Buy This Kirkland Canned Tuna — You're Better Off Avoiding The Other Brands

Canned fish is a convenient and delicious way to enjoy a fulfilling meal. This economical, high-protein seafood is on the rise in popularity, and there are many great canned fish brands out there you can hop on the trend with. However, with tinned fish comes the risk of exposure to mercury. Mercury is a natural element found in just about any fish — and the bigger the fish, the higher the amount of mercury. Small amounts are fine, but overconsumption can be harmful. Though a very popular and delicious fish, tuna — especially albacore — contains quite a high level of mercury compared to other fish we eat. Certain brands on the shelves have higher mercury levels, but there is one Costco brand that's safer to add to your cart: the Kirkland Signature Albacore Solid White Tuna.

The Kirkland canned albacore tuna is produced by the Bumble Bee brand, whose canned tuna contains a lower mercury content than other brands' albacore tuna, according to a Consumer Reports study. While it's not exactly clear how much mercury people can have, the FDA categorizes fish with up to .46 ppm of mercury as "good choices" if you consume one serving a week. Too much mercury in the body can post health risks, and some food safety experts believe pregnant people should avoid canned tuna altogether due to unpredictable mercury spikes in individual cans. 

Based on mercury content, Consumer Reports recommends up to two 5-ounce cans per week of Bumble Bee's albacore for nonpregnant adults, and only one can weekly from four other big brands. Of course, be cautious of how much tuna you're consuming every week, but if you're eating the Kirkland brand tuna, rest assured it's a better choice.

Tuna may have higher levels of mercury than other fish, but that doesn't mean you should avoid it at all costs. Canned tuna is the perfect versatile seafood, typically low in calories and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Besides choosing the lower-mercury Kirkland Albacore Solid White Tuna, you can always opt for other types of tuna beyond albacore, such as skipjack or light tuna, which are smaller fish with shorter lifespans and thus lower levels of mercury. If albacore is your favorite, however, there are a few brands that you might want to skip on if you're worried about the risks. 

Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna is one brand found to contain a high amount of mercury. Chicken of the Sea's albacore is another with quite high levels compared to the brand's chunk light tuna. StarKist and Safe Catch are two other brands Consumer Reports suggested limiting to one can a week if you're choosing albacore. Wild Planet's Wild Skipjack, however, was an outlier also found to contain enough mercury to merit a single can weekly.

The risk of mercury levels may make you hesitant to eat tuna, but if you're looking for a safer tuna brand, Costco's Kirkland albacore, produced by Bumble Bee, has got your back. Eat it on its own or enjoy it in a pasta dish for added protein up to twice a week.