Eating 9-12 (5oz) cans of tuna a day

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CadenDavid
CadenDavid Posts: 34 Member
edited March 2017 in Food and Nutrition
So I did this once before. For a month.. Not sure if it was really 10 cans a day but it was definitely my main food course. But I just started doing it again but I just recently found out that mercury levels in tuna are so high that it is recommended to have only about 3-4 (4oz) cans a week. Anybody have any insight into this matter? Also when I did it the first time i lost about 22lbs in a little over a month. So.. It works haha. But I'm definitely concerned
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  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    10 a DAY?! Did you not get bored? Plenty of protein sources out there, mix it up.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    Mercury alert: Is canned tuna safe to eat?
    These recommendations are based on EPA guidance and estimates of mercury in the most popular canned tunas:
    •Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6–12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat it up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).
    •Canned light — the safer choice (0.12 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to three 3-ounce portions per month. Older children and adults can safely eat it once a week. But look out for “gourmet” or “tonno” labels. They are made with bigger yellowfin tuna and can contain mercury levels comparable to canned white.
    •A better alternative is canned salmon (mostly sockeye or pink from Alaska), which is low in contaminants and high in heart-healthy omega-3s. It’s also sustainably caught in Alaska and similarly priced, making it a great choice all around.

    Go for the canned Alaskan salmon!
  • sarochka85
    sarochka85 Posts: 103 Member
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    Sounds yum to me... plain or sweet chilli tuna?
  • CadenDavid
    CadenDavid Posts: 34 Member
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    Can't afford anything else. At least right now. It's the only thing I have available.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    So you're trying to hit around 300g of protein per day?
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I'm not sure where in the world you are but I just looked up the price of tuna. Here you can get 4 tins for £2.75. You can also get 1.1kg of chicken thighs (bone and skin on so let's assume 800g of meat) for the same price that will yield you 183g or thereabouts of protein. That's pretty good protein bang for your buck.

    Edit to add: If you prefer them to come skinless and boneless you can get 650g for £3.28.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
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    I'm here to die young, but as old as possible. That means that I eat all of the different colored veggies that I can to ensure that I max out on their nutrients and fight disease. I try to eat Dr Gabe Fuhrman's GBOMBS diet: bitter Greens, collard, kale, turnip tops, watercress. Beans. Onions. Mushrooms. Berries. Seeds. Eaten together these catalyze each others' disease fighting properties. If you are only eating tuna you are missing out on vital nutrients. Yes I would like to loose 22 pounds, but not endanger my health.
  • CadenDavid
    CadenDavid Posts: 34 Member
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    I have 0$ until next Sunday. I have been jobless for 7 months prior to this so its not a big deal. I just got hired somewhere but I only have 6 hours this week for some reason.
  • sunfastrose
    sunfastrose Posts: 543 Member
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    caroldavison332 wrote: »
    I'm here to die young, but as old as possible. That means that I eat all of the different colored veggies that I can to ensure that I max out on their nutrients and fight disease. I try to eat Dr Gabe Fuhrman's GBOMBS diet: bitter Greens, collard, kale, turnip tops, watercress. Beans. Onions. Mushrooms. Berries. Seeds. Eaten together these catalyze each others' disease fighting properties. If you are only eating tuna you are missing out on vital nutrients. Yes I would like to loose 22 pounds, but not endanger my health.

    I've seen you mention this before. Please quote sources for the "catalyzing..." claim.
  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I understand this is just for a few days, right? Your earlier experiment of eating mostly tuna for a month sounds like a very bad idea. The food pantry suggestion is worth checking out. Or if not, could you trade a friend some of your tuna stockpile for something else? You need more variety in your diet.
  • CadenDavid
    CadenDavid Posts: 34 Member
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    I don't think it's a big deal, but since finding this out I don't really want to take it any further. But it's my only option at this point so I need to know how much harm it is going to do.. And as far as getting other foods. I have the occasional friend to help me out. But i always feel extreme guilt. So i try to pull my own as much as I can
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,714 Member
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    You shouldn't feel guilty as you are working and doing what you can right now.

    Have you read the labels on your cans to see if they specify how much mercury is in them? I have no idea if they list that or not. If you have a stockpile of cans how about trading them with your friend for other food?
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 997 Member
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    It's not going to kill you this week.

    It's just not a great thing to do long term. Mercury does fat-accumulate (build up in your body). The difference that one week will make is not huge, though. Next time you're stocking up, get some canned chicken as well. Hang in there, and let people help you. Pay it forward when you have a few dollars to spare.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    Switch to salmon and sardines.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    CadenDavid wrote: »
    Can't afford anything else. At least right now. It's the only thing I have available.

    You can't afford bread, pasta, frozen vegetables, peanut butter, beans, fresh fruit, eggs!? Cans of tuna aren't free, are they?

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