is eating too much tuna dangerous?

mizare
mizare Posts: 5
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
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

Replies

  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
    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
    mevie666 Posts: 7
    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
    whydonttheywrite Posts: 18
    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
    geckoseven Posts: 32
    http://www.mercurypoisoningnews.com/elevated.html

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

    Found these maybe this helps, actually surprised me lol
  • JennyJH
    JennyJH Posts: 189 Member
    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
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
    It is if you're a Tuna Fish :tongue:
  • mizare
    mizare Posts: 5
    thanks everyone for your help!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    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
    dstager8 Posts: 1
    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
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