You can expect a number of small but significant details between these two types of canned fish and this can be useful when deciding which to use depending on the dish you’re choosing to make and the levels of nutritional value you’re looking for. Let’s examine the two products in more detail.
Definitions
Solid White Tuna:
The only type of tuna that can be labeled as ‘solid white’ is Albacore tuna. This is cut from the loin of the fish and placed in the can in large pieces without any further shredding. This gives a more steak-like feel in one’s mouth and can be used as part of a main meal.
Chunk Light Tuna:
The pieces of tuna in Chunk Light are smaller and tend to vary in size. Generally they’re a mixture of pieces from varying areas of the fish an also are taken from several types of tuna: a combination of skipjack, bigeye, yellowfin and tongol. This type of tuna is more commonly used in salads and dressings as it’s already divided into smaller pieces.
Comparison chart
| Solid White Tuna | Chunk Light Tuna |
| Large pieces from the loin | Smaller chopped pieces |
| Used as part of a main meal | Used as a dressing or sandwich filling |
| More omega 3 | Less mercury |
| Albacore tuna only | A mixture of pieces from a variety of species of tuna |
Solid White vs Chunk Light Tuna
What is the difference between Solid White and Chunk Light Tuna?
- Whilst solid white tuna is cut from the loin of the fish and placed directly in the can, Chunk Light is further cut up with pieces coming from various different tunas and parts of said fish.
- Solid White tuna is always Albacore and, as the name suggests, is white. Chunk Light is often slightly darker, fleshier.
- Solid White tuna can be used as part of a main meal or it can be cut up and served in other ways whereas Chunk Light is generally used as a dressing or sandwich filler, for example, tuna mayonnaise
- When deciding which may be the healthier option, it’s important to know that the Solid White is slightly higher in fat, calories and mercury. If a woman is pregnant, then Chunk Light may be the slightly better option, but it may be best to consult a doctor regarding the mercury levels in fish in general. It’s worth noting these differences are minimal, particularly the calories. In a 5oz can of Solid White tuna in water there are 100 calories in comparison to the 90 in the same size tin of Chunk Light.
- Solid White is also slightly higher in omega-3 which is excellent in preserving heart health and boosting your metabolism.