Can You Eat Tuna When Breastfeeding?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS: food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding · Last updated 28 October 2026
Yes, tinned or fresh. The NHS fish page (reviewed 26 June 2026) says there is no limit on tuna while breastfeeding and that fresh and canned tuna are not oily fish. The NHS breastfeeding page lists fresh tuna as an example of oily fish (maximum 2 portions a week). The two pages disagree about fresh tuna.
What the guidance says
The NHS fish and shellfish page (reviewed 26 June 2026) says: 'If you are breastfeeding, there is no limit on how much tuna you can eat' and 'Fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish'. The NHS food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding page (published 21 July 2023, modified 28 January 2026) says not to eat more than 2 portions of oily fish a week 'like fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines and pilchards'. Both cannot be right about fresh tuna. We have not picked a winner: tinned tuna is outside the cap on both pages, and for fresh tuna steaks the cautious choice is to count them in your 2 oily portions.
You can also check the calorie content of tuna alongside its safety information. Dog owners should check if tuna is safe for dogs before sharing, and cat owners can check whether cats can eat tuna.
Two NHS pages, two answers on fresh tuna
This is an open conflict on the NHS website, not a gap in our research. We read both pages on 28 October 2026. They are written for different readers and say different things about fresh tuna, and rival articles quote whichever one they found first.
| Source (page date) | Is tuna limited while breastfeeding? | Is tuna 'oily fish'? |
|---|---|---|
| NHS: Fish and shellfish (reviewed 26 June 2026) | 'If you are breastfeeding, there is no limit on how much tuna you can eat.' | 'Fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish.' |
| NHS: Food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding (published 21 July 2023, modified 28 January 2026) | No separate tuna limit. It says 'do not eat more than 2 portions of oily fish a week'. | Lists oily fish as 'like fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines and pilchards'. |
| Bolt Pharmacy, an online pharmacy (28 January 2026, updated 23 October 2026) | Body text says the tuna limit does not apply and to follow the oily fish rule; its own summary box says breastfeeding mothers should limit tuna to 4 cans or 2 steaks, which contradicts the body | Fresh tuna counts as oily; canned tuna does not |
| Food Standards Australia New Zealand (December 2020) | Canned tuna is safe for everyone including pregnant women; other tuna follows the Australian Dietary Guidelines | Not discussed |
| The Donut Whole (US, undated) | No more than 6 oz (170 g) of light canned tuna a week and 6 oz of albacore a month; says its figures may not match current FDA and EPA advice | Not discussed |
We cannot tell which NHS page is correct, and neither page mentions the other. The fish page has the later review stamp (26 June 2026) and states its tuna rule outright, while the breastfeeding page only names tuna in a list of examples. We have therefore not treated either as the winner.
What to do in practice: tin or steak?
The two NHS pages only conflict over fresh tuna. For the tinned tuna in most sandwiches, they agree.
| What you are eating | Fish page says | Breastfeeding page says | Practical reading (our judgement) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinned tuna (sandwich, pasta, jacket potato) | No limit; not oily fish | Names only fresh tuna as oily, so tinned is outside the cap | No weekly limit on either page. Vary your fish |
| Fresh tuna steak, cooked | No limit; not oily fish | Fresh tuna counts towards the 2-portion oily fish cap | To be safe on both pages, count each steak as one of your 2 oily portions |
| Seared or raw tuna (sushi, poke) | Not covered for breastfeeding | Not covered | The NHS raw-fish ban is a pregnancy rule; see sushi when breastfeeding. The oily-fish arithmetic question is the same as for a steak |
| Tuna with salmon, mackerel or sardines in the same week | Oily fish capped at 2 portions a week | Same cap, names fresh tuna as one of them | If you count fresh tuna as oily, all of them share the same 2 portions |
'Count the steak' costs you nothing nutritionally, which is why we suggest it: it keeps you inside the stricter reading of both pages. It is our suggestion, not NHS wording.
A worked week (our arithmetic)
Two example weeks under the cautious reading, where a fresh tuna steak uses one of your 2 oily-fish portions and tinned tuna is unlimited.
| Week | Meals | Oily portions counted | Within the cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 tinned tuna sandwiches, 1 tuna pasta bake (tinned), 1 baked salmon fillet | 1 (the salmon) | Yes, with 1 spare |
| B | 1 fresh tuna steak, 1 mackerel fillet, 1 tin of sardines | 3 (steak, mackerel, sardines) | No. Drop one portion or swap for white fish such as cod or haddock |
| C | 4 tinned tuna lunches, 1 cod and chips | 0 | Yes. The fish page's no-limit statement is the one that applies |
Shark, swordfish and marlin are the real mercury limit
The NHS breastfeeding page says to 'limit swordfish, marlin or shark to 1 portion a week' because of mercury, and the fish page says all adults other than pregnant women should eat no more than 1 portion a week of these three fish combined. Bolt Pharmacy says breastfeeding women should avoid them, which is stricter than either NHS page. See swordfish when breastfeeding. Tuna is a different fish, and the NHS pages we read do not place any breastfeeding mercury limit on it.
