Realistically, I would consider having both. Hence in this \"Debut\" article it is a straight coin toss. <\/em><\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In an itemised view:<\/p>\n Before I get to explain the \u201cwhy\u201d ~ here is an overview on each food for\u00a0 <\/span>context.<\/p>\n Processed, dried and extruded to various shapes, flakes and nuggets also known as\u00a0 \u201cSoya Wadi\u201d.<\/span><\/a> The latter has a more \u201cspongy\u201d taste.<\/p>\n Generally derived from whole soy flour or actual SPI \/ protein isolate, they can also be a mix<\/b> from other plant based \u201cprotein\u201d sources. Allegedly ~\u00a0 <\/span>lentils, peas, cottonseed, gluten, oats and one that may pose letigimate concerns ~ fava beans.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n All it takes is boiling water to rehydrate or reconstitute which results in a volume approximately double their initial size. However, I personally would not<\/strong> eat them immediately as is. Because of its\u2019 strange, funky or what I noted from my experience - \u201cclay\u201d or <\/span><\/a>\u201crubber<\/span><\/a>\u201d like palate.<\/span><\/a> Going through a second run-through with boiling water, and some acidic mediums (ACV \/ lemon) then squeezing the excess water out <\/i>helps reduce, though not eliminate that \"processed\" taste. <\/i><\/p>\n The manufacturing \/ processing<\/span><\/a> goes something like these. Firstly, soy flour is combined with sodium chloride, cut into shape and cooked simultaneously by cooker + extruder machine. Hexane may also be used here to separate the fat content.<\/span><\/a> Then drying, colouring, flavouring and seasoning process before packaging.<\/p>\n As I wrote on this previously<\/a> ~ I do give some respect to it no more than survival food. <\/b>After all TVP stays dry for long periods of time. This article<\/a> suggests anywhere between fifteen (15) to all the way twenty (20)! years of storage.<\/p>\n Ranging anywhere from 4 pounds all the way to gargantuan 1,500 pounds! (Bluefin Tuna) ~ <\/span><\/a>no wonder judging by weight alone they\u2019d eat pretty much anything. Including (micro) plastics<\/span><\/a> which some do potentially end up in the commercial cans*.<\/p>\n To recap, there are generally seven (7) species for \u201cmajor commercial\u201d consumption. In ascending order from small to biggest:<\/p>\n For seafoods rating of mercury content - \u201c1.0 mg mercury per kg\u201d or 1.0 parts per million \/ ppm has been considered benchmark for\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHigh\u201d <\/span><\/a>category. Generally, larger species (Albacore, Wild Bluefin, Big Eye) have higher mercury. Canned skipjack tuna (small) has somewhere on average between 0.047~0400 PPMP. Wild bluefin tuna (Large) ranges from 0.057 - 3.030 ppm.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Costing per serve and nutrition content wise, they are very good. Note we're referring to canned, not steak version. Like TVP, they're fat deficient thus from calorie needs standpoint obligates further condiments. Were I to rate entirely on \"taste\" tuna definitely wins.<\/p>\n Besides from its cost-friendly, complete source of protein, the only other benefit is its selenium<\/strong>, which to my small surprise ~ may actually be the only richest source there is coming from food protein source.<\/span><\/a> <\/i><\/p>\n But here\u2019s something about mercury. It takes a very LONG time for the body to get rid of. Other than its industrial use as bactericide and fungicide <\/span><\/a>\u00a0in agriculture ~ everything else about it, is simply neurotoxic<\/strong> from head to toe.<\/p>\n Methylmercury<\/strong>, the biologically active version, has a half life ranging from 39 to<\/b> 70 days<\/b><\/span><\/a>. <\/b>And appears to build up commonly in the kidneys.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \"Safe intake\", commonly referred to as PTWI<\/strong> or \"provisional tolerable weekly intake\"\u00a0 appear to be different across institutions.<\/p>\n WHO reduced<\/strong><\/em> their 2003 PTWI limit from 3.3<\/strong>\u00a0 microgram per\/kg of body weight ~ down to 1.7<\/strong> microgram per bodyweight per week, in their 2007 revision<\/a>. In contrast, the 2004 Australian & New Zealand Food Safety standards (AUNZFS)<\/a> paper suggests 3.3 micrograms per week. <\/strong><\/p>\n In other words, WHO appears to recommend a lower<\/strong><\/em> limit compared to AUNZFS.<\/p>\n According to <\/i>theconversation.com<\/i><\/span><\/a>, (at least in Australia) \"between\" twenty-five to thirty-five (35!) cans (95g each) PER WEEK<\/strong> ~ is considered the maximum limit for\u00a0 the most common canned Tuna intake (presumably between skipjack to yellowfin <\/strong>species). For pregnant mothers, these number is ideally halved (~ 12 cans per week). <\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Until there is a more in depth study + mercury analysis ~ I wouldn't take the above as \"safe\"<\/strong> reference point.<\/p>\n Let's run through the math. 25 cans x 95g = 2.4 kilograms per week.<\/strong> Divided by 7 = 340G per day<\/strong>. The authors seemed confident that hitting these numbers are \"unlikely\".<\/strong> In my humble opinion ~ no<\/strong> ~ that range is actually more than likely, <\/strong><\/em>\u00a0especially if we're favouring protein intake. Just one 425g Tuna already equates to around 350-375G<\/strong> edible yield already (minus excess water).