Can you eat canned tuna while pregnant?
Yes, and canned light tuna is the better pick, as FDA and EPA list it among Best Choices at 2 to 3 servings of 4 oz a week. It averaged 0.126 ppm of mercury in FDA testing. Canned albacore (white) tuna is a Good Choice at 1 serving a week with no other fish that week, and ACOG says to limit white (albacore) tuna to 6 oz a week.
This page covers food safety in pregnancy. The same advice applies to other people at higher risk of foodborne illness: older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems. If your doctor has given you a specific diet, follow it. The mercury amounts on this page are for adults who are or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding. FDA and EPA give children different amounts.
What FDA and ACOG say
Amounts and limits
- Level E FDA:
Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury.
FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies (booklet), accessed 2026-10-12 - Level E FDA:
Goal: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should eat 2 to 3 servings and children should eat 2 servings of a variety of fish each week from the “Best Choices” list.
FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12 - Level E ACOG:
You should eat two or three servings of fish or shellfish per week before getting pregnant, while pregnant, and while breastfeeding.
ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), accessed 2026-10-12 - Level E ACOG:
Limit white (albacore) tuna to only 6 oz a week.
ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), accessed 2026-10-12
Word-for-word quotes from official US sources. Level E means the position of an expert body. How we grade evidence.
Mercury: how much a week in pregnancy
| Kind | Mercury, mean ppm | Samples | FDA/EPA group | Servings a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canned light tuna (including skipjack) | 0.126 | 545 | Best Choices | 2 to 3 servings of 4 oz a week |
| Albacore (white) tuna (canned) | 0.35 | 451 | Good Choices | 1 serving of 4 oz a week, with no other fish that week |
Mercury: FDA testing 1990 to 2012. Groups and servings: FDA and EPA advice for people who are or may become pregnant and those who are breastfeeding. A serving is 4 oz (113 g) before cooking.
What a serving brings in pregnancy
| Nutrient | Per 4 oz (113 g) | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 21.5 g | 43% |
| Iron | 1.9 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin D | 1.4 mcg | 7% |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.9 mcg | 121% |
USDA FoodData Central, Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids. It has 102 calories. Daily Values are the standard adult label values, not pregnancy targets.
What studies found
- Level E US FDA and EPA advice puts canned light tuna among Best Choices, fine at 2 to 3 servings a week in pregnancy, and notes albacore typically has three times more mercury. FDA/EPA, Questions & Answers from the FDA/EPA Advice about Eating Fish, 2022
Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study, D lab or animal work, E an expert position. How we grade evidence.
In practice
The label tells you which group you are in. Canned light tuna, which includes skipjack, averaged 0.126 ppm of mercury in FDA testing. White or albacore tuna averaged 0.35 ppm, close to three times as much (Level E).
A 4 oz serving of canned light tuna in water has 21.5 g of protein and 1.9 mg of iron.
A practical week: two or three 4 oz servings of canned light tuna fit the advice, counted together with any other fish you eat that week, not on top of it. If you prefer albacore, FDA and EPA make it your one fish serving that week.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E US FDA and EPA advice puts canned light tuna among Best Choices, fine at 2 to 3 servings a week in pregnancy, and notes albacore typically has three times more mercury. FDA/EPA, Questions & Answers from the FDA/EPA Advice about Eating Fish, 2022
Written from the agency positions and data on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
- FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies (booklet), https://www.fda.gov/media/83740/download (accessed 2026-10-12)
- FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely (accessed 2026-10-12)
- ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/healthy-eating-during-pregnancy (accessed 2026-10-12)
- FDA, Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012), https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/mercury-levels-commercial-fish-and-shellfish-1990-2012 (accessed 2026-10-12)
- FDA and EPA, Advice about Eating Fish, https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish (accessed 2026-10-12)
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids, FDC ID 334194
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Agency pages checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.