Sardines Nutrition Facts: Omega-3, Calcium, Protein and More

Short answer: A 3.75-ounce can of Atlantic sardines in oil, drained, has about 191 calories, 23 grams of protein and 0.9 grams of the omega-3s EPA and DHA, according to USDA FoodData Central [1]. Because you eat the soft bones, the same can has about 351 mg of calcium, roughly 27% of the Daily Value [1][2]. It also covers more than three times the Daily Value for vitamin B12.

What's in a can of sardines?

USDA lists these values for Atlantic sardines canned in oil, drained, with bones [1]. The Daily Value (DV) column uses FDA's reference amounts for food labels [2].

Labels vary by brand, packing liquid and added salt, so your tin's Nutrition Facts panel is the final word. USDA's sample counts two small sardines as 24 grams [1].

How much omega-3 is in sardines?

A drained 3.75-ounce can of Atlantic sardines in oil has about 0.44 grams of EPA and 0.47 grams of DHA, so about 0.9 grams combined [1]. A 3-ounce portion has about 0.83 grams.

Pacific sardines packed in tomato sauce come out a little higher in USDA's data: about 1.2 grams of EPA plus DHA in 3 ounces [3]. That's one reason numbers online don't always match. Species and packing both change the result.

FDA doesn't set a Daily Value for EPA or DHA, so labels list them in grams, if at all [2]. For how sardines compare with salmon, mackerel and other fish, see our omega-3 foods table.

Why are sardines so high in calcium?

The bones. In canned sardines the small bones are soft enough to eat, and USDA's "with bone" entry counts them [1]. That's why a can lands around 351 mg of calcium.

Skinless, boneless fillets are a different product. If you buy those, check the label's calcium line rather than using the numbers above. Our sardine buying guide explains the difference between whole tins and fillets.

Sardines vs. canned tuna: how do they compare?

Here's a 3-ounce (85 g) portion of each, from USDA data [1][4]:

Tuna is leaner and has more selenium. Sardines have more fat, about three and a half times the EPA and DHA, and far more calcium. Tuna packed with salt has much more sodium than the no-salt version shown here, so compare labels.

Are sardines low in mercury?

Yes. In FDA's mercury monitoring data, sardines averaged 0.013 parts per million, compared with 0.126 ppm for canned light tuna [5]. FDA and EPA put sardines on their "Best Choices" list of fish. Their advice for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding is 2 to 3 servings a week from that list, with a serving of 4 ounces [6]. The same FDA page cites the Dietary Guidelines' advice of at least 8 ounces of seafood a week on a 2,000-calorie diet [6].

How do you fit sardines into meals?

• On toast: the fastest option. Our sardines on toast recipe takes about five minutes.
• Mashed into a salad: use them like tuna, with lemon and a little of the oil from the tin.
• Over pasta: break them up into a garlicky tomato sauce at the end of cooking.

For a pantry tin, Wild Planet wild sardines in extra virgin olive oil come in 4.4-ounce cans. If you prefer small brisling sardines, King Oscar sardines in extra virgin olive oil come in 3.75-ounce tins. Either way, read the sodium line, since it varies by brand.

Sardines also show up in our lists of foods high in selenium and foods high in vitamin D.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone (FDC ID 175139)
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
3. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, sardine, Pacific, canned in tomato sauce, drained solids with bone (FDC ID 175140)
4. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids (FDC ID 171986)
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012)
6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advice about Eating Fish

Photo: Close-Up Shot of Sardines in a Can by Towfiqu barbhuiya, via Pexels (Pexels license).