<\/p>\n For me, I only eat Tuna infrequently as occasional 19:6 \/ 20:4 PSMF ~ 800kc days. Other than that, very few on occassion outside of these.\u00a0<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n For trivia, this is a case study on a fisherman who consumed 500g tuna steaks (specifically - Albacore <\/a><\/span>and Yellowfin) everyday for years<\/span><\/a>. His BML (Blood mercury level) obviously shot to<\/strong>\u00a0a range between 38.70<\/strong> all the way to 53<\/strong> \u03bcg per litre. But after four months of stopping all tuna intake - readings went down to 14.18 \u03bcg per litre. For context, WHO set the 5 uML being the limit for safe plasma reading. <\/span>His initial complaints was \u201cpain\u201d in both legs, and a case of paresthesia (needle-like\/stinging-sensation).<\/p>\n Both have equal concerns. So much so as a result, it is a coin toss. 50:50.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Nevertheless, my decision revolves around the following criteria.<\/p>\n Soy I would argue is everywhere.\u00a0It is already part of agriculture considering 70-90% of overall output appears dedicated towards feed\/livestock,<\/a> which is interesting.<\/i><\/p>\n No doubt TVP remains as most economical<\/strong> protein source there is. But effects I experienced, on top of its very processed, rubbery taste<\/a> are still relevant to this day. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Psychological \u201cnumbness\u201d is what I can recall. I certainly do not feel at all \u201chealthy\u201d nor \u201cnourished\u201d in-the-head <\/b>so to speak. Grey, dull, somewhat subdued. In other words, \u201cstaleness\u201d ~ soon after eating.<\/p>\n Another strong reason for my concern is its oxalate content. Precisely whopping 638MG<\/strong> per 85g<\/strong> (presumably dry weight)<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Tuna no doubt wins for taste. But it is arguably the most<\/em> potent source of Mercury.<\/p>\n There is however depending on how one views it, a flipside. Avoiding them might be easier<\/strong>. Besides from not eating blue-fin tuna, king mackerels, sharks\/shark-fin-soups<\/a>, we can also avoid use of (excessive) cosmetics, cleaners, and disinfectants<\/a>.<\/p>\n However it's worth noting some trace amount is still being used in various industries. In dentistry<\/a> ~ they're still present in some amount within amalgam fillings, and unfortunately has not been completely banned per-se<\/strong>\u00a0here in Australia. In gold mining, mercury is used <\/strong>during the gold extraction & separation process<\/a>, which consequents risk of mercury vapour. When inhaled ~ they're obviously lethal, as indicated by several case studies here<\/a>.<\/p>\n When toxicity arises, <\/i>it might be worth reading about \u201cchelation<\/strong>\u201d.<\/a> Essentially ~ it's a therapy where the suspect minerals (usually Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium and Mercury) binds with chelating \u201cagents\u201d via oral supplementation. DMSA, Penicillamine Activated Charcoal<\/a> (for those of you devout Ray Peat Forum readers<\/a>) just as few examples ~\u00a0 binds with these minerals in question, minimising their absorption by forming \"complex\" or simply inabsorble compunds. This is so they can be passed \/ excrete safely through either urine or faeces.<\/p>\n That, at least is only in theory.\u00a0 <\/span>The consequences however are probably a little\u00a0too complex<\/a> for lay reading.<\/p>\n Then, there's very bold claim \/ fears on demand vs supply.<\/p>\n By 2048 ~ there will be extinction, or proclaimed \"Collapse\" or \"Emptying\" off all seafood. <\/strong><\/a>\u00a0This was initially raised in a 2006 paper by Worm e<\/a>t al.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The above stat was highlighted in an overfishing documentary \"Seaspercy\".\u00a0<\/a> I don't really pay serious attention to Netflix\u00ae.\u00a0 What do you expect after all, when you get supporters with the likes of James Cameron, Beyond Meat, Chan Zuckerburg Biohub and Vogt Foundation?<\/p>\n Thankfully, there's been several debunk(s), alongside critics of the film<\/a>. Worm & colleagues revised their stance two years later in a follow up 2009;<\/a> admitting while there are still much more that can be improved in the fishing industry, both new research and the industry's regulations suggests their prior \"collapse<\/strong>\" projection by 2048 ~ seems unlikely.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nTextured Vegetable Proteins.<\/b><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nTuna (canned).<\/b><\/h2>\n
*Interestingly, there is reportedly <\/i>more microplastics in brine\/water canned version, than those canned in oil. <\/i><\/a><\/span><\/h6>\n
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Confusing safe-intake recommendations.<\/h3>\n
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(Slightly Lesser Evil) Winner: (coin toss).<\/i><\/b><\/h1>\n
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Soy - Ubiqutuious and unavoidable. <\/b><\/h2>\n
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Tuna - Future unknowns.<\/b><\/h2>\n
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