Pregnant women should not eat canned tuna because it may contain harmful levels of mercury, Consumer Reports magazine said Monday, taking a more cautious approach than that recommended by the U.S. government.
Government tests found instances where canned light tuna had as much mercury, a potentially harmful heavy metal, as white tuna, also known as albacore, according to the magazine's latest issue.
High levels of mercury in the bloodstream may harm developing nervous systems, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of mercury exposure for humans.
Since March 2004, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have recommended that women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or nursing should eat no more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna a week.
But the government says it is safe to eat up to 12 ounces -- the amount of fish in two meals -- per week of fish and shellfish low in mercury, such as shrimp, salmon, light tuna, catfish and pollock.
Consumer Reports said 6 percent of canned light tuna tested by the FDA "contained at least as much of the metal -- in some cases more than twice as much -- as the average albacore." Most of the cans had only one-third as much mercury. - CNN ***************************************************************** 06-07-06, 09:11 AM Karrow What are you meaning by "light tuna"? Obviously another of your quaint little American phrases. Roll Eyes Big Grin
06-07-06, 10:09 AM DorianGreyed "What are you meaning by "light tuna"?"
Very carefully, without spilling anything, look at the label. (Note: This is best done with an unopened can.) If it says "Light Tuna" on the front, it is light tuna. You could also check the list of ingredients for the same phrase.
(I understand how you people lost an empire. What I don't understand is how you had one in the first place. Confused )
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Karrow, 06-07-06 03:47 PM
06-07-06, 02:08 PM Professor [deleted by Professor]
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Professor, 06-07-06 04:24 PM
06-07-06, 03:54 PM Karrow
quote: Originally posted by DorianGreyed: "What are you meaning by "light tuna"?"
Very carefully, without spilling anything, look at the label. (Note: This is best done with an unopened can.) If it says "Light Tuna" on the front, it is light tuna. You could also check the list of ingredients for the same phrase.
(I understand how you people lost an empire. What I don't understand is how you had one in the first place. Confused )
That doesn't tell me exactly what light tuna is! Roll Eyes I've never seen "light" on a can of tuna here, so don't know if it means it's light in colour, calories or what.
***My apologies for editing the image from your post DG (though it all actually deserves to be deleted considering the insulting remarks made!).
For the first time in four years I've done what I'm always warning the moderators to beware of. I accidently used the edit instead of the quote button. Roll Eyes
06-07-06, 05:06 PM Professor TThe Chicago Tribune reported
quote:
...the FDA said it will review the possibility that there are elevated mercury levels in some cans of "light tuna," one of America's best-selling seafoods and a product the agency has recommended repeatedly as a low-mercury choice.
in March 2004 the United States FDA issued guidelines recommending pregnant women, nursing mothers and children limit their intake of tuna and other types of predatory fish [1]. However, most canned light tuna is skipjack tuna and is low in mercury.
Karrow says: "light in colour, calories or what"
It means light in colo(u)r. Low in calories would more likely be "lite", which, incidentally, is an acceptable Scrabble word.
06-07-06, 05:55 PM Karrow Thank you Professor. Smile
06-07-06, 06:29 PM DorianGreyed "That doesn't tell me exactly what light tuna is! Roll Eyes I've never seen "light" on a can of tuna here, so don't know if it means it's light in colour, calories or what."
Here, we label our food. Of course, with names like bubble & squeak and toad-in-the-hole, I understand your not wanting to show what they are, and, besides, I am not sure what you would put on the label. Roll Eyes
06-11-06, 08:36 PM honilov Professor, I guess it's always best to read the whole label on foods to get a clear understanding because if I had seen the words 'light tuna,' I would have thought it meant in calories.
07-02-06, 10:29 AM Jenny Roberts Karrow, I've never heard of light tuna either and I eat it every day. Roll Eyes
07-02-06, 12:29 PM Professor Disambiguation of 'light' is made easier by knowledge that (1) there is a kind of tuna meat known as 'chunk light' for its color and texture; (2) tuna may be canned in water or oil, which accounts for the main consumer choice in caloric content of canned tuna; and (3) there are no low-cal tunas swimming in the ocean. Wink
07-02-06, 12:56 PM Sherasi Frankly, I always buy water-packed since the idea of eating a fish that is swimming in oil makes me a bit nauseous.
The calorie content for most fish is rarely a big issue since it is so nutritious with complex proteins and other very good-for-you content.
Of course preperation is very important also. What you ADD to the fish is more important most of the time compared to what is there naturally.
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