What we changed on this site
Until Pass 10 our breastfeeding pages quoted only the fish page and told you tuna does not count as oily fish. That left out the fact that the NHS breastfeeding page names fresh tuna as oily. We now show both, mark the verdict as 'caution' for generic and fresh tuna because the NHS cannot be read one way, and keep tinned tuna as 'safe' because both pages agree. If the NHS aligns the pages, we will update this table.
Sources checked
Everything in the sections above was checked against these pages on 28 October 2026.
- NHS: Fish and shellfish (page last reviewed 26 June 2026) — breastfeeding: no limit on tuna; fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish; pregnancy 4 cans or 2 steaks; shark, swordfish, marlin
- NHS: Food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding (published 21 July 2023, modified 28 January 2026) — 2 portions oily fish a week 'like fresh tuna, salmon, trout...'; swordfish, marlin, shark 1 portion a week; page dates
- Bolt Pharmacy: How much tuna can you eat in a week, UK NHS guidelines (published 28 January 2026, updated 23 October 2026) — rival: fresh tuna oily, canned not; summary box contradicts body on breastfeeding; says avoid shark, swordfish, marlin
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Mercury in fish brochure (December 2020) — regulator comparison: canned tuna safe for everyone; billfish limits
- The Donut Whole: Can I eat canned tuna when breastfeeding? (undated, US) — rival: US 6 oz light tuna per week; own caveat on accuracy
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More for the feeding months
Tuna: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| In pregnancy | Limit — 2 steaks or 4 cans a week |
Common questions
Is tuna safe while breastfeeding?
Yes, tinned or fresh. The NHS fish page (reviewed 26 June 2026) says there is no limit on tuna while breastfeeding and that fresh and canned tuna are not oily fish. The NHS breastfeeding page lists fresh tuna as an example of oily fish (maximum 2 portions a week). The two pages disagree about fresh tuna.
Does tuna count towards my 2 portions of oily fish?
The two NHS pages disagree. The fish page says fresh and canned tuna do not count; the breastfeeding page names fresh tuna as an oily fish. Tinned tuna does not count on either page. If you eat fresh tuna steaks, the cautious choice is to count them.
Is there a tuna limit while breastfeeding?
The NHS fish page says there is no limit on how much tuna you can eat while breastfeeding. The NHS breastfeeding page does not give a separate tuna limit but lists fresh tuna under the 2-portion oily fish cap.
Was this different during pregnancy?
In pregnancy our verdict was “limit — 2 steaks or 4 cans a week” (see our pregnancy guide for the reasons).
What should I avoid while breastfeeding?
The NHS list is short. Caffeine: try not to have more than 300mg a day (a mug of filter coffee is about 140mg, instant 100mg, tea 75mg). Alcohol: it is safer not to drink, but 1 or 2 units once or twice a week should be fine. Oily fish: no more than 2 portions a week. Shark, swordfish and marlin: no more than 1 portion a week. Peanuts are fine unless you're allergic. Most other foods that were off the menu in pregnancy, such as soft cheese, pâté, cured meat and runny eggs, are not restricted.
Why do I see 'tuna is oily fish' and 'tuna is not oily fish' on NHS pages?
Two separate NHS pages disagree. The NHS fish page (reviewed 26 June 2026) says fresh and canned tuna do not count as oily fish. The NHS page on foods to avoid when breastfeeding (modified 28 January 2026) lists fresh tuna as an example of oily fish.
How many tuna steaks can I eat while breastfeeding?
The NHS fish page says there is no limit on tuna while breastfeeding. The NHS breastfeeding page would put fresh tuna inside the cap of 2 oily fish portions a week. To satisfy both, count each fresh tuna steak as one of your 2 oily portions.
Is the pregnancy limit of 4 cans or 2 steaks still relevant after the birth?
No. The NHS fish page gives that limit for pregnancy or trying for a baby and then says there is no limit on tuna when breastfeeding. Bolt Pharmacy's summary box repeats the pregnancy limit for breastfeeding mothers, but its own body text contradicts that.
Related answers
Primary source: NHS: food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.