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.
How Often Should You Eat Tuna? Tuna is incredibly nutritious and packed with protein, healthy fats and vitamins — but it should not be consumed every day. The FDA recommends that adults eat 3–5 ounces (85–140 grams) of fish 2–3 times a week to get enough omega-3 fatty acids and other beneficial nutrients ( 10 ).
People should limit their intake of canned tuna made from albacore to one 4-ounce (113-gram) serving per week. This is because it is higher in mercury ( 19 ). Instead, try eating low mercury fish like light and skipjack tuna.
Despite the data presented in this new report, the FDA says it stands by its recommendations of a maximum of 12 ounces a week of canned light tuna and 6 ounces of albacore. Six ounces is the equivalent of an average can of tuna.
Canned tuna contains mercury, so eating too much of it can lead to mercury poisoning.
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).
Is canned tuna safe to eat regularly? Yes. 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).
But methylmercury is a powerful neurotoxin, so eating too much fish may result in mercury poisoning. Symptoms include itching or a pins-and-needles feeling in the toes and fingertips, muscle weakness, coordination, speech and hearing impairment, and reduced peripheral vision.
You could get mercury poisoning if you eat too much.
According to Livestrong, "light tuna" can be eaten by adults once a week without a problem. So stick with the idea of eating everything in moderation, and you should be able to avoid mercury poisoning and eating too much canned tuna.
The science shows that there is no reason bodybuilders should cut tuna out of their diets due to the current mercury scare. One can of chunk lite a day is a reasonable and safe intake for a 200lbs man without the risks of any health problems.
This inexpensive protein source is a convenient way to increase the protein in meals and snacks, but it isn't a muscle-building miracle food and shouldn't be your only protein source. Just adding tuna to your diet won't increase muscle mass; you'll need to do strength building exercises as well.
Tuna is low in calories and carbs and rich in protein, which promotes rapid weight loss. But unfortunately, consuming tuna alone will cause nutrient deficiency. In addition, fresh tuna is the best for weight loss, but canned tuna packed in oil has more calories and unhealthy fats, leading to weight gain.
Tuna is one of the most popular choices amongst bodybuilders and fitness models who have very lean bodies with minimum fat including visceral fat. Tuna is an excellent choice for people trying to lose visceral fat as it is a lean source of high-quality protein.
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.
hearing and speech difficulties. lack of coordination. muscle weakness. nerve loss in hands and face.
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.
Light tuna, on the other hand, can be eaten a bit more frivolously—the organization suggests no more than 13 ounces per week, or just under three cans.
All Australians can have 2–3 servings of tuna per week. Even though tuna is a large fish (and therefore more likely to be high in mercury), Food Standards Australia New Zealand says that smaller, younger tuna fish are used in canned tuna and have lower levels of methylmercury.
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. Bigeye tuna should be avoided completely, but that species isn't used for canned tuna anyway.
Broiled or Grilled
Grilling or broiling a fresh tuna steak is not only one of the healthiest ways to eat tuna, but one of the tastiest. This method of cooking enhances the full, rich fish flavors.
While they're both highly nutritious, salmon comes out ahead due to its healthy omega-3 fats and vitamin D. Meanwhile, tuna is the winner if you're instead looking for more protein and fewer calories per serving.
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.
Tuna is a great way to get the protein you need when building muscle. However, it is also important to get enough fat when building muscle. A jar or can of tuna in oil might be a better choice than light tuna in these cases. Tuna is also a great way to get protein while eating less meat.
From a nutrition standpoint, water-packed tuna provides you with pure protein and a more subtle tuna flavor. Oil-packed tuna, on the other hand, has a softer texture and stronger tuna flavor. Both water-packed and oil-packed are excellent sources of protein and can be found from sustainable, non-GMO brands.