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Although sardines are generally considered safe for most people to consume, the biggest concerns about sardines for the general population stem back to the question of sustainability, heavy metal contamination, and whether or not consuming canned sardines is a health risk.
Experts believe that the sardines nutrition benefits outweigh the possible health risks associated with eating them. However, like with all canned foods, it’s best to try and find a brand that packages its food in a can free of the chemical BPA. BPA is a chemical that is commonly used in the manufacturing of some vinyl, aluminum and tin can liners. This includes some cans that are used to pack sardines and other fish like salmon or anchovies. BPA is known as an “endocrine disruptor” because it may have the ability to disrupt certain hormonal activities in the body and negatively impact the endocrine system.
There is still more research needed on the amount of BPA that is actually able to leach into oily fish when they are packed in BPA cans, as the only research that has been done so far is minimal and has not drawn conclusive results. In the meantime, though, opt for cans that are labeled BPA-free whenever possible.
In order to practice sustainability, it’s also best to look for sardines that are wild-caught from Pacific seas. If possible, try to avoid Mediterranean-caught sardines, as these tend to be the oceans that are quickly becoming the most depleted.
Pregnant women are advised to avoid consuming fish that contain high levels of mercury. Consuming mercury during pregnancy has been associated with risks for developmental delays and brain damage to the fetus. Both experts warn pregnant women to avoid fish including shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they are high in mercury. However, sardines are one of the lowest sources of mercury and therefore are normally safe to eat during pregnancy in moderate amounts (one to two times per week) as part of an otherwise healthy diet. *
