# Question about tuna!



## Archimedestheowl (Jul 31, 2013)

So I started eating canned tuna with some light Italian dressing, and it is freaking bomb. Just wondering if anybody ever experience "mercury poisoning" from eating to many of them a day? Or is it one of those situations where you would have to eat like 500 canned tuna a week to obtain any kind of side effects from mercury poisoning. Thanks!


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## Christsean (Jul 31, 2013)

I swiped this from consumer reports. 

Mercury in canned tuna still a concern

New tests reinforce a need for some people to limit consumption

Last reviewed: January 2011This article appeared in*January 2011 Consumer Reports Magazine:**

Canned tuna, Americans? favorite fish, is the most common source of mercury in our diet. New tests of 42 samples from cans and pouches of tuna bought primarily in the New York metropolitan area and online confirm that white (albacore) tuna usually contains far more mercury than light tuna.

Children and women of childbearing age can easily consume more mercury than the Environmental Protection Agency considers advisable simply by eating one serving of canned white tuna or two servings of light tuna per week. A serving is about 2.5 ounces. Expect a 5-ounce can to contain about 4 ounces of tuna plus liquid.

The heavy metal accumulates in tuna and other fish in an especially toxic form, methylmercury, which comes from mercury released by coal-fired power plants and other industrial or natural sources, such as volcanoes.

Fortunately, it?s easy to choose lowermercury fish that are also rich in healthful omega-3 fatty acids. That?s especially important for women who are pregnant or might become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children, because fetuses and youngsters seem to face the most risk from methylmercury?s neurotoxic effects.

Results from our tuna tests, conducted at an outside lab, underscore the longheld concern for those people. We found:

Every sample contained measurable levels of mercury, ranging from 0.018 to 0.774 parts per million. The Food and Drug Administration can take legal action to pull products containing 1 ppm or more from the market. (It never has, according to an FDA spokesman.) The EPA compiles fish advisories when state and local governments have found high contaminant levels in certain locally caught fish.Samples of white tuna had 0.217 to 0.774 ppm of mercury and averaged 0.427 ppm. By eating 2.5 ounces of any of the tested samples, a woman of childbearing age would exceed the daily mercury intake that the EPA considers safe.Samples of light tuna had 0.018 to 0.176 ppm and averaged 0.071 ppm. At that average, a woman of childbearing age eating 2.5 ounces would get less than the EPA?s limit, but for about half the tested samples, eating 5 ounces would exceed the limit.

In 2006 we scrutinized the results of the FDA?s tests in 2002 to 2004 of mercury levels in hundreds of samples of canned tuna. The agency?s white-tuna samples averaged 0.353 ppm; light tuna, 0.118 ppm. But we found that as much as 6 percent of the FDA?s light-tuna samples had at least as much mercury as the average in white tuna?in some cases more than twice as much.

Given the uncertainties about the impact of occasional fetal exposure to such high levels, we urged the FDA to warn consumers about occasional spikes in mercury levels in canned light tuna. More than four years later, the FDA still hasn?t issued such a warning. When we asked why, an FDA spokesman indicated that the agency had already taken the spikes into account when formulating its mercury advice.

Bottom line

Canned tuna, especially white, tends to be high in mercury, and younger women and children should limit how much they eat. As a precaution, pregnant women should avoid tuna entirely. Our answers to the questions inFish Q & A*can help you get the nutritional benefits of fish and minimize exposure to mercury.


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## Archimedestheowl (Jul 31, 2013)

Christsean said:


> I swiped this from consumer reports.
> 
> Mercury in canned tuna still a concern
> 
> ...



Great article *Christsean* and thanks! Sucks though I thought I had found another substitute instead of eating damn chicken everyday. Guess I will have to eat tuna in moderation sounds like.


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## Christsean (Jul 31, 2013)

You can try wild caught salmon.  It is a much safer choice mercury wise. Below is another article. 

Based on an outstanding 2007 report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we've come up with four categories you can use to judge the mercury-safety of all types of seafood, including salmon. Here are your four safety categories that will show you how salmon fits into our overall evaluation of seafood and mercury risk:Very low: This category includes our recommended best-choice seafood when it comes to avoidance of mercury. Wild-caught Alaskan and Pacific Coast salmon are found here, together with Pacific scallops, shrimp, oysters, clams, mussels, herring, and anchovies. We recommend this category for several meals per week. As you can see, two types of salmon (wild-caught Alaskan salmon and wild-caught Pacific salmon) are included in this very low risk category.


