Skipjack is the safest tuna for mercury.

Yes. Skipjack (canned light tuna) has the lowest mercury levels. Bigeye tuna (often used in sushi) has the highest. Albacore (canned white) sits in the middle.

Mercury accumulates in larger, older fish. Skipjack are smaller and shorter-lived, so they don’t build up as much. Bigeye are long-lived predators that eat smaller fish, concentrating mercury over years. Albacore are bigger than skipjack but not as big as bigeye.

If you’re watching mercury intake (pregnant, nursing, feeding kids), stick with skipjack light tuna. Limit albacore to a few times a month. Skip bigeye sushi entirely unless it’s a rare treat.

The FDA and EPA have clear guidelines: up to 12 ounces of light tuna per week for adults, but only 4 ounces of albacore. Bigeye isn’t even on the “okay” list.

Know what you’re buying. Cans labeled “light” are almost always skipjack. “White” is albacore. Sushi labeled “tuna” could be anything—ask what species.