Are you wondering what to look for when choosing a low or reduced sodium tuna?  And what about a tuna that's kidney-friendly?  Is it really necessary to be concerned about those things?

If you’ve been advised to follow a low sodium and/or a kidney-friendly diet (low sodium and sometimes low potassium and/or phosphorus, as well), then it’s probably a good idea! Most leading canned tuna brands contain high amounts of sodium.  In addition, some also contain additives that many with kidney disease need to limit or avoid.

This article will review how to choose the best low or reduced sodium tuna and what to look for in a kidney-friendly tuna.  We’ll also give you a list of specific brands and variations that are good choices.  Finally, we’ll talk about a trick you can use to make your own low sodium tuna using regular canned tuna.

Jump to:

• Choosing a tuna that will fit your sodium needs
• Phosphates in your low or reduced sodium tuna
• Other than sodium & phosphate additives, is there anything else to look out for?
• Does it matter if your tuna is packed in water or oil?
• Best Brands of low/reduced sodium tuna
• Making your own low /reduced sodium tuna
• The choice is yours!

What’s the problem with typical canned tuna?

As mentioned earlier, typical canned tuna can be too high in sodium and contain additives that are not kidney-friendly for many, depending on their individual diet recommendations.   

Sodium in regular canned tuna

I did an informal review of regular canned tuna on the market and found that most have added salt in the ingredient list and contain around 350 mg sodium in a 5 oz can (which has a drained weight of ~ 3.75 ounces, or ~ 113g) 

To put this in context, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and National Kidney Foundation recommend a daily sodium limit of 1500-2300 mg for healthy adults. If you have certain chronic health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease, you may need to limit sodium to 1500 mg per day.  The ~350 mg of sodium /serving in regular tuna could be difficult to comfortably fit into this sodium budget. 

Choosing a tuna that will fit your sodium needs

A 100 gram (~ 3 ½ ounce) portion of tuna,  which is slightly less than the weight of most cans of tuna after drained, naturally contains about 50 mg of sodium.  However, it’s the added sodium that can put the total sodium content over-the-top.

Look at the label claims and nutrition facts for sodium

When choosing your low or reduced sodium tuna, it’s important to know what the label claims mean.  I also suggest double-checking the sodium amount listed on the nutrition facts label.

“No salt added”

This means that the canned tuna only contains the sodium that is naturally-occurring in the tuna itself.  It contains no added salt or ingredients that contain added salt. Canned tuna with this claim will have the lowest amount of total sodium.

Most 5-ounce cans of no salt added tuna packed in water or oil have around 50-90 mg of sodium after drained.  Some may contain a little less.

However, I was surprised that some cans of “no salt added tuna” contained much more.  So, if you want to choose the lowest sodium tuna, also check the nutrition facts for the sodium content.

“Low sodium”

According to food labeling regulations by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, a food must not contain more than 140 mg of sodium in a common serving size to be labeled as “low sodium”.  

Some canned tuna labeled as “low sodium” is used interchangeably with “no salt added”.  However, others may have a small amount of salt or ingredients with added salt as long as the total sodium meets the 140 mg or less criteria.

“Reduced sodium” or “less sodium”

Be cautious with tuna that lists claims of being “reduced sodium” or “less sodium” because this does not necessarily mean the tuna is low in sodium.  To carry these claims, a food must contain at least 25% less sodium than the regular version. 

While any reduction in sodium is a plus, you'll need to check the nutrition facts label for the actual sodium amount to determine if it can fit into your specific sodium budget.  I suggest choosing a tuna that has at least 50% less sodium than regular tuna, or less than ~ 175 mg per 5-ounce can.  

Phosphates in your low or reduced sodium tuna

Tuna does contain some naturally-occurring phosphorus, commonly called organic phosphorus.  (This is true for most foods high in protein). If you have been advised to limit your phosphorus intake (such as some people with kidney disease), the organic phosphorus in canned tuna is not usually the concern.

