Canned tuna is a go-to meal for many—affordable, rich in protein, and incredibly convenient. But what if your favorite tuna sandwich was quietly putting your health at risk? That everyday pantry staple could be hiding a serious concern: mercury contamination.
Mercury is a hazardous heavy metal that can seriously damage the nervous system, especially with repeated exposure. What’s more alarming is that not all canned tuna is the same—certain types carry far higher mercury levels than others. Without realizing it, you could be regularly consuming dangerous amounts.
Let’s take a closer look at what mercury is, why it ends up in tuna, and how to make safer choices without giving up this nutritious food.
What Is Mercury and Why Does It End Up in Tuna?
Mercury exists naturally in the Earth, but industrial practices like mining and burning coal have released excessive amounts into our environment. This mercury eventually makes its way into oceans, where it’s transformed into methylmercury—a highly toxic form.
This substance accumulates in marine life, especially in large predator fish like tuna. The process is called bioaccumulation: small fish absorb the mercury from water, larger fish eat those fish, and so on up the food chain.
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