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.
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.
Skipjack are the smallest of the major tuna species, while yellowfin are larger. So, the fact the canned tuna in Australian cupboards is likely to contain smaller species is already a bonus when it comes to reducing mercury risk.
"While canned tuna, especially light varieties, has relatively low average levels of mercury, individual cans can sometimes have much higher levels," Consumer Reports said.
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).
Yellowfin and albacore tuna land somewhere in between, containing around 30 micrograms of mercury per 3 ounces. Given these mercury concentrations, people may safely consume three to four servings of low-mercury tuna per week. Higher mercury tuna should be restricted to one serving per week.
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.
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. 3.
Pick your tuna. *An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of light tuna contains 18.11 micrograms of mercury. *An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of albacore tuna contains 49.53 micrograms of mercury. *An average 5-ounce serving of tuna steak or tuna sushi could contain up to 97.49 micrograms.
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.
It's generally safe for all population groups, including pregnant women, to consume 2-3 serves of any type of tuna or salmon a week, canned or fresh. Canned tuna usually has lower mercury levels than other tuna because tuna used for canning are smaller species that are caught when less than 1 year old.
Sirena Tuna is made with only the highest quality ingredients, including our premium oil blends and high specification tuna. Our commitment to sustainability is paramount to our business: 100% of our tuna is pole and line caught.
Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna, has more mercury than canned light tuna.
Sardines
Sardines provide 2 grams of heart-healthy omega-3s per 3 ounce serving, which is one of the highest levels of omega-3 and the lowest levels of mercury of any fish.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, salmon's average mercury concentration is 0.022 parts per million (ppm). Tuna has a higher average concentration of 0.144 ppm. Health experts recommend eating about 8 ounces of seafood 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.
Cooking does not remove mercury from fish because the metal is bound to the meat. For example, a piece of tuna will have the same amount of mercury whether it is eaten raw as sushi or cooked on the grill.
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.
Salmon is low in mercury.
Farmed salmon has on average, 0.05 micrograms of mercury per gram. This is well below the levels deemed safe for women and children by the FDA and EPA, which inform the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
Sardines are a type of small, oily fish that live all over the world in the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. They are a member of the herring family. They are a low-mercury fish, making them safe to eat during pregnancy and lactation (nursing).
Sirena. 100% pole-and-line, but uses yellowfin and tonggol tuna, and has poor labelling that doesn't specify the species.