However, some canned tuna contains inorganic phosphorus, or phosphate additives. This is the type of phosphorus that is highly absorbable into your bloodstream. If your phosphorus intake and blood levels are a concern (such as it is for some people with kidney disease), it is therefore important that you limit added phosphates as much as possible

That's because added phosphates have the potential to increase blood phosphorus to levels that are too high.  This in turn can have a negative effect on your bones and heart, among other things.

How to choose low or reduced sodium tuna with no phosphate additives

The best way to avoid phosphate additives is to check the ingredient list. Avoid any ingredients that contain “phos” within the name. 

The most common example of a phosphate additive in some canned tuna is: “Sodium Pyrophosphate". Or you may see it listed as simply “Pyrophosphate”.  Below is an example of an ingredient list for canned tuna that contains phosphate additives.

Other than sodium & phosphate additives, is there anything else to look out for?

Tuna does contain mercury which can be harmful if consumed in excessive amounts.  However, this does not mean canned tuna is unsafe.  This article provides some nice charts on the mercury content of various types of tuna. It also tells you the weekly amount that is safe for you to consume based on your weight.

Does it matter if your tuna is packed in water or oil?

Whether you choose low or reduced sodium tuna packed in water or oil is just a matter of preference.  One doesn’t usually have more sodium or is more likely to contain phosphate additives than the other.

Since fat enhances flavor, you may find that tuna packed in oil is tastier.  In addition, some tuna is packed in extra virgin olive oil.  Extra virgin olive oil has been shown to have numerous health benefits which include acting as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. It can also protect you from disease such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, some prefer tuna packed in water, because it’s lower in calories.  In addition, its lower fat content can be beneficial for those who suffer from different conditions in which high amounts of fat can exacerbate (ex: gastro-esophageal reflux disease/GERD, gallbladder issues, pancreatitis).   Others prefer tuna packed in water because they prefer the lighter taste.

Best Brands of low/reduced sodium tuna

Below are some brands and variations of low and reduced sodium tuna that not only fit the suggested criteria for sodium content outlined above, but that also do not have phosphate additives.  However, I suggest you periodically double-check the labels.  Unfortunately, manufacturers can (and do!) change their ingredients without notice!

Note: All sodium amounts listed below are for a drained weight of approximately 113g of tuna. This is generally one 5-ounce can, drained.

The exception is the first two tunas on the list by Wild Planet. This brand contains ONLY tuna (it is not packed in water or oil), so it has more actual tuna in the can. So that we are comparing "apples-to-apples", the sodium amounts listed are for 113g. This way it is an equal comparison to the other brands.

I would also like to note that apparently Wild Planet®️ has made some changes in the tuna/amount of tuna in its cans (and therefore in the amount of sodium in one can). When doing research for this article, I found some differing label information. The information below is based on information directly form Wild Planet®️'s website.

Making your own low /reduced sodium tuna

A different option to buying low or reduced sodium tuna is to make your own! This can be useful if you don’t have any low or reduced sodium tuna in your pantry. 

Or perhaps your local supermarket doesn’t carry it.  It could also be a little too pricey (it’s not unusual for low or reduced sodium tuna to be a little more expensive).  Just don’t forget to check the ingredient list for phosphate additives if that is a concern for you!

One study showed that draining canned tuna and rinsing it for 3 minutes decreased the sodium content by a whopping ~ 80%.  So, if you rinse a tuna that originally had a sodium content of 350 mg, you will reduce it to ~70 mg! 

One possible downside of this method, however, is that it could affect the taste and texture of the tuna.

The choice is yours!

You can’t go wrong when choosing a kidney-friendly or low/reduced sodium tuna if you use the sodium and phosphate criteria outlined above.  Or, better yet, keep it simple and pull up our list when shopping! 

Another perfectly viable option is rinsing your regular tuna to reduce the sodium to acceptable levels. Just be sure to check for additive phosphates if this applies to your diet recommendations.

For more tips on ways to reduce sodium in your diet, check out our article: 10 Tips for a Tasty 2 Gram Sodium Diet (From a Dietitian).