Is Tuna Safe for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
For people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Tuna is worth limiting or using with caution both during a flare and in remission. Scombridae fish species monitored across baseline environmental metal parameters.
Status for RA
Why this rating?
Scombridae fish species monitored across baseline environmental metal parameters.
People who are sensitive to this ingredient may notice gi. Individual responses vary, so this symptom category does not replace the condition-specific rating above.
Editorial summary
This summary is editorial and is not part of the clinical review. Ratings above are unchanged.
What tuna is
Tuna is a family of large ocean fish eaten fresh, frozen and canned. Canned light tuna is usually skipjack or other smaller tuna species, while canned white tuna is albacore. Fresh tuna steaks and sushi often come from yellowfin or bigeye tuna. Tuna provides protein and omega-3 fats.
Why the rating is cautious
Tuna is rated with caution because of mercury. The joint FDA and EPA advice about eating fish places canned light tuna, mostly skipjack, among its best choices, and albacore and yellowfin among its good choices, noting that albacore typically contains about three times more mercury than canned light tuna. Bigeye tuna is on the list of choices to avoid because it has among the highest mercury levels. Larger, longer-lived fish accumulate more methylmercury, and cooking does not remove it. That is the basis for our rating: Avoid for inflammatory bowel disease, and Limit for Hashimoto's, Graves', rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus, in a flare and in remission.
Fish is still worth eating
The FDA and EPA advice is aimed mainly at people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and at young children, and it encourages eating fish from the lower-mercury lists. Fish provides omega-3 fats, protein and other nutrients that are part of anti-inflammatory eating patterns. The practical question is which tuna, how often, and what else you eat from the sea in the same week. Salmon, sardines, anchovies, trout and pollock are among the agencies' best choices.
Reading a label
Canned tuna labels say light or white, and the species is often listed. Light tuna is the lower-mercury choice. Tuna steaks and sushi are harder to judge, so ask which species it is. Tuna canned in oil is higher in fat, and many canned tunas are salty, so check the sodium line if you watch salt.
In short
In short, tuna is rated with caution because some species are high in mercury. Canned light tuna is the lower-mercury option, bigeye is the one to avoid, and your care team can help you decide how much fish suits you.
How Tuna is rated across conditions
The same ingredient can mean different things depending on the condition. These are the ratings for every condition that has a guide for Tuna.
| Condition | During a flare | In remission |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) | Avoid | Avoid |
| Hashimoto's Thyroiditis | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Graves' Disease | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Multiple Sclerosis (MS) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Lupus (SLE) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
Related ingredients
Same ingredient family or way of affecting the body.
Other conditions
Sources
Published sources
- World Health Organization — Healthy diet fact sheet — public health authority
Clinical review
Reviewed by Morvarid Nikousokhantayar, MSc Nutrition, Certified Naturopath & Nutritionist — last reviewed September 25, 2026.
This is general dietary information, not medical advice. Talk to your care team about your individual triggers.
Want to check a full product against your conditions?
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