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## Dannie (Aug 1, 2013)

To answer your I used to was a big tuna eater. Came up with that great high protein diet as a part of which I was consuming 2-3 (130g) cans of tuna a day, every day. About 2 weeks into this diet I started feeling sick, I was constantly tired and my head was aching almost constantly. Took me another week to realise that it may be due to mercury poisoning. Dropped the tuna, it was a slow recovery but after 2 weeks of not eating tuna I was fine.

Nowdays I limit myself to 5 cans a week.

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## Archimedestheowl (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks for the responses fellas. Ya sounds like it is pretty serious so I will do what Dannie is doing and limit myself to five a week. Thanks again!


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## Big Smoothy (Aug 2, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> Thanks for the responses fellas. Ya sounds like it is pretty serious so I will do what Dannie is doing and limit myself to* five a week. *Thanks again!



In my quest for protein I was eating a can or 2 cans per day.  That is too much Mecury as it stays in your system.

Some think that 5 per week is too much, however.


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## Christsean (Aug 2, 2013)

More info. 
Methylmercury

Main article:*Mercury in fishMethylmercury*is the major source of organic mercury for all individuals.[1]*It works its way up the*food chainthrough*bioaccumulation*in the environment, reaching high concentrations among populations of some species. Top predatory fish, such as*tuna*or*swordfish, are usually of greater concern than smaller species. The US*FDA*and the*EPA*advise women of child-bearing age, nursing mothers, and young children to completely avoidswordfish,*shark,*king mackerel*andtilefish*from the Gulf of Mexico, and to limit consumption of*albacore ("white") tuna*to no more than 6*oz*(170*g) per week, and of all other fish and shellfish to no more than 12*oz (340*g) per week.[31]*A 2006 review of the risks and benefits of fish consumption found, for adults, the benefits of one to two servings of fish per week outweigh the risks, even (except for a few fish species) for women of childbearing age, and that avoidance of fish consumption could result in significant excesscoronary heart disease*deaths and suboptimal*neural development*in children.[32][32]The period between exposure to methylmercury and the appearance of symptoms in adult poisoning cases is long. The longest recorded latent period is five months after a single exposure, in the Dartmouth case (see*History); other latent periods in the range of weeks to months have also been reported. No explanation for this long latent period is known. When the first symptom appears, typically*paresthesia(a tingling or numbness in the skin), it is followed rapidly by more severe effects, sometimes ending in*coma*and death. The toxic damage appears to be determined by the peak value of mercury, not the length of the exposure.[18]


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## Christsean (Aug 2, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> Thanks for the responses fellas. Ya sounds like it is pretty serious so I will do what Dannie is doing and limit myself to five a week. Thanks again!



One per week according to the study above. 

 I stay away from it because I don't like the idea of knowingly introducing mercury into my body (anymore). Salmon is a better choice and comes in a can or pack and can be used just like tuna.


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## Archimedestheowl (Aug 3, 2013)

Christsean said:


> One per week according to the study above.
> 
> I stay away from it because I don't like the idea of knowingly introducing mercury into my body (anymore). Salmon is a better choice and comes in a can or pack and can be used just like tuna.



haha ya damn your right. Why does everything that taste good have to be unhealthy for you. Well can't argue with the facts. I will just stay away from the garbage all around and try salmon for a change.


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## Christsean (Aug 3, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> haha ya damn your right. Why does everything that taste good have to be unhealthy for you. Well can't argue with the facts. I will just stay away from the garbage all around and try salmon for a change.



Agreed. Mercury is nothing to mess around with.


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## flood (Aug 16, 2013)

Sucks balls that we have to limit big fish so much. I spend my fish day(s) on wild salmon. Not poisoned yet!


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## Dannie (Aug 16, 2013)

flood said:


> Sucks balls that we have to limit big fish so much. I spend my fish day(s) on wild salmon. Not poisoned yet!



Canned salmon? Pink or red? How do you prepare it?

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## Vision (Aug 23, 2013)

You can always sub it out with tilapia fillets,there cheap enough just about anywhere


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## Sebaco2011 (Aug 23, 2013)

^ Thats what I do, or pollock, pollock is hella cheap .


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## theCaptn' (Aug 24, 2013)

I eat a lot of canned tuna with no issue. Maybe I'll get myself tested for mercury


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## Vision (Aug 24, 2013)

Sebaco2011 said:


> ^ Thats what I do, or pollock, pollock is hella cheap .


