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Is Canned Tuna Healthy? The Expert’s Answers In 2024
Updated on
- Written by Emma Garofalo, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Is canned tuna healthy? How much tuna is too much? We’ve got answers. Read on for everything you need to know when considering one of the world’s most-loved convenience foods.
Is Canned Tuna Good For You?
Yes, canned tuna can be good for you when consumed in moderation. It’s a convenient source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and brain function. However, some concerns arise regarding mercury content in certain types of tuna, particularly larger species like albacore. To mitigate risks, it’s advisable to eat canned tuna in moderation and opt for varieties lower in mercury, such as skipjack or chunk light. Balancing consumption with other protein sources and considering mercury levels ensures that canned tuna remains a healthy component of the diet.
How Much Tuna Should You Eat Per Week?
If you’re following a standard 2,000-calorie diet approved by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, anywhere from eight to twelve ounces of canned tuna a week will be more than enough to supply your body with the omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins like Vitamin D, and minerals like iron that it needs to function adequately when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
This weekly recommended intake allows you to indulge in all the health benefits of canned tuna with a greatly-reduced risk of heavy metal exposure—more on this in a moment. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s explore some of the positive aspects of several servings per week of canned tuna.
Eating Canned Tuna: Nutrition Facts
As mentioned previously, canned tuna is an excellent source of protein. Your average 100-gram portion of light canned tuna packed in water contains approximately 116 calories[1]. One hundred grams of oil-packed canned tuna contains around 205 calories. Both are approved by licensed nutritionists to keep you full and satisfied throughout your afternoon.
Skipjack or light tuna packed in oil is considered to be the best type to choose, regardless of brand. It contains all of the following vital nutrients[2]:
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- Iron
- Iodine
- Choline
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Selenium
Aside from these micronutrients, canned tuna steaks in any form also provide the body with plenty of lean protein and healthy fat, as well. Many light tuna varieties are minimally-processed, low in saturated fat, and pretty easy to incorporate into any balanced, fish-inclusive diet. Canned tuna is the perfect centerpiece ingredient for a wide variety of nutritious meals when supplemented with the nutritional benefits of other healthy foods.
Risks Of Eating Too Much Canned Tuna: Mercury Consumption
Canned light tuna is not without its risks, mercury concerns being among the most frequently studied. The Environmental Protection Agency has released this guide on tuna fish toxicity; it’s one great introduction to the danger of mercury exposure from fish.
Like many types of seafood, tuna contains mercury[3], which may be dangerous for a developing child’s nervous system and for pregnant and breastfeeding women. If you’re in either situation, the mercury content of your food should always be top-of-mind.
Canned white Albacore tuna, in particular, has been shown to contain significantly more mercury[4] than canned light skipjack tuna; 25% of the cans tested exceeded 0.5 mercurial parts per million.
Exposure to methylmercury causes oxidative stress in the body[5], which may result in dysfunction of the nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and several forms of heart disease. It may also negatively influence the developing neurological architecture of a fetus, impairing motor function and cognitive performance later on in life.
The FDA has published this handy chart[6] that can help you and your family consume tuna safely, in portions that won’t put any of you in danger. It recommends that high-risk individuals consume no more than two to three 4-ounce servings from what it considers its list of the “best choices” in low-mercury fish—tuna, of course, is on the list of choices to avoid. Children are advised to eat no more than two servings per week in portions appropriate for their age. Only canned light tuna (including skipjack) is on the best choices list.
Other risks associated with canned tuna involve certain types of packaging. Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is one industrial chemical that may contaminate your tuna[7]. Exposure to BPA may result[8] in one of many hormonal issues, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as several forms of cancer. Cans that contain BPA are considered to be hazardous. Find a label that says “BPA free” on a can.
Environmental Risks Of Canned Tuna
Tuna overfishing poses a serious risk to our environment, including to the natural tuna populations that many nations rely on both as a source of sustenance and as a source of income.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) goes so far as to say that there is no such thing as sustainable tuna fish, only sustainable “stock,” an industry term that refers to one group or population of tuna in particular. Much of the distinction comes by way of how rare the species of tuna in question is —skipjack and other common tuna varieties are much more abundant than other, rarer types of tuna, such as Japanese Bluefin tuna, often called the Kobe beef of tuna fish.
To help you out at the grocery store, you can check your preferred brand of canned tuna for a logo indicating that the brand and its sources are MSC-certified. You can also shop for fresh tuna or frozen tuna in the same way.
While plenty of authorities is dedicated to enforcing global tuna fishing quotas and limitations, black market fishing boats continue to operate as we write these words.
Healthy Tuna Recipes
If you’ve got a can of tuna in your kitchen, you’ve got a meal. The perfect healthy tuna recipe will depend greatly on the time you have to cook and the type of food you like to eat.
A few fun canned tuna recipe ideas the next time you’re short on inspiration:
- Tuna patties are easy to make in advance and freeze as a part of your meal-prep routine
- Canned tuna fish meatballs in a hearty vegetable broth is one way to elevate a can of tuna to gourmet status
- Tuna salad takes minutes to whip up on a moment’s notice; subbing in Greek yogurt for mayo is one way to keep this option light on its feet
- Subbing the anchovies for canned tuna is one way to shake up pasta puttanesca
- For some Asian-inspired fare, you can make spicy tuna onigiri rice balls with nori seaweed, sriracha, and sesame seeds
- Tuna noodle casserole is one highly-customizable weeknight dinner that takes little time or effort in a pinch
- Tuna on crackers is one classic that we’ll never deny the beauty of
No matter how you prefer to spin it, canned tuna is just as versatile as fresh fish. It’s one pantry staple we keep on hand at all times, just in case.
Final Verdict
Despite the controversy, tuna in a can stands strong as one of our favorite sources of healthy, shelf-stable protein. When eaten in the appropriate portions, it’s one of the most well-rounded options you’ll find outside of your local grocer’s fresh fish department when eaten in the appropriate portions. If you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding, we cannot recommend it enough.
+ 8 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Usda.gov. (2022). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171986/nutrients
- ADVICE ABOUT EATING FISH. (n.d.). [online] Available at: https://www.fda.gov/media/102331/download.
- Center (2022). Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012). [online] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/metals-and-your-food/mercury-levels-commercial-fish-and-shellfish-1990-2012
- Burger, J. and Gochfeld, M. (2004). Mercury in canned tuna: white versus light and temporal variation. Environmental Research, [online] 96(3), pp.239–249. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15364590/
- Fernandes Azevedo, B., Barros Furieri, L., Peçanha, F.M., Wiggers, G.A., Frizera Vassallo, P., Ronacher Simões, M., Fiorim, J., Rossi de Batista, P., Fioresi, M., Rossoni, L., Stefanon, I., Alonso, M.J., Salaices, M. and Valentim Vassallo, D. (2012). Toxic Effects of Mercury on the Cardiovascular and Central Nervous Systems. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, [online] 2012, pp.1–11. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3395437/
- Center (2022). Advice About Eating Fish. [online] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
- Al Ghoul, L., Abiad, M.G., Jammoul, A., Matta, J. and El Darra, N. (2020). Zinc, aluminium, tin and Bis-phenol a in canned tuna fish commercialized in Lebanon and its human health risk assessment. Heliyon, [online] 6(9), p.e04995. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7511825/
- Konieczna A;Rutkowska A;Rachoń D (2015). Health risk of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA). Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny, [online] 66(1). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25813067/
Written by:
Emma Garofalo, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
