New Yorkers Should Avoid Tuna Sushi

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that mercury levels in tuna sushi found in many restaurants and grocery stores in New York City.

The report states that, "Recent laboratory tests found so much mercury in tuna sushi from 20 Manhattan stores and restaurants that at most of them, a regular diet of six pieces a week would exceed the levels considered acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency."

Sushi from 5 of the 20 places had mercury levels so high that the Food and Drug Administration could take legal action to remove the fish from the market. The sushi was bought by The New York Times in October.

“No one should eat a meal of tuna with mercury levels like those found in the restaurant samples more than about once every three weeks," said Dr. Michael Gochfeld, professor of environmental and occupational medicine at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, N.J." Read the entire article here.

Some of the mercury packed fish was served at Nobu Next Door, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Sushi Seki, Sushi, Whole Foods, Gourmet Garage and Fairway and more.

It seems best to completely avoid Bluefin tuna, which has the highest mercury content of all the tuna varieties and eat any type of tuna in significant moderation. Pregnant and nursing women should not eat it at all.

Posted by Juliette Aiyana, LAc.