There is absolute more options available besides just "canned tuna". I've found low sodium canned breast and ate that on the fly many x's over..but for the fish department I buy big bags of frozen fillets


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## Christsean (Aug 24, 2013)

Dannie said:


> Canned salmon? Pink or red? How do you prepare it?
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2



I eat the can or pack salmon in any application that I would eat can or pack tuna. 

I like the frozen salmon filets... They are cheap and easy.  You can marinate it in honey mustard, cover it with Italian bread crumbs and bake.


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## Dannie (Aug 24, 2013)

Christsean said:


> I eat the can or pack salmon in any application that I would eat can or pack tuna.
> 
> I like the frozen salmon filets... They are cheap and easy.  You can marinate it in honey mustard, cover it with Italian bread crumbs and bake.



I need some more of your delicious recipes.
 My gf opened a can of pink salmon, she binned it right after due to the "horrendous smell" :-/

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## LAM (Aug 25, 2013)

decades ago you could eat all the tuna you wanted but today I wouldn't consume more than 3-4 cans a week.  in the world we live in you can't escape the chemicals they are in everything we eat.

pregnant women certainly should be more wary but there are no studies out there were healthy athletes are suffering illness at any higher rates, etc. from high tuna diets.

also don't forget about pork, the other white meat as they say in the commercials.  it's not that high in price and extremely easy to cook.


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## theCaptn' (Aug 25, 2013)

I eat a lot of pork in my diet - it's very versatile as fillet or mince. Free range is a must though, otherwise it's as bad as battery chickens - living in their own shit


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## Christsean (Aug 25, 2013)

LAM said:


> decades ago you could eat all the tuna you wanted but today I wouldn't consume more than 3-4 cans a week.  in the world we live in you can't escape the chemicals they are in everything we eat.
> 
> pregnant women certainly should be more wary but there are no studies out there were healthy athletes are suffering illness at any higher rates, etc. from high tuna diets.
> 
> also don't forget about pork, the other white meat as they say in the commercials.  it's not that high in price and extremely easy to cook.



^^^^agreed

I had some beautiful lean pork chops last night.


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## Christsean (Aug 25, 2013)

Dannie said:


> I need some more of your delicious recipes.
> My gf opened a can of pink salmon, she binned it right after due to the "horrendous smell" :-/
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2



Don't let the smell fool you. It's not much difference in flavor IMO. Like I said you can sub it for any tuna recipe or just Google salmon recipes. There are many good ones out there.


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## JerseyDevil (Aug 25, 2013)

I used to eat a lot of tuna, but now limit it to 1-2 cans per week due to the mercury concern.  For protein sources I love fresh salmon, tilapia, chicken breast, 93% ground beef, oysters, eye of round steak, lean pork chops, occasional shrimp (high in cholesterol and sodium), filet mignon (if I can afford it!)  etc.  I try to rotate these so I don't get tired of them.


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## LAM (Aug 25, 2013)

JerseyDevil said:


> I used to eat a lot of tuna, but now limit it to 1-2 cans per week due to the mercury concern.  For protein sources I love fresh salmon, tilapia, chicken breast, 93% ground beef, oysters, eye of round steak, lean pork chops, occasional shrimp (high in cholesterol and sodium), filet mignon (if I can afford it!)  etc.  I try to rotate these so I don't get tired of them.



i got turned on to tilapia by some IFBB pro's in the early 2000's but stopped consuming it soon after once I learned how it is raised in most places (swimming in it's own shit and filth, etc.  which totally blows because it's a cheap and easy fish to cook as it super easy to flavor.)

if anyone knows of some healthy sources of it please post them because I miss eating that stuff


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## Christsean (Aug 25, 2013)

LAM when I get lazy I buy a rotisserie chicken and eat it in two sittings. White and dark minus skin. Probably not the cleanest source of protein, but convenient cheap and plenty of protein in a half chicken.  

About the tilapia, just make sure it's grown in the US. Most farmers use recirculating tanks and these are clean systems. The fish rarely require any antibiotics. Now stay clear of China raised tilapia. Not everyone can afford quality fish food so they may use manure as a substitute.


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## Vision (Aug 25, 2013)

Christsean said:


> About the tilapia, just make sure it's grown in the US. Most farmers use recirculating tanks and these are clean systems. The fish rarely require any antibiotics. _Now stay clear of China raised tilapia._ Not everyone can afford quality fish food so they may use manure as a substitute.


I agree. Stay far away from ANY Chinese fish products. The tilapia is raised is rancid conditions which I would rather not talk about cause my meal time is around the corner.


