Tuna is one of the seafood ingredients that most of us genuinely fancy. Known as a good source of high-quality protein with incredibly low-fat content, it is no wonder why it is one of the most delicate fish meat we love in any season of the year.
It is also worth denoting that tuna contains all the amino acids crucial to an individual’s body growth and lean muscle tissue maintenance. With these benefits and the continuous demand for this raw product, many companies see it as an excellent item to bring into the market through the canning process.
Now, with countless commercial tuna products being offered, picking the most notable, tasty, delicious, and nutritious one could be challenging. Each one provides its canned tuna products in unique flavors and various chunk sizes. However, which one would you give a try? Let us save you the trouble of finding the right one as we have made a roundup of the five perfect canned tuna products in the marker.
With close inspection of the size of the chunks, taste, and even packaging, we know that you can identify the canned product that deserves a space in your kitchen cupboard!
Best Canned Tuna Comparison & Rating
Ortiz Bonito Del Norte White Tuna in Olive Oil
Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna
Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Pure Olive Oil
Want to Learn More?
Before you rush and pick the canned tuna that complies with your culinary taste standards, let us first look at each item. Besides the packaging, it is also essential to review the contents of the products. After this, we assure you that you’ll find the best-tasting chunky canned tuna for you. Also, don’t forget to click the yellow buttons below to get their best deals on Amazon!
1. Ortiz Bonito Del Norte White Tuna in Olive Oil
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Specifications:
- Brand: Ortiz
- Weight: 1.17 Pounds
- Liquid Content: Olive Oil
- Source: Cantábrico Sea
- Rating: 99% Overall
Positive:
- Tuna meat comes in really huge chunks.
- Actual premium quality white tuna
- It uses olive oil, which delivers additional health benefits to consumers
- The tuna meat comes from the Cantábrico Sea.
- Only uses natural ingredients such as oil and salt
- Mildly flavored with salt and high-quality olive oil
- Easy-open can
Negative:
- The big chunks of tuna meat would require you to cut it into small pieces if you need to use it as an ingredient for various dishes.
- The items are sold in a pack of four.
Verdict:
We were serious when we said that the tuna meat comes in considerable chunks in this canned product. The meat in this canned product is absolute BIG CHUNKS that you need to cut yourself if you want to use them as an ingredient for salad and sandwiches that require average sizes of chunks. The big chunks can even compete with the average chunks of cut chicken and pork meat. On the other hand, olive oil helps enhance its flavor and maintain the moisture in the tuna meat. The additional minimal salt gives it a mild, delicate taste and exquisite olive oil flavor.
2. Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna
Specifications:
- Brand: Wild Planet
- Weight: 5.07 Pounds
- Liquid Content: Pure Tuna Content
- Source: Northern Part of the Pacific Ocean or Off Coastal New Zealand
- Rating: 97% Overall
Positive:
- Available in packs of four and 12.
- Tuna used is poled and line-caught in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean or off coastal New Zealand.
- The process of catching tuna is sustainable and is assured of maintaining tuna’s natural population.
- Tuna Chunks are of average size.
- Each serving contains 600mg of EPA and DHA omega-three that support your brain, heart, and whole-body health.
- Gluten-free, Non-GMO, and Kosher.
- Sea salt, keto and paleo, and third-party mercury were tested.
- It is a versatile ingredient for any dish and is safe for consumption right out of the can.
- It has no additional oils, water, or fillers.
- Clean Choice Awards recognized it in 2018 as the best-tasting tuna.
Negative:
- Not available for individual purchases.
- A bit pricier than any other tuna brand due to its high-quality production.
Verdict:
The Wild Planet Albacore assures that it brings sustainability to nature and benefits its consumers from sea to can. The company uses a pole and line-caught process that maintains the safety of other marine creatures. On the other hand, while it promotes environmental sustainability, it offers us tuna meat in cans truly rich in essential minerals like EPA and DHA omega 3. Most of all, it provides you with the natural flavor and taste of tuna, just like the traditional canned tuna products we used to enjoy in the past. Once you open it, you’ll immediately have the aroma of clean-smelling tuna meat.
3. Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna
Specifications:
- Brand: Bumble Bee
- Weight: 9.19 Pounds
- Liquid Content: Water
- Source: Different Fishing Grounds
- Rating: 95% Overall
Positive:
- Light tuna chunks in the water help to retain its original flavor and give you clean-tasting tuna meat
- Available in water or vegetable oil
- Tuna is canned in 5-ounce cans, making it a handy canned product for a light meal or a fast snack.
- Gluten-free and high in protein; ideal for individuals observing keto and paleo diet
- Versatile tuna product due to its original flavor making it a perfect ingredient for salads and other dishes
- A tasty alternative to different varieties of canned fish, including canned herring, mackerel, smoked herring, pickled herring, kipper snacks, canned salmon, salmon pouches, and other canned seafood and canned meats
Negative:
- It contains oil and water, which affects the amount of tuna meat in the cans
- The company obtains tuna meat from various oceans, leading to the variation in tuna meat quality.
