Short answer
Pregnant women and children should stick to smaller servings of tuna to avoid mercury. Otherwise, tuna is a healthy (though overfished) source of protein.
Recommended Alternative
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Chief among worries about tuna is mercury. Mercury that's attached to a circle of atoms called a methyl group becomes methylmercury. It sticks around in your body. Accumulate to much or pass it to a fetus during pregnancy and it can do damage to the nervous system.
Methylmercury accumulates in the flesh of ocean predators like tuna. Albacore tuna has quite a bit - the FDA recommends no more than a six-ounce serving a week for pregnant women or children. Canned tuna does not generally include albacore and has less. Children and pregnant women are safe to eat twice as much - 12 ounces a week.
There are health benefits to eating tuna as well. It's rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are better for you than saturated fat. It's also got the vaunted omega-3 fatty acids. They work together with omega-6 fatty acids in somewhat mysterious ways; the right combination, or the right absolute amounts of both, seems to improve heart health and lower risk of disease. The science on the right way to consume omega-3 is still developing. Consuming moderate amounts, however, appears to be good for the heart.
Tuna also has vitamins that we need. One serving contains most of the niacin (vitamin B) that we need in a day. It's used all through the body and is regarded as an essential nutrient. Tuna is also rich in vitamin B12, which the body needs for your blood, your brain, and your DNA.
One serious problem with tuna is our hunger for it. Overfishing has wreaked havoc on tuna populations around the world. A 2013 article in the Guardian reported that the bluefin tuna population in the Pacific had dropped a terrifying 94%. One bluefin sold in Japan for well over a million dollars.
If the trend continues, bluefin will go extinct in the Pacific - the ocean that supplies two-thirds of the world's tuna. Bluefin is one species, and they make up a fraction of the overall tuna population. Eating tuna, however, contributes to pressure on that overall population and will shrink it further until further checks are introduced.
Possible long-term side effects
- methylated mercury can do damage to the nervous system
Ingredients to be aware of
Benefits
- great source of protein
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great source of healthy fats
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promotes heart health
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promotes weight loss
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decreases risk of various diseases
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
Wild Planet Albacore Tuna
- No added salt
- Sustainably wild-caught
- Non-GMO
- Kosher certified
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