A major side effect of eating too much canned tuna

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canned tuna

For many of us, our pantries are filled to the gills with canned tuna. It is both inexpensive and a good source of protein that fills the tummy. Plus, it doesn’t require any cooking, not even a plate, just a can opener and two slices of bread. Bingo! You have lunch, snack or dinner!

Since it’s such a convenient source of protein, you might find that you eat a lot of tuna now, three, four, five times a week, maybe? Depending on the amount and especially the type of canned tuna you eat, you may be consuming too much of it, which can lead to a fishy side effect called mercury poisoning. But before you go fishing, read on and learn about these 6 Ways to Eat Fish to Help You Lose Weight.

Canned tuna contains mercury, so eating too much of it can lead to mercury poisoning.

Consumption of oceanic fish and shellfish accounts for over 90% of human exposure to mercury in the United States, and tuna caught in the Pacific Ocean accounts for 40% of that total exposure, according to a study conducted in Environmental health perspectives.

Mercury in the air from coal-fired power generation and other human industrial activities is deposited in lakes, rivers and oceans where it is consumed by marine life. But mercury in the oceans is also a product of nature’s decomposition of organic carbon, scientists report in the journal. Global life cycles. When mercury enters the water, anyway, the microorganisms turn it into a highly toxic form called methylmercury which builds up in the flesh of the fish we eat. Methylmercury bioaccumulates in top predators, which is why larger fish like tuna are riskier to eat than, say, sardines. (Related: The # 1 Best Fish To Eat, According To A Dietitian.)

How it is possible to get high levels of methylmercury in the body.

“All fish have some level of mercury, but this level varies widely; canned tuna has relatively high levels of mercury, so its consumption could potentially become harmful beyond about three servings per week,” explains Andrea Paul, MD, Illuminate Labs medical advisor.

Almost everyone has a small amount of methylmercury in their blood that is below levels that can trigger health effects, according to data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But methylmercury is a potent neurotoxin, so eating too much fish can lead to mercury poisoning. Symptoms include itching or tingling sensation in the toes and fingertips, muscle weakness, coordination, speech and hearing problems, and reduced peripheral vision. High levels of mercury in pregnant women can cause central nervous system problems in their babies.

How to stay safe.

The Food & Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend that women and children (over 10 years old) eat two to three servings (8 to 12 ounces) of a variety of fish and shellfish each week, as seafood is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy brain development. Both agencies recommend choosing low-mercury seafood and have created a tip chart showing how often to eat 60 different types of fish by designating them either as “best choices” (eat 2-3 times a week ), “Good choices” (eat 1 serving per week) or “choices to avoid” (emphasizing fish with the highest levels of mercury).

Popular canned albacore (albacore) tuna is on the 4-ounce-per-week serving list because it is a larger fish that contains higher amounts of mercury than fish on the “Best Choices” list. “. Canned “light” tuna (mainly skipjack tuna) is earning a spot on the “best choices” list because it is a smaller fish that generally contains less mercury.

But an environmental health advocacy organization called the Environmental Working Group says government guidelines can put women at risk. In a nationwide study, EWG recruited 254 women of reproductive age from across the country who reported eating as much or more fish than the government’s suggestions. The researchers tested samples of their hair because mercury accumulates there and reflects the level of mercury in the body. Almost 30% of the women studied had exceeded the EPA’s safe limit for mercury and nearly 60% had more mercury than a stricter limit set by two European institutions. The EWG believes that the inclusion of canned light tuna in the “best choices” “low mercury” category is a mistake, as skipjack “is a significant source of mercury in women’s diets” , he said. According to a dietary questionnaire, tuna contributed nearly 40% of the mercury ingested by participants in the Mercury Policy Project study, according to the EWG.

If you want to reduce your intake of canned tuna, try salmon, a low-mercury fish that is on the FDA’s “best choices” list. And here’s a delicious salmon and fish taco bowl recipe. Enjoy!

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