12 Tuna Brands, Ranked

America eats around one billion pounds of tuna every year. Nearly a quarter of all Americans consume some form of this saltwater fish at least once a week. To put this mass consumption into perspective, consider the fact that only sugar and coffee surpass tuna in sales relative to shelf space at the grocery store.

Sealed cans of tuna have an impressive shelf life that can typically last up to four years. But even beyond its sheer practicality, part of tuna's appeal comes from its wide range of health benefits. Tuna offers high protein with minimal calories along with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that contain a variety of health advantages, ranging from boosting heart health to potentially alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression (via Healthline).

Whether you lay it over a bed of fresh greens for a salad, make a melt out of it with some toasted sourdough, or bake it in the oven as a creamy noodle casserole, tuna brings major flavor to the table. That said, there are a lot of different tuna brands on the market to pick from. Some provide bigger chunks of the filet, while others offer shredded pieces that are more tasty and tender. With so many variations and different tuna brands to choose from, how should you know what each of them has to offer? That's where we come in. Here are 12 tuna brands ranked.

StarKist is a popular tuna brand that can be found at major grocery stores all across the country. The company now sources 100% of its tuna sustainably from suppliers that meet the standards of the Marine Stewardship Council or from suppliers in the process of certification. This particular offering from StarKist comes packed with chunk light tuna, which is a blend of skipjack and yellowfin tuna. Skipjack tends to be a healthier choice since it's smaller than albacore and has lower levels of mercury (via Healthline). 

Another bonus of this can of tuna is the fact that it contains 25% less sodium. Widely available, wild-caught, and packed with 20 grams of protein, there's no doubt this can of tuna is a good choice. Even though this can of tuna contains five ounces, some customers have complained that it seems to take more cans of this stuff to make tuna salad (via Amazon). Regardless, this brand is still clearly making strides to improve its quality by offering options like this with less sodium and also by making efforts to sustainably source its fish. While this can of tuna isn't necessarily exceptional or mind-blowing, it's still an affordable, solid choice that you can depend on. 

Bumble Bee is another company that dominates the tuna market. If you've ever perused the canned tuna section at your local grocery store, there's a good chance it's been well-stocked with Bumble Bee. You may have also noticed tuna packaged in pouches, like this Bumble Bee wild caught albacore in water. There's a mixture of advantages and drawbacks to this pick.

On the one hand, it comes in a lightweight pouch. At only 2.5 ounces, there's no doubt that this is a great option for hiking or camping. This could easily be slipped into a bag and taken on the go without adding much extra weight. If you packed some crackers along with it, this could serve as a quick, protein-rich snack that doesn't require much time or preparation. 

On the other hand, some customers claim there seems to be an off-taste to this tuna. While taste is certainly subjective, others have chimed in with similar complaints, describing it as mushy and disgusting. This tuna's convenient packaging earns it some cool points in our book, but it may not offer the kind of consistency and quality that you might be expecting from albacore.

To complete the royal trio of top contenders in the world of tuna, we have Chicken of the Sea. This five-ounce can of chunk light tuna comes submerged in a blend of water, vegetable broth, and salt. With 23 grams of protein, a single can of this tuna will help you satisfy nearly half of the recommended value of protein you need to consume for an entire day.

This chunk light tuna has a pleasantly rich flavor that's truly tasty. How do we account for this deliciousness? It could be the quality of the tuna being used along with the vegetable broth that it's marinating in. Whatever the reason, there's no doubt that this tuna hits all the right marks. Tender and flavorful without being overly fishy, Chicken of the Sea chunk light tuna is always a respectable choice.

This tuna is a great choice to whip up a quick tuna salad for sandwiches, melts, or wraps. Since it's already so moist and tender, it doesn't really need much mayonnaise or lemon juice — just a spoonful and a squeeze or two will do. We'd also recommend adding some diced celery, green onions, and pickled jalapenos for some textural variation and extra bite.

Freshé sets itself apart from the pack by including a variety of interesting ingredients in its tuna mixes. This is a convenient choice for those who want a tasty tuna salad that's ready to eat right out of the can. Having an option like this can be a real time-saver since you don't have to spend time dicing up fresh vegetables or adding other fixings to amp up the taste of your tuna salad.