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## Archimedestheowl (Aug 25, 2013)

haha the problem with chicken, is that I am running out of sauces to put on it. And I have been eating canned salmon lately and it's actually not that bad. It doesn't taste that great with Italian dressing like with tuna though.


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## LAM (Aug 25, 2013)

Christsean said:


> LAM when I get lazy I buy a rotisserie chicken and eat it in two sittings. White and dark minus skin. Probably not the cleanest source of protein, but convenient cheap and plenty of protein in a half chicken.
> 
> About the tilapia, just make sure it's grown in the US. Most farmers use recirculating tanks and these are clean systems. The fish rarely require any antibiotics. Now stay clear of China raised tilapia. Not everyone can afford quality fish food so they may use manure as a substitute.



I'm a big fan of those rotisserie chickens myself, for the price at around $5 or so you can't beat them!

I will look at some labels this week and try to find some tilipia from the US.  I was seeing so much of it from China that I gave up years ago cooking it at all.


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## LAM (Aug 25, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> haha the problem with chicken, is that I am running out of sauces to put on it. And I have been eating canned salmon lately and it's actually not that bad. It doesn't taste that great with Italian dressing like with tuna though.



have you ever cooked chicken in a steamer?  try eating it like that for a week, it will make those all sauces seem much more appealing all of a sudden!


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## theCaptn' (Aug 25, 2013)

...


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## theCaptn' (Aug 25, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> haha the problem with chicken, is that I am running out of sauces to put on it. And I have been eating canned salmon lately and it's actually not that bad. It doesn't taste that great with Italian dressing like with tuna though.



Dry herbs and spices... Go to a specialty herb shop - Indian, or my favourite South African


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## Little Wing (Aug 25, 2013)

has anyone seen this... Think That’s Real Tuna You’re Buying, Fish Mislabeled Fraud – AARP

the nonprofit ocean-protection group Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood-fraud investigations  in the world from 2010 to 2012. It did DNA testing on 1,215 samples of  fish from 674 retail outlets in 21 states and found there really is  something fishy about our fish: One in three samples nationwide was  mislabeled.


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## Little Wing (Aug 25, 2013)

Tilapia raised on feces hits US tables- MSN Money

 "While there are some really good aquaculture ponds in Asia, in many  of these ponds -- or really in most of these ponds -- it's typical to  use untreated chicken manure as the primary nutrition," he told MSN  News. "In some places, like Thailand for example, they will just put the  chickens over the pond and they just poop right in the pond."


  That's creating antibiotic-resistant​ strains of bacteria, but it's also creating problems for U.S. eaters who get 82% of their Tilapia from China.


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## Little Wing (Aug 25, 2013)

Asian Seafood Raised on Pig Feces Approved for U.S. Consumers - Bloomberg


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## Powermaster (Aug 26, 2013)

Little Wing said:


> has anyone seen this... Think That?s Real Tuna You?re Buying, Fish Mislabeled Fraud ? AARP
> 
> the nonprofit ocean-protection group Oceana conducted one of the largest seafood-fraud investigations  in the world from 2010 to 2012. It did DNA testing on 1,215 samples of  fish from 674 retail outlets in 21 states and found there really is  something fishy about our fish: One in three samples nationwide was  mislabeled.


  This doesn't surprise me at all. Even with tuna there are many different species of tuna. I prefer albacore myself if canned, Yellow fin if it's a steak, and Blue fin if it's sushi. All other species of tuna taste like crap.


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## JerseyDevil (Aug 26, 2013)

Here in Jersey my go to grocery is Shoprite.  All of their fish is labelled with country of origin and whether farm raised or wild caught.  The tilapia I buy is from the US (assuming it's labelled correctly).  I never buy fish from China because I've heard those horror stories.... well except smoked oysters, I just can't find them anywhere except for China, which really sucks.


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## Sebaco2011 (Aug 26, 2013)

I remember when I was eating 2 cans of tuna a day for almost a year I felt fine honestly, I never got bloodwork done , and I'm sure this wasn't healthy but I survived lol.


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## flood (Aug 27, 2013)

Archimedestheowl said:


> haha the problem with chicken, is that I am running out of sauces to put on it. And I have been eating canned salmon lately and it's actually not that bad. It doesn't taste that great with Italian dressing like with tuna though.



All canned salmon is WILD salmon. I read the farmed salmon turns to gelatin in the can.
Maybe go to the Asian store and grab all kinds of whack sauce bottles, or ask an Asian cutie what to get


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