So Much Tuna, Which One to Choose?
7:10 AM
You may not see mercury in fish as much of a concern for you, but the reality is it's there and too much isn't good for our bodies. Avoiding fish isn't the answer because fish like tuna and salmon are easy and convenient sources of omega-3's, those healthy fats we want to get more of in our diets.
Here
are a few guidelines to help you find you way amongst the myriad choices in the
seafood aisle.
- Opt for chunk light tuna over other varieties. It has the lowest levels of mercury, as much as six times less than albacore. Be sure not to confuse chunk light with chunk white, the latter being much higher in mercury.
- Limit albacore and white tuna. Depending on age and gender, the mercury levels in even a single serving can exceed recommendations.
- Look for pole caught albacore tuna, available in organic and specialty markets. These are smaller fish with significantly less toxic build up than conventional albacore. It’s a little pricier, but if you like the taste of albacore, is a better option than the standard variety. It’s also a more environmentally friendly choice.
- Consider using wild sockeye salmon in place of tuna. It has plenty of protein and omega-3s, without the same concerns about mercury.
- Use the Environmental Working Group’s Tuna Calculator to determine what is a safe intake for you and your family or check out this guide put out by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
- Choose canned fish packed in water, not oil.
- Canned salmon with bones is ideal. In our experience it isn't super common in neighborhood grocery stores. But if you happen across it, the bones are softened so you'll hardly notice and you'll get more calcium than you would from the boneless varieties.
 |
| A canned salmon variety with skin and bones |
Sources: Consumer
Reports, Natural Resources Defense Fund, Environmental Working Group, Center
for Science in the Public Interest
Related: "Cracking the Coconut Trend"
0 comments