Dr. Isabel Viña warns about tuna in oil: "It has more micrograms of mercury than natural tuna."
It's an incredibly practical option in the kitchen; cans of tuna have "saved the lives" of more than one university student in Spain, and more than one family as well. Keeping them in the pantry means we always have an ideal complement on hand for many recipes that would feel incomplete without this portion of fish . Stuffed eggs would never be the same, nor would salads taste the same. Some Russian salads would lack that special touch, as would many other recipes that benefit from their presence. However, we aren't always aware of what we're eating when we eat them.
Its consumption is perfectly safe , but if we want to take care of our health, there are details worth knowing. Eating them from time to time can make our food tastier, but we also need to know which option is best when selecting the one that best suits us. We tend to think that buying them in oil will make them tastier, but there's also the option of pickled tuna or canned fish in its natural state. When choosing which one, it seems to change more than just the flavor , because Isabel Viña, a doctor and educator, wants to draw our attention and point out the different levels of mercury, something that may not have occurred to us.
Dr. Isabel Viña's warning about mercury in tuna in oil
Eating fish is not only safe, it's also highly recommended, so stopping it for fear of consuming too much mercury is not the solution. It's generally recommended to eat three to four servings of fish per week , varying between white and blue fish. If you're in a risk group, such as children, it's best to avoid eating too many species that contain higher levels of mercury, such as swordfish, tuna, game, or pike . For a healthy person, the limit for someone weighing about 60 kilos would be 10 cans of tuna per week.
That said, it doesn't hurt to know what we're eating and what options we have if we want to reduce our mercury intake or avoid unintentionally overindulging. This is precisely what Dr. Viña is referring to, who doesn't recommend giving up canned tuna, but explains that prioritizing natural tuna will lower our mercury intake than if we choose tuna preserved in olive or sunflower oil, or pickled tuna.
“If we're looking to minimize our mercury intake, the ideal option is natural canned tuna,” she explains on her TikTok account, where she shares tips and tricks for a healthier life. “Any fatty medium, such as extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, or pickled tuna, promotes the accumulation of mercury, causing you to consume more of it. In fact, it's estimated to have between 8 and 10 micrograms more mercury than natural canned tuna.” Does this mean we can't eat tuna in oil if we already have it at home? It's not necessary; the expert recommends discarding the oil that comes in the can and seasoning the tuna with the extra virgin olive oil we have at home.
Risks of excessive mercury intake
The effects of this aren't immediately noticeable, but rather appear over time . In the case of fish like tuna, we're talking about organic mercury, which is distinct from inorganic and elemental mercury. Regular exposure to small amounts can cause symptoms to appear later, although a single large exposure can also cause problems.
If exposed during pregnancy, it can cause permanent brain damage in the baby , affecting neurodevelopment. Therefore, it is often recommended to reduce consumption of these fish during pregnancy, even in young children. Prolonged exposure to mercury can cause numbness, uncontrollable tremors, inability to walk properly, blindness, memory problems, and, in the most severe cases caused by high exposure, seizures and death.
ReferencesMercury poisoning: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia . (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002476.htm
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