Is It Healthy To Eat Canned Tuna Every Day? A Dietitian Weighs In

Canned tuna feels like a cheat code for high-protein meals. It’s affordable, easy to transport and packed with filling, healthy nutrients. But is tuna healthy enough to eat every single day? As healthy as this food is, there are some important concerns to keep in mind if you want to eat canned tuna that frequently, dietitians say.“Tuna is an excellent source of high-quality protein, and it provides nutrients including vitamin B12, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids,” explains Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor. And canned tuna is an especially “affordable and accessible way to eat more seafood,” she adds.But tuna, particularly some varieties of canned tuna, can be higher in mercury than other types of fish. And certain products may also come with flavorings that add large amounts of sodium.That doesn’t mean you need to avoid canned tuna, Rizzo says, but there are some factors to consider if you want to eat it frequently.Is It Healthy To Eat Canned Tuna Every Day?There are a lot of great reasons to incorporate canned tuna into your diet.For starters, it’s an incredibly efficient source of protein, packing about 22 grams in a 3-ounce serving, TODAY.com explained previously. In tuna, you’ll also find healthy omega-3 fatty acids, including the type of brain-healthy fats that are unique to marine food sources, including fish.Additionally, the American Heart Society recommends getting at least two servings of fish every week, a quota many people in the U.S. do not meet. Canned tuna is an easy, affordable way to help meet that goal.But if you love canned tuna enough to eat it every single day, know that there are some health concerns with consuming it that frequently, Rizzo says.“The biggest concern with eating tuna frequently is mercury, and the amount varies substantially depending on the species,” she says.Canned light tuna tends to be lower in mercury, while albacore or white tuna is a larger fish and contains significantly more mercury, Rizzo notes. Yellowfin tuna also has more mercury than light tuna, and bigeye tuna is among the highest-mercury fish.Typically, canned tuna labeled as “light” is primarily skipjack tuna, which dietitians previously told TODAY.com is the healthiest variety of canned tuna. Other canned tuna varieties can still be part of a healthy diet, but should be eaten less frequently than skipjack.If You Want To Eat Tuna Frequently…The Food and Drug Administration recommends that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as children age 11 and under, limit the amount of fish they eat. Generally, the FDA’s advice is to eat no more than two to three 4-ounce servings of fish per week for adults and no more than two servings per week for children, with smaller serving sizes for younger kids.For other adults who want to eat more than three servings of fish per week, the FDA recommends eating a variety of fish from the agency’s list of best choices (which includes skipjack tuna).“The amount of mercury in the fish matters most for pregnant people and children,” Rizzo notes. “If you’re eating tuna (a lot), then you should choose lower mercury options. However, if you have it once or twice a week, choose the variety that you enjoy most.”Choose a Lower-Mercury Type of TunaThe amount of mercury in canned tuna can vary widely depending on the type of fish. If you want to eat tuna frequently, opt for canned light tuna, including skipjack, which the FDA lists as one of the best choices for fish.Opt for Tuna Packed With Ingredients That Are Right for YouCanned tuna can be packed with all sorts of ingredients. When it comes to oil versus water, know that tuna packed in oil has a richer flavor and comes with more calories and fat. Meanwhile, tuna packed with water tends to be lower in calories and has the plainest flavor and texture. “I’m a big fan of tuna packed in (extra virgin olive oil) because it really doesn’t need anything else added to it to taste great,” registered dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth told TODAY.com previously. But if calories are your primary concern, tuna packed in water may be a better choice.However, Rizzo recommends avoiding tuna packed with added salt or other flavorings. Instead, add your own additional herbs, spices and ingredients to make a more complete, nutritious meal. For instance, try making tuna salad with plain Greek yogurt for an additional protein boost.Vary Your Seafood ChoicesThere’s nothing wrong with eating fish frequently. In fact, it’s a healthy, nutritious choice that boosts brain health. But if you want to eat fish more than three times per week, try to vary the types of low-mercury seafood you’re incorporating in your meals to get a variety of nutrients.“For the general adult population, I recommend eating a variety of fish, rather than eating tuna seven days a week,” Rizzo says. “Rotate tuna with lower-mercury seafood, such as salmon, sardines, shrimp and trout, as well as plant proteins.”