Fans of a little heat will appreciate the Thai sriracha tuna that comes packed with wild-caught tuna, crunchy peanuts, sweet and sour beans, greens, and an undercurrent of spice that's inspired by Asian cuisine. Customers tend to praise Freshé, calling its tins of flavorful tuna a "delicious and satisfying" option for lunch (via Amazon). If you don't dig the spice life, you can always opt for a tin of Freshé's Sicilian caponata, which comes infused with butternut squash, shaved almonds, herbs, and fire-roasted vegetables. 

All things considered, Freshé is a great option for tuna lovers looking to expand their tuna salad horizons. The ability to simply open a tin of tuna that's rich and packed full of delightfully creative ingredient combinations is an ideal situation for those who want a quick, protein-rich meal. At just over 4 ounces, these tins are a little smaller than the typical 5-ounce cans other brands offer, so you may need to double up on these on those days you have a bigger appetite.

Whole Foods' house brand, 365, has a lot of products in its lineup, including these cans of albacore in water. Part of the lure with this option is how beautifully simple it is: no added salt, no extra ingredients at all — just plain chunks of white albacore sealed in water. This is a great pick for those of you who prefer large chunks of albacore filet over the smaller, more minced pieces that tend to come with the chunk light style of tuna that's made with skipjack.

Fans of this particular brand rave about its impressive solid pieces of filet, going as far as to say that these cans of tuna are "perfectly consistent" when it comes to "quality, texture, color, and solidity" (via Amazon). Because there is no added salt or any other ingredients, these cans of tuna are a great choice when you want to dress up your tuna with customized fixings. And because the filet is mostly left intact in chunkier pieces, this is also ideal for dishes that suit bigger pieces of tuna. Give this a try on a fresh bed of greens or in a healthy wrap loaded with fresh vegetables. Once you give this a try, you're bound to keep this in your regular rotation.

Chicken of the Sea has earned another spot here with its Thai chili tuna. What's cool about these infusion offerings from Chicken of the Sea is the convenient design. The tuna is packed into a bowl and comes with a spork under the lid, providing everything you need to eat in one useful package. This means there's no need to bring Tupperware to work or pack utensils — Chicken of the Sea does all the heavy lifting for you.

Clever packaging aside, this tuna also happens to be really delicious. Made with a blend of tender skipjack tuna packed in olive oil with red chiles, this tuna has a pleasant sparkle of spice that adds some nice flavor to the mix. Customers tend to love this stuff so much that they purchase it on a regular basis, thanks to its convenient design and undeniable tastiness. If you aren't really down with some subtle heat, the company offers a few other flavors in its infusion lineup like herbaceous tuna marinated in olive oil and sweet basil.

Looking for yellowfin tuna with a chunkier texture? Genova's premium yellowfin tuna in olive oil might be just what you've been looking for. Sealed with a simple blend of olive oil and salt, these cans of yellowfin tuna contain plenty of solid hunks of juicy tuna. Fans of this brand applaud the plump pieces of tuna inside along with its rich flavor.

This five-ounce can of tuna offers a Mediterranean-inspired texture and flavor that gives it a tasty edge that puts it ahead of some of its other competitors. We also like that this comes available in so many different sizes, ranging from a single three-ounce can all the way up to a six-pack of seven-ounce cans. Genova tuna's bite-sized chunks makes it an ideal pick for salads, casseroles, and pastas. Customers also love this particular brand for its affordable price tag and also because the olive oil helps the fish retain its natural flavors. In a seemingly endless sea of canned tuna options on the market, Genova's premium yellowfin is an excellent choice.

Pole & Line is a canned tuna company that's owned by Whole Foods Market. The company offers five different types of canned tuna, along with this can of albacore in olive oil. Pole & Line prides itself on its sustainable harvesting techniques that employ families with a history in the fishing industry along the Pacific coast and the Maldives. In our book, these kinds of mindful and environmentally-friendly practices are enough to give this brand a well-deserved boost. But even beyond that, customers are often pleasantly surprised with the high quality of this tuna, given its reasonable price tag.

