Is Canned Tuna Safe to Eat Weekly?

The Short Answer

Yes, you can eat canned tuna weekly, but you have to choose the right species. If you are eating conventional albacore (white) tuna, you should limit yourself to just one can per week.

If you want to eat tuna two to three times a week, you must switch to skipjack (chunk light) tuna. Skipjack is a smaller fish that accumulates significantly less mercury over its lifespan, making it much safer for regular consumption.

To completely remove the guesswork, buy brands that test their fish. Certain premium companies have proprietary technology to test every single fish for heavy metals, allowing you to eat tuna frequently without the anxiety.

Why This Matters

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates, meaning it builds up in your body over time. Because large predatory fish like tuna eat smaller fish, they concentrate massive amounts of mercury in their muscle tissue. If you eat high-mercury fish too often, you can suffer from fatigue, memory issues, and numbness in your extremities.

The average can of albacore tuna contains 0.35 parts per million (ppm) of mercury. While this is below the FDA's absolute danger limit of 1.0 ppm, eating multiple cans a week easily pushes your total mercury exposure past safe neurological thresholds. For a deep dive into which species to avoid entirely, read our guide on What Fish Has The Most Mercury.

Beyond the fish itself, the can you buy matters just as much. A 2024 independent Swiss study found alarming levels of bisphenol A (BPA) leaching into the meat of canned tuna, even from brands that proudly labeled their cans "BPA-free." To find out which packaging is actually safe, check our breakdown of What Is The Safest Canned Tuna Brand.

What's Actually In Canned Tuna

• Mercury — A toxic heavy metal that damages the nervous system. Albacore has three times more mercury than skipjack. Is Albacore Or Chunk Light Tuna Lower In Mercury
• Bisphenol A (BPA) — An endocrine-disrupting chemical used to line metal cans. Recent tests show BPA migrating into the tuna meat, even in some modernized packaging.
• Glycidol — A potentially carcinogenic compound. Tests found glycidol primarily in tuna packed in olive oil, likely forming during the oil's high-heat processing.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids — The primary health benefit of eating fish. Tuna provides essential EPA and DHA that support brain and heart health.

What to Look For

Green Flags:

• Skipjack or "Chunk Light" — These smaller fish are naturally much lower in mercury. What Seafood Has The Lowest Mercury
• Individual Mercury Testing — Brands that test every fish guarantee you won't get a uniquely contaminated can.
• Glass Jars or Pouches — These packaging methods completely bypass the BPA risks associated with metal can linings.

Red Flags:

• Albacore for Children — Kids have developing nervous systems and should not consume high-mercury albacore tuna at all.
• "Gourmet" Yellowfin — Yellowfin (often labeled "tonno") grows very large and can contain mercury levels just as high as albacore.
• Oil-Packed Cheap Cans — Cheap oils can introduce processing contaminants like glycidol into your fish.

The Best Options

If you are going to eat tuna weekly, you need a brand that prioritizes strict sourcing and testing. For a full breakdown of the top contenders, read our comparison of Wild Planet Vs Safe Catch.

The Bottom Line

1. Switch your default to skipjack. It has one-third the mercury of albacore and is FDA-approved for up to three servings a week.

2. Treat albacore as a once-a-week luxury. It is too high in heavy metals for daily or frequent consumption, especially for women of childbearing age.

3. Pay up for testing. If you eat tuna constantly, brands like Safe Catch are worth the premium because they actually test the meat inside the can. Is Safe Catch Tuna Clean

FAQ

Can I eat tuna every day?

No, you should not eat canned tuna every day. Even low-mercury skipjack tuna contains trace amounts of heavy metals that your body needs time to clear. The FDA recommends a maximum of three servings per week of light tuna to stay safely under toxic thresholds.

Can pregnant women eat canned tuna?

Yes, but strictly limit it to low-mercury varieties. Pregnant women can safely eat 2-3 servings of skipjack (light) tuna per week to get vital brain-building omega-3s for the baby. However, they should completely avoid raw tuna and severely limit albacore.

Is canned salmon healthier than canned tuna?

Canned salmon is significantly lower in mercury than any type of tuna. It also contains higher levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and often includes edible bones for calcium. If you want a canned fish you can safely eat daily, salmon is the superior choice. Is Canned Salmon Healthy