How To Pick The Best Canned Tuna At The Store

Love tuna but worried about hurting your health and the planet? This guide shows you how find the Best Canned Tuna brands that are sustainably sourced AND safe for you to enjoy. Learn what to look for and what to avoid!

Growing up, canned tuna was always a staple in my family's pantry. We enjoyed tuna sandwiches, tuna noodle casserole, tuna salads, and tuna on a cracker as a snack.

If you've read my post on High Protein Snacks, you already know how much I recommend canned tuna!

But, of course, not all tunas are canned equally. There's the issue of the negative health effects of eating too much high-mercury fish and the negative environmental impact of overfishing and fish farms.

If you found my Best Canned Tuna, the you might also find Top 7 Best Pasta Sauces, Which is Better: Creamer or Half and Half, and my post Top 10 Best Deli Meats helpful as well.

Is Canned Tuna Healthy?

Canned tuna can be a very healthy option. It's inexpensive, low in calories, high in protein, and keeps you full. It's also high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Should I Buy Tuna Packed In Water Or Oil?

I mentioned earlier that there are various types of canned tuna. Did you know the liquid in which the tuna is packed can impact its nutritional content?

To give you a better understanding, here's a side-by-side comparison of 100g of tuna in oil vs water.

	Canned tuna in oil	Canned tuna in water
Calories	186	90
Total fat	8.08 g	0.94 g
Saturated fat	1.28 g	0.224 g
Omega-3s	DHA: 178 mg EPA: 66 mg	DHA: 197 mg EPA: 25 mg
Cholesterol	31 mg	36 mg
Sodium	396 mg	219 mg
Protein	26.53 g	19 g

As noted above, canned tuna in water has HALF the calories of tuna canned in oil. It also has less sodium content. I often look for water-packed tuna.

Does Pouched Taste Better Than Canned?

I've tried both, and for me, it all comes down to your preference for consistency. With canned tuna, you'll usually get larger pieces due to the sturdy and solid packaging (for example, chunk light tuna). This is somewhat absent for pouched tuna. You'll get smaller and mushier pieces from a pouch without the same solid support.

While I've had pouched tuna that tasted more flavorful, this was usually due to added broth or spices. So, I go for the canned brands because they look more like fish meat, and I like to season myself.

What Should I Look For When Buying Canned Tuna?

Regardless of your preferred brand, here's what you really should keep in mind when buying canned Tuna:

1. 'Check how it is sourced. The best canned tuna is a good source of protein. It is PACKED with nutrients. But sometimes the way they are sourced is harmful to the environment. When you buy tuna, make sure that you check if they are caught by pole and line fishing (sustainable fishing practices).
   
   By pole and line, it means that the tuna was literally caught by one person with a pole. Troll-caught tuna, on the other hand, uses a boat that has some poles installed in them (this long lines method catches all kinds of creatures like turtles, birds, and sharks). I also look for dolphin-safe brands where I'm assured no dolphins were harmed in the fishing method.
   
2. Choose wild-caught. Wild-caught tuna are caught in their natural habitat, the ocean! Meanwhile, farm-raised tuna are harvested in a controlled environment.
   
3. The FDA recommends we avoid mercury. Read the ingredient lists on the cans. When checking the nutrition labels, make sure that you're buying "light" tuna because it comes from skipjack tuna, which is lower in mercury.

Which Brand Is The Healthiest?

Like my healthiest deli meat article, there are important factors to consider when choosing your canned tuna. My recommended sustainable brands for canned tuna fish are as follows...

1. Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna

At the top of Green Peace's list (and mine!) is the Wild Planet canned tuna. This really is one of my favorite sustainable brands ever. Rest assured because they have all their products checked by a third-party mercury testing facility so you don't have to worry about mercury levels overload.

2. American Tuna

If you're looking for a sustainable brand of canned tuna that also supports local fishing communities, this one is perfect for you! American Tuna offers various flavors like brick-smoked, and jalapeño for those who want to spice it up. Packed only in natural juices and sea salt, you'll get that fresh tuna flavor from this option.

3. 365 Whole Foods Albacore Wild Tuna

Whole Foods always has strong positioning in the sustainable space, so of course they also have safely sourced canned tuna. What I really love about this one is that is a great source of protein but also low in sodium, which isn't an easy combo to find in canned tunas.

Additionally 365 WF Albacore Wild Tuna is 100% pole and line caught tuna and a certified sustainable seafood.

4. Sea Tales Solid White Albacore Tuna

If you can't stand that fishy taste, this traditionally caught fish is your best pick.  Sea Tales makes it a point to use high quality tuna, and people most often highly review the taste of this brand.

You can really taste the pure, soft taste of the albacore with every single bite. 

5. Pole and Line Albacore Tuna:

Cutting back on sodium plus enjoying your canned tuna is possible with this no-salt-added tuna. This MSC-certified brand uses sustainable, traceable, 3rd part audited, and tested safe fishing methods for all their products.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.