Others love the taste and recommend it for classic tuna sandwiches or baked casseroles. These compliments are noteworthy, considering that albacore tends to be on the drier side — yet the tuna offered here by Pole & Line seems to not have this problem. If you prefer skipjack over albacore, the company offers that too — one can with added salt and another that's salt-free. Pole & Line's standards for sustainability combined with its quality offerings make it one of the best tuna brands out there. If you're looking to switch it up from your normal tuna brand, this is a venture worth taking.

Wild Planet opened up for business in 2004 with a mission to provide customers with top-notch seafood products that are sustainably sourced. Wild Planet's skipjack tuna is pole and line caught, hand-cut, and then packed by hand. The contents in this can contain nothing but tuna and a little sea salt — there is no added water or oil. Because there's no added liquid in these cans, there's no need to drain them. All you'll find inside is tender tuna packed in its own natural juices from the cooking process.

This can of wild skipjack tuna has scored a perfect five-star rating on Moms Meet after nearly 3,000 customer reviews). It's also earned four-and-a-half stars on Amazon after more than 5,600 reviews from satisfied customers with verified purchases. This tasty tuna is perfect for a classic tuna melt, crispy tuna patties, or a Nicoise salad. Between its stellar ratings and top-notch quality, it's clear that Wild Planet offers some of the best cans of tuna in the business. Score yourself a few cans of this stuff and treat yourself to a delicious, protein-rich feast, courtesy of Wild Planet.

Safe Catch has a unique — yet alarming — origin story that's rooted in truly wanting to improve the tuna market. The founder of the company decided to start up his own tuna business when his mother was diagnosed with mercury poisoning after eating tuna on a daily basis. Safe Catch made it the company's mission to test each and every albacore tuna it catches, checking its fish for rates of mercury that are even lower than the FDA's action limit. In other words, Safe Catch's name isn't just some cute marketing ploy. It's an honest depiction of what motivated the company to start doing business.

These cans of wild albacore don't contain any oil, water, or other additives. Each can only contains hand-filleted sashimi-grade tuna. Even though customers admit that this stuff is on the pricier side, they're happy to report this tuna is well worth it. When you purchase Safe Catch tuna, you're buying more than just fish. You're buying peace of mind, knowing this is high-quality tuna with rigorous testing standards conducted for the sake of your health. Delicious and nutritious with a commendable mission to boot, Safe Catch is one of the best tuna brands on the market.

Tonnino offers nine different tuna products in its shop. There are a few things that make Tonnino exceptionally unique. For starters, most of the company's products are offered in glass jars instead of cans, which makes it easy to directly observe the quality of the tuna. As a consumer, there's definitely something nice about being able to truly see what you're buying before you make your purchase.

Peering into the glass jars of Tonnino tuna reveals large filets of succulent tuna. Upon tasting this Tonnino's delicious tuna for the first time, some customers have even made the bold declaration that they'll "never buy canned tuna again" (via Amazon). This tuna is deliciously moist and jarred with large, whole chunks that easily shred with minimal pressure. Tender and highly flavorful, this tuna is easily some of the best stuff you can get your hands on without heading out into the briny deep and casting the pole yourself. Do yourself a solid and hook yourself up with a few jars. When you give this tuna a taste, you'll know that you made the right decision. 

If you dig a pleasant punch of heat with your tuna, then we have a real treat lined up for you. Natural Catch's spicy tuna comes packed with a whole chili pepper to infuse the tuna with some spicy goodness. Sealed with organic extra virgin olive oil from Spain, this tuna is hand-cut and sustainably sourced through line and pole catching methods.

While the price point tends to be a little higher than other brands, this is a classic case where you truly get what you pay for. The superior quality of this tuna speaks for itself. Some customers even say that this is "the best tasting tuna" they've ever eaten in a can (via Amazon). The tuna filets in these cans are packed in the form of solid steaks, making it easy to enjoy whole succulent pieces of fish. The beauty of this tuna is that it's so good, you'll enjoy it no matter how it's prepared. Eat it straight out of the can or make a luscious tuna pasta salad out of it. With tuna this good, you can't lose. Pro tip: Put that whole chili pepper to good use by dicing it up and adding it to whatever dish you're preparing.