How Much Tuna Is Safe To Eat?
Your question:
I heard that albacore tuna is high in mercury and should be avoided. Isn't this fish good for us?
The expert answers:
Albacore (white) tuna is low in saturated fat and a good source
of omega-3 fat that seems to help protect against cancer and heart
disease.
Albacore tuna is not as high in mercury as shark and
swordfish, but tests rank it as "medium" in content, along with
haddock, halibut, grouper and several other fish. Too much mercury
in food does pose health risks, especially to the nervous system of
babies. Therefore, to control exposure to mercury, Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) officials recommend that women who are
pregnant, breastfeeding, or who might become pregnant limit albacore
tuna to one serving a week.
These women should restrict their total
consumption of all fish and shellfish each week to 12 ounces. Other
adults may prefer to do the same because a few studies suggest a
link between excess mercury in the diet and heart risks.
But for
everyone except these women, current official recommendations
consider slightly more white tuna and more total seafood each week
safe. It should be noted that canned light tuna is lower in mercury
than regular tuna, but it is an unreliable source of omega-3 fat. In
sum, although foods clearly labeled good or bad may comfort us all,
albacore tuna is an example of how a food can be healthful, even
though it's not advisable to eat it daily. 