The Maximum Amount Of Tuna You Can Safely Eat Each Week - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

How much canned tuna is safe to eat per week? ›

Yes. 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.

Although mercury is a toxic chemical, it's usually not present in tuna in large enough quantities to cause serious issues. Canned tuna's health benefits seem to outweigh any small negative effect of its mercury concentration. In general, eating canned tuna once or twice a week is safe.

Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6-12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat this kind of tuna up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).

Canned light tuna is listed among "best choices," which means two to three 4-ounce servings per week are safe to eat during pregnancy, according to the agency.

Two cans a week would be much better. There is no limit to the amount of tuna you can eat per week. The FDA has set a limit of 12 ounces per week for canned tuna, but this is the only limit the FDA has set. Tuna is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, so it's a great way to get both nutrients at once.

Like most foods, it's okay to eat tuna in moderation. “According to the FDA, the average adult can safely eat about six to nine ounces of tuna per week,” says Dr. O'Neill. “That typically works out to one to two cans, depending on the size.”

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 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 ...

When you eat fish containing mercury, you can also take in the mercury. The metal builds up in your bloodstream over time. It slowly leaves the body through urine, stool, and breast milk. For most people, eating a small amount of fish high in mercury isn't a health concern.

Canned tuna is healthy: all types of tuna are high in protein and feature omega-3 fatty acids, yet lower in saturated fat and calories. However, albacore does have slightly more fat and calories than light tuna such as skipjack or yellowfin—which means it has more omega-3 fatty acids.

What is the safest canned fish to eat? ›

The most healthful choices on this list that are available canned include anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, clams, crab, oysters, sardines, shrimp, and trout. Canned seafood brands offer varying levels of testing to ensure lower mercury levels.

All but one of the light tunas in our tests had levels low enough that CR's experts think that, assuming no other fish is consumed, adults who are not pregnant could eat three 4-ounce servings a week, and children could eat two 1- to 4-ounce servings (depending on age).

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.

SubwayTunaFacts.com proclaims up top that "Subway tuna is real tuna." The chain continues, "That's right. The truth is, Subway uses wild-caught skipjack tuna regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A favorite among sub lovers, our tuna is and has always been high-quality, premium, and 100 percent real."

The FDA and EPA have issued guidance for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and young children, and encourage them to eat 8–12 oz. of seafood a week for heart and brain benefits for moms and babies. For albacore tuna, the FDA recommends eating up to 4 oz. a week.

As you can see, chicken is higher in calories, protein and fat (which includes saturated fat) than a can of tuna calories, but they're still pretty comparable. The real differences lie in the rest of their nutrients.

Fish that contain high levels of mercury include shark, ray, swordfish, barramundi, gemfish, orange roughy, ling and southern bluefin tuna.