacore and bluefin tuna have the highest levels of omega-3s followed by skipjack and yellowfin. Here are some things to look out for when picking up canned tuna:
The healthiest canned tuna you can buy
You get what you see—and more! Rated as best sustainable option by Greenpeace, Wild Planet has a robust sustainability policy. Every product is poll and line or troll caught, meaning there is less unintentional negative impact on other marine life. Wild Planet also submits their products to third party mercury testing.
The worst canned tuna you can buy
Bumble Bee calls their products 'preferred by customers when compared to Starkist' and a variety of other brands. But can we talk about tuna in soybean oil? While the ingredients are simple, there's no need for adding soybean oil to tuna alongside vegetable broth and sea salt.
Light vs White Tuna: Which One Should You Choose?
Traditionally, the two types of tuna sold in cans are been labeled as “white” and “light.” The main difference between the two is that light tuna usually has a pink color, while white tuna has a more pale, yellowish color.
What About Packaging: Oil or Water?
If you’re going to go for oil-packed tuna, olive oil packs more nutrients and is a better option. On the other hand, if you’re watching fat intake, oil-packed will be higher in calories than water-packed (but it’ll also taste, less dry).
Is The Way The Fish Is Caught Important?
Yes, the method of catching fish matters tremendously in terms of sustainability. Pole and line fishing, and trolling are two highly-rated methods that make sure other species don’t get caught in the mix.
What Safety Measures To Take When Buying Canned Tuna?
The first safety measure to look for on the can is if it is BPA-free. This will help you to ensure that there are not any harmful chemicals in the can and that the metal won’t leach into the contents of the can.
What Mercury Levels Are safe?
Mercury is often found in high levels in many fish including tuna. According to the EPA, it’s safe to consume up to 2-3 cans of light tuna per week without getting too much mercury. But it’s best to completely avoid seafood during pregnancy.
Turning Away From Tuna
As an undergraduate working towards a B.S. in chemistry, I spent 2 years working in a lab doing organic synthesis. The combination of being in college and working in a lab meant that both money and time were tight. So like many powerbuilders before me, I turned to canned tuna and MRP's to provide the bulk of my protein intake.
Heavy Metal
Before we dive into the mercury/tuna debate, a little background on mercury is necessary. Mercury, like zinc, iron, and Lead, is a heavy metal. But unlike zinc and iron, lead and mercury have no useful function in the human body.
Where Does It Go?
When you ingest mercury (via your daily can of tuna) it gets readily absorbed by the small intestine and shipped to the liver where it forms a complex with glutathione.
Mercury Messes With Your Mind
Remember how I said I had been eating 3 cans of tuna a day with no problems? Well... looking back on that summer a couple strange things did happen - like my training partner refusing to workout with me only 3 weeks into our training cycle.
Let's Talk Tuna
Now that we've laid the foundation for understanding mercury (and methylmercury) let's look at its relationship to tuna and tuna consumption.
Preventing Mercury Toxicity
Even with the science in our favor I think it is important to look at some ways that we can help our bodies deal with chronic consumption of mercury.
This Should Be Followed By Heavy Tuna Eaters
As stated at the beginning of the article the kidneys can do a good job of removing toxic mercury from the body and storing it in a safer form. The key is not to overwhelm your system. Don't decide one day that you are going to add tuna to your diet and start eating 1-2 cans a day.