is eating too much tuna dangerous?

mizare

I eat tuna five times a week for my lunch, with a small amount of low fat salad cream and lots of cucumber. I never get bored of this and really like tuna (even if it has to be out of a can).

Is this dangerous? I've been trying to find research on the mercury poisoning issue, but can't find any good articles or papers- can someone point me in the right direction?

What would be a good alternative? Preferably fish or veggie as I'm not a fan of eating meat during the week and something that I can take to work and make easily would be even better!

Thanks

MsR

velvetkat

I don't know of any scientific data but I will tell you that an anesthesiologist friend of mine ate tuna everyday and he fell ill and when they did his blood work he had a high level of mercury. They (the doctors) told him it was from eating so much tuna. So I would be careful with how much I ate. I think it was over the course of a year or so before he got sick.

Alternatives would be other white fish. I cook fish for dinner and then what I dont eat I save and put on my salad the next day. The kinds I eat are Mahi Mahi, flounder and chilean sea bass. Baked not fried and it is delish on salad. Sometimes I will heat it up and sometimes I dont. When originally cooked we use mix some low fat mayo with chopped onion and parmesian cheesh spread on top and sprinkle with a little panko bread crumbs and cook in oven for just a few minutes each side and then turn the broiler on to brown the panko. Yummy!

Hope this helps.


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mevie666

Be very careful when eating tuna, since it contains a lot of mercury, try to reduce it to 3 times a week, or else substitute the can ones with fresh tuna or salmon if you like it

whydonttheywrite

Again, not sure of any good papers that I can really reference, but off and on I've eaten a can a day honestly probably an average of 3 or 4 days a week for years now and I'm still kickin'. Call me crazy but I like the taste....

geckoseven

http://www.mercurypoisoningnews.com/elevated.html

http://www.ewg.org/tunacalculator?gclid=CIni9af-kaoCFQ5Y7Aod8TflwQ

Found these maybe this helps, actually surprised me lol

JennyJH

Unless you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant there isn't a huge risk. But you might want to try Mackeral, salmon or sardines as a tinned alternative and trout or salmon as a fresh alternative. (Mackeral and sardines are fantastic fresh but the bones can be a nightmare). They are all oily fish like Tuna with all the goodness that entails.

cloggsy71

It is if you're a Tuna Fish

mizare

thanks everyone for your help!

dls06

Issues > Health Main Page > All Health Documents



PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

Consumer Guide to Mercury in Fish
The list below shows the amount of various types of fish that a woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant can safely eat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. People with small children who want to use the list as a guide should reduce portion sizes. Adult men, and women who are not planning to become pregnant, are less at risk from mercury exposure but may wish to refer to the list for low-mercury choices.

Protecting yourself -- and the fish: Certain fish, even some that are low in mercury, make poor choices for other reasons, most often because they have been fished so extensively that their numbers are perilously low. These fish are marked with an asterisk (read more below).

This list applies to fish caught and sold commercially. For information about fish you catch yourself, check for advisories in your state.

LEAST MERCURY
Enjoy these fish:

Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder*
Haddock (Atlantic)*
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)**
Salmon (Fresh)**
Sardine
Scallop*
Shad (American)
Shrimp*
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting


MODERATE MERCURY
Eat six servings or less per month:

Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)*
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Atlantic)*
Halibut (Pacific)
Jacksmelt
(Silverside)
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish*
Perch (Freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate*
Snapper*
Tuna (Canned
chunk light)
Tuna (Skipjack)*
Weakfish (Sea Trout)


HIGH MERCURY
Eat three servings or less per month:

Bluefish
Grouper*
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)*
Tuna (Canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellowfin)*


HIGHEST MERCURY
Avoid eating:

Mackerel (King)
Marlin*
Orange Roughy*
Shark*
Swordfish*
Tilefish*
Tuna
(Bigeye, Ahi)*

dstager8

I don't know if it had anything to do with Canned Tuna, but my best friend, 32 years old man,
was eating a lot of tuna, almost everyday.

He was diagnosed with Brain cancer 1 year ago

He died recently, within 1 year of being diagnosed.



Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. I think diversity in everything is a better approach to life.

Dante