(HealthCastle.com) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that pregnant or nursing women and young children eat up to 12 ounces of fish and seafood a week, while limiting some higher-mercury fish, such as albacore tuna, to 6 ounces a week. It is so confusing trying to figure out which kinds of tuna are safe that many people simply avoid tuna altogether. Light, white, and albacore; fresh, frozen, and canned - how do we know which ones are safe to eat?
Tuna Vocab 101
Canned Tuna Varieties
Albacore (Also known as “White”)
Commonly found in cans and pouches, albacore is a premium variety and is the only tuna species that can be called “white” due to its white flesh. Because of the fish’s larger size, it tends to contain more mercury. Enjoy up to 6 oz. (one meal) of albacore tuna per week.
Skipjack (Also known as “Light”)
70% of the canned and pouched tuna is actually skipjack (with some small amount of yellowfin). Because the flesh is light in color (but not white), skipjack is also known as “light” tuna. Skipjack is a relatively small tuna, and therefore has a lower level of mercury. Skipjack tuna is the most sustainable type of tuna.
Yellowfin (Also known as “Light”)
Yellowfin is also known as “light” canned or pouched tuna, named for its pale pink flesh. Less commonly canned than skipjack and albacore, yellowfin has a slightly more pronounced flavor than albacore.
Tuna Steaks
Because tuna steaks generally contain higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna, you may eat up to 6 ounces of tuna steak per week.
Bigeye
Also known as ahi in Hawaii (and as “ahi tuna” on restaurant menus). Usually eaten as a steak or as sashimi, bigeye tuna is not typically canned.
Bluefin
Bluefin tuna is highly prized for its dark and fatty flesh. It is a delicacy in Japan, where the price of a single giant tuna can exceed $100,000. It is mostly made into sashimi, and not found in cans or pouches. However, because bluefin tuna is slow to reproduce and grossly over-fished, it has become the focus of vigorous conservation efforts by governments and regulatory agencies.
Tuna is rich in protein, low in saturated fat and calories, and is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Choose tuna often but pay attention to the following recommendations:
Higher in Mercury: Tuna steaks and canned albacore (or “white”) tuna - enjoy up to 6 ounces of tuna steak per week.
Low in Mercury: Canned light tuna (skipjack or yellowfin) - enjoy up to 12 ounces per week.
(HealthCastle.com) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that pregnant or nursing women and young children eat up to 12 ounces of 
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