Verdict:
The Bumble Bee Chunk tuna is one of the few canned tuna products that can give you the original taste of tuna meat. The tuna in the cans retain firm and solid, providing you with satisfying chunks of meat fit for your pasta, salad, and sandwiches. The impressive chunks make it an excellent alternative to various canned meats and even for actual raw fish meats in the market. That said, if you need a tuna meat ingredient that won’t significantly affect the taste of the dish you want to cook, this one is for you.
4. StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
Specifications:
- Brand: StarKist
- Weight: 6.4 Ounces (per can)
- Liquid Content: Water
- Source: US
- Rating: 93% Overall
Positive:
- Meat used for the production is wild-caught
- It offers 20g of protein, Omega 3s, and 90 calories per can
- Soy and gluten-free; perfect for individuals observing keto, paleo, and the Mediterranean diets
- The added water helps retain the original and clean flavor of the tuna.
- Versatile tuna product due to its original flavor making it a perfect ingredient for salads and other dishes
- It comes in a pull-top can for easy opening
- Available in single purchases
Negative:
- It contains water which affects the amount of tuna meat in the cans
- The StarKist tuna meat is comparatively thinner and smaller than other canned tuna products on this list.
Verdict:
The StarKist tuna has a very distinctive light yet delicious flavor, which you would enjoy. Compared to other tuna in water that comes in bland and dull taste, this one has just the right kick to leave your palate the tuna taste you want. Though it comes in thin and tiny shreds, it won’t fail to deliver you the satisfying taste of tuna. Most of all, although it contains water, the amount of tuna meat is pleasing!
5. Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Pure Olive Oil
Specifications:
- Brand: Genova
- Weight: 6.33 Ounces (per can)
- Liquid Content: Olive Oil
- Source: Thailand
- Rating: 93% Overall
Positive:
- It comes in 5-ounce cans
- It uses olive oil, which delivers additional health benefits to consumers
- It uses genuine yellowfin tuna meat, which is prized for its culinary quality
- 100 percent dolphin-safe tuna meat acquisition; wild-caught
- Tuna meat comes from the rich ocean of Thailand.
- Zero-gram carb
- All-natural, no preservatives, and additives
- Easy-open can
Negative:
- Sold in a pack of 24
Verdict:
Compared to other canned tuna products in the market, the Genova tuna contains larger chunks, the perfect ingredient for your everyday dish. Besides adding additional taste and flavor, the olive oil helps retain the flavor inside the tuna meat, so you can be confident that each chunk is richly tasteful. It gives you a pleasant, light taste suitable for your sandwiches and salads. Most of all, it doesn’t contain that repelling fishy smell compared to other tuna products in the market.
Canned Tuna Buyer’s Guide
Chunks: It has been typical for any consumer to look for “chunky” tuna meat whenever purchasing canned tuna products. However, always consider how chunky you want to have your tuna meat. Most canned tuna products come in average sizes of meat. Nonetheless, those rare brands also offer massive cuts of tuna meat.
Ingredients: Tuna meat often comes in water, vegetable, and olive oil. Always consider which type of canned tuna best suits you. While tuna in water offers a clean-tasting and original flavor of tuna, the ones soaked in vegetable oil or olive oil offer a better and more enhanced taste for tuna meat.
Packs: If you are a true tuna lover, you might consider purchasing products that come in large numbers of items in each package. However, it is also ideal to opt for canned tuna individually sold as it gives you the liberty to purchase just the specific number of cans you need.
Source: It is always good to consider where the tuna meat for the canned product is being obtained. Such companies with specific fishing grounds are more likely to offer you consistent standards for the quality and sizes of chunks of tuna meat.
Price: Though it is always good to settle for inexpensive canned tuna products, it is still better to be an intelligent consumer and look for a brand that can serve you quality tuna products at the most reasonable prices. Remember that expensive products can’t always offer you quality while the cheap ones can not always assure you the great deal you want.
Best Canned Tuna FAQs
Q. What are the benefits of canned tuna?
A. Canned tuna can provide essential nutrients your body needs, like omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, selenium, and Vitamin D.
Q. Which type of canned tuna meat is the best?
A. According to the FDA and EPA, canned light tuna is better as it has a lower-mercury content. While canned white and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury, they are still safe for consumption among individuals.
Q. How much fat does tuna meat have?
A. Most tuna species contain approximately 2 grams of fat per 113-gram portion and less than 45 milligrams of cholesterol and sodium.
Q. Which is better? Tuna in water or oil?
A. The water-soaked tuna meat has fewer calories and retains more omega-3s. This makes it a more nutritious and health-friendly option for consumers. On the other hand, tuna in oil is unsaturated